Expect Success
Have you been told that you are spatially challenged and cannot learn orientation & mobility? Have you been told that your child is cognitively impaired and therefore cannot learn mobility in spite of the fact that he or she excels in one or two areas of mental skill such as Braille or computer ability? I believe that anyone can learn good travel skills if they really want to learn. If other instructors have given up on you or your child I can help. If you are truly motivated, I can teach you anything!
Have More Fun!
Vision loss doesn't mean you stop being productive or enjoying life; it just means you must learn different ways to do the things you previously did visually. I can teach you non-visual ways to remain productive and enjoy most of the activities you previously enjoyed.
Do You Need Mobility Training?
Do people think you are stuck up, rude, weird or just plain unapproachable? The reason might be linked to the fact that you could be concentrating so hard on where to step to avoid tripping over anything that you forget to look up. You may not realize that looking down at the floor or the sidewalk when you are walking is not very attractive to onlookers.
- Do you constantly hold your companion's arm whenever you leave your house?
- When you are shopping, do you get nervous if you are separated from your companion?
- Do you avoid leaving your house?
- Have you stopped participating in activities that you previously enjoyed?
- Are you afraid to cross streets?
- Do you restrict your travel to a select few familiar locations?
- Do you feel isolated?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions please consider mobility training. Those problems can be fixed!!!
Why Should I Use a Long Cane?
Are you thinking, "I'm not blind! I'm visually-impaired! I just have a vision problem or low vision. Why should I use a long white cane and let people think I'm blind?"
It may be helpful for you to think about the reasons you do not wish to carry a cane. If you truly do not stumble over obstacles or people in your path and you have no other reason to want to identify yourself as a blind person then maybe you really don't need a cane. However, if you are avoiding using a cane simply because you are afraid of what people might think please read on.
It is respectable to be blind.
People will respect or disrespect you based on who you are as a person—not based on how little or how much you can see. Blind people who carry canes and walk with good posture holding their heads up high automatically command far more respect than those who pretend to have good vision while actually seeing very little.
Most people with substantial vision loss who do not use canes must walk with their faces glued to the sidewalk to avoid tripping. If you walk with your face planted on the sidewalk you are giving people the impression that you have a low I.Q. or are mentally on another planet; Is that really the look you are going for?
Online Support Groups
One great way to connect with other blind or visually-impaired people is by subscribing to a "list serve" This is a place where you can share concerns, ideas, problems, solutions, technology information and give and receive general support.
A listserv is a method of sending and receiving anonymous E-mails of a subject matter that is restricted to your particular area of interest. There is quite an assortment of discussion lists that are related to blindness. For instance, you could sign up for a discussion group made up exclusively of parents of blind children or a group of single blind adults who wish to discuss dating issues. There's a discussion list for people who have RP, another for teenagers who are blind, and one for blind people involved in sports and many more. To browse the many different options of list serves click on the link http://www.jwen.com/rp/listblind.html and read all about them. Enjoy!