Independent Living
Independent living means being self-sufficient and capable enough to live alone or with little assistance from your family and/or friends.
For many with visual disabilities or difficulties, this seems an impossibility.
To begin evaluating the skill level you have for independent living, ask yourself one question first:
How comfortable am I with asking for help to complete my errands and chores in my everyday life?
For most, not very comfortable.
Contact our resident coach to discuss where you might begin to get in touch with any possible fears and doubts you may have in facing any difficulties in your blindness.
Type coach in the subject line.
coach@everythingblind.com
Independent Living Resources
Do people you know and who help really need to be bothered, if there is another way for you to accomplish the task?
* To learn proper living skills from the comfort of your own home,
Click here: Living Skills Center
* Associated Services for the Blind
Associated Services for the Blind
* A great online resource for learning all you need to know about living blind, visit:
Vision Aware
Orientation and Mobility
To even achieve the ability to use transportation services, one must complete training by a qualified mobility instructor.
This instructor helps an individual to learn new methods of using senses other than sight to navigate. To navigate to stores and locations where the individual wants to visit.
To learn more about orientation and mobility training with a trained instructor visit Travel Vision
Travel Vision
Better independence is gained through one or a combination of many options.
Transportation
* Visit , the place to find out about Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) at:
Accessible Pedestrian Signals
Many areas have affordable transportation available in the form of busses, or livery services that can be funded by state or local resources.
Visit back soon to use our ride locator to better aid you in your personal transportation needs.
Canes
The decision to use a cane is a very difficult one to finally have to face, but read the following story to gain a better view of the situation"
Customize Your Cane By Jody W. Ianuzzi
Once you have made this choice, you will choose which is best for your needs and style.
the most common of choices is a support cane,
This is used mainly to show sighted individuals that you don't see well, and should be aware.
When a person's vision gets worse than 20/200, they are then titled "legally" blind and should change to the use of a straight cane, or the long white canes with a red tip that you see blind individuals most often use. The NFB has an optional color of a reflective green tip which some feel is more noticeable in all lights
To find out where you can learn about and purchase all types of canes and accessories, click here
Products
Guide Dogs
Otherwise, an individual may choose to use the benefit of a guide dog. You can read all about this option on our Guide Dog page if you think you may be interested in this option.
Click on the following link: We have all kinds of resources, and will personally discuss with you whether this is truly the right choice for you.
Guide Dogs
Sighted Guide
Lastly, a person may have the benefit of a mate or friend that becomes very efficient at being a sighted guide. This of course, may not seem like independence, but even the sighted accept help from others. *smile*
As talked about on our personal growth page, it is a matter of personal choice on how we grow into blindness.
Some will choose to be comfortable with using this method as their sole means of mobility and all should have respect for others decisions.
Good instructors also teach in methods of how to best ask for and use help when needed.
Often, minor details can make a difference in helping a person to feel comfortable in independent travel. If not strongly implemented, these small details may be the difference between a person helping themselves or possibly giving up hope.
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about how mobility training may be the first step toward total independence in your life.
info@everythingblind.com
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