The Blindfold is available in Braille, large print and email upon request.
For info or if you have a vehicle in good running order that you would like to donate, call Russ at 659-5360 or the BVIC at 649-3505.
Fridays from 12:00 to 1:00
$3.00- $10.00 (sliding scale) per class
Summer break: Class will not be held July 22 and July 15.
Tuesdays 12:00
Lunch, ceramics & fellowship
Please call 649-3505 if you plan on attending the lunch.
SARA CE - Camera Edition Scanning and Reading Appliance Demonstration
When: July 14, Thursday, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Where: BVIC, 225 Laurel Ave., P.G.
Michael Parker with Access Ingenuity will be at the BVIC to demonstrate the SARA CE.
It’s a great opportunity to see the features of the next-generation self-contained scanning and reading device designed for people who have low vision or who are blind. SARA CE is simple to use and has a built-in keypad with brightly-colored tactile keys. No computer experience is needed. Just place a printed page under the camera, and the SARA CE reads it to you with RealSpeak™ human-sounding speech. It reads most printed materials like books, magazines and mail. The camera even automatically senses when a new page is presented so you don’t have to press a button to scan additional pages of a book.
Lois Weeth
Last month we began a discussion on coping with vision loss, citing a major study and the suggestions generated by its respondents. For
this issue, we profiled a BVIC member who agreed to share her personal journey of adaptation and adjustment to vision loss.
Lois Weeth initially received services from our center in 2007. I met her two years later - right in BVIC’s backyard. Lois was vigorously digging in the garden, along with other volunteers from the Cypress Garden Guild. She learned about the sensory garden project from a notice in the Blindfold, contacted Patty Barrett from the club, and has been a key member ever since. “I’m their test case when they want to know what plants are best for the visually impaired.” (Lois is a retired botanist and plant taxonomist and brings much experience and expertise to the table.) Drawn to her obvious spunk, humor and positive attitude, I asked her permission to do an interview for the newsletter. We met at her home in April, where we chatted about coping with vision loss, aging, and life in general.
Lois was diagnosed with macular degeneration 9 years ago, at the age of 80. At the time, she was living in a small Northern California town that had no real infrastructure to accommodate seniors or those with special challenges. She was driving and living an active, independent life style. Her eye doctor informed her that although there was no cure for her eye condition, she would most likely always have at least peripheral vision. “This was good news for me. I feared total blackness.” She knew very little about “Mac D” (her short hand for macular degeneration) at the time, but set about to find out. “As a scientist, my approach is to ask why and to try and figure things out, come up with solutions.” She did a lot of reading about her condition during the first year, but dealing with the unknowns - such as the rate of progression of the disease, was challenging. As she began to notice changes - diminished color perception, reduced detail in her central vision - she took concrete action to plan for the future.She realized early on that she needed to relocate to an area with established systems of health and social services for seniors. She also wanted to live in a small town. “I know how they work. I do well in small towns.” Having some family in the area and being familiar with the Monterey Peninsula from visits and vacations here over the years, she chose Pacific Grove. Her current home is a wonderful model of a space designed not only for the visually impaired, but for an aging adult. A single level, 900 square foot home, it is light, bright, and accessible, both indoors and out. Her garden was lovingly designed to accommodate her vision - from the vibrantly colored plants chosen, to the variety of textures and scents. Her passion and love of all things green was evident as she gave me a tour of her large outdoor space. She has marked the corners of beds with white flowers, and is careful to use only tools that are safe and easily handled. She continues to do much of the work herself, though she has help with larger, heavier maintenance.
Moving to a new area can be challenging at any age, but can be especially daunting for an aging person with worsening vision. I asked her if meeting people was difficult, especially given the fact that she could no longer drive. “I learned social skills from my mother. I know how to meet people.” Indeed, Lois seems to possess a comfort and ease around people. She introduced herself to her neighbors early on, describing them as a friendly helpful, diverse mix of couples, singles and families of all ages. The area is safe and quiet. Beyond her immediate neighborhood, Lois began seeking out activities that she loved, where she could meet people who shared similar interests. “I’m a social misfit when it comes to golf or bridge.” Instead, she followed her passion, and joined the California Native Plant Society, the Heritage Society, and eventually the Cypress Garden Guild. “I’m not a white glove, flower show type of person. I’m a dig in the dirt gardener.” Joining a group often means being given a job, and before she knew it, she was appointed program chair for the Cypress Garden Guild. On one occasion, she was asked to introduce their monthly speaker. She had carefully written the introduction in large print and thought she was prepared. But when the time came, she was unable to read her card due to poor lighting in the room. Rather than apologizing or agonizing about her dilemma, she simply handed her card to the speaker and asked her to read her own introduction. Lois not only has a good sense of humor but is obviously not afraid to take a few social risks!
Transportation and mobility is always a challenge with declining vision, and Lois has learned to use a variety of programs (MST RIDES, the Carmel Foundation’s “Van Go,” and taxis), as well as neighbors and friends.
Knowing what one can safely do independently and knowing when to ask for help is an ongoing issue. Lois is realistic and practical about what she can and cannot do. For example, if she is shopping and unable to read a label, she might ask another customer if she can “borrow their eyes” for a minute. This direct, unapologetic approach seems to serve her well.
Lois shared other practical, living skills tips which she demonstrated as we toured her home. She favors brightly colored trays or colored towels on her counters for easy identification and to contain spills. She has hand held magnifiers in key places throughout the house. She uses clipboards and colorful notes, and there is light everywhere. Her computer screen is extra large, and she is able to transcribe hand written notes into large print. She continues to use her familiar old film camera with automatic focus. When the film is developed, she has a CD made with digitized images from the film. This way she can attach photos to email message on her computer.Lois encourages people with vision loss to pay attention to stressors and not be afraid to problem solve. If something is frustrating, can the activity be modified? Or is it time to “quit it” and move on. She talks about the importance of taking the time to assess your abilities as well as limitations. “Simplify - so you have less to deal with visually and mentally.”
As our interview came to a close, we discussed the importance of attitude. “I’m a glass is half full person, not half empty.” Maintaining a sense of hope is vital. It is important to remember that people can lead active, independent and meaningful lives despite the challenges imposed by low vision. We offer our thanks to Lois for providing helpful, practical information and for sharing her inspiring story.
Tips from Experienced Cane Travelers to the Newly Initiated
Part of the delight of being an Orientation and Mobility Specialist is the variety of personalities and perspectives I come across in my adult students. Many bring their own common sense and resourcefulness to the task of moving around safely when you can’t see well, or see at all. Most learn the standard techniques and then adapt them to their own styles of moving and living in this world. Since part of my job is to familiarize experienced cane or dog-guide travelers to new areas from an O&M perspective, I often learn phrases or approaches that I can pass on to my newer students. These gems may be a re-phrasing of a mobility technique in a way that is more meaningful or memorable to some students, or just practical ideas to use in moving around purposefully with little or no vision. Commentaries on interacting with the public are also informative! I will just list these ideas and perspectives with or without commentary for those of you who may be interested:
“When I’m not sure which walk signal button is for which street, I just press both of the buttons on the pole.”
“When I’m asking the bus driver which way to turn when I get off the bus to head towards the street I want, I ask the driver if I should turn towards the front of the bus or towards the back of the bus. People confuse left and right all the time, giving me wrong directions, but the drivers never have a problem with this reference point."
“When I get on an elevator if there is no one else to press my floor button and tell me when I’m there, I just press all the numbers and count the floors.”
“If I find out I’ve passed the bus stop I want, I just stay on the bus until it returns to the transit center and start over. I don’t want to get lost in the middle of no-where because someone thought they could give me accurate directions to get off and connect to a different bus.”“When people ask if they can help me I smile and say “Not today-anything I can do for you?! I add a big grin. I”ve made a few friends this way.
“When I’m flustered and can’t get anyone’s attention to verify my location I just stand and whistle a favorite tune. It calms me down enough to think, and sometimes someone approaches to either join in whistling or to comment on the tune. That gives me an in to find out what intersection or store I may be near to get my bearings again. People seem to be drawn to me when I am not stressing so much.”
One day while I was teaching a mobility lesson, walking backwards to observe my student’s cane techniques as he walked towards me, a passing stranger looked at my student, then at me and asked the age old question “Is she blind?”
My student quickly quipped “Quiet, my mobility instructor is deaf and I can’t catch her changes in direction if you are talking!” I smiled and the curious observer studied us for a while longer without a word. Finally the onlooker approached my student, putting a hand on her shoulder, “ If your instructor is really deaf, and you are really blind, how do you communicate?.” My student kept a serious face. “ We are telepathic. See that bus bench on the other side of the next street? My assignment is to meet her there. Just watch, she’s going to turn around and cross the street ahead of me, and meet me there” The observer turned around to look at me, and sure enough I’d turned around with my back to my student, crossed the street, and sat on the bench to wait for her. In the meantime our observer stood and stared, then walked away scratching his head after my student independently crossed the street, found the bench, and stuck out her hand which I promptly shook.
“When I first lost my vision I didn’t think I could go anywhere alone. I didn’t trust myself to do anything right. Now I like going places by myself because I’m in control. I can go where I want when I want and I don’t have to wait around for a friend to take me. I enjoy meeting friends at the café, and I enjoy my alone time when I want it. If I’m done shopping I can leave when I’m ready, instead of waiting around for my ride who wants to look at one more thing.”
“I can’t cross that particular street very easily, so I ride the bus down one way and stay on it until it comes back to the other side. It takes time, but if I plan it right I get my errands done and stay in one piece.”
“I hate when people compare me to the super blind like Tom Sullivan or Stevie Wonder or someone they know who is a blind lawyer. I am just me and I didn’t want to be famous even before I lost my vision. Some things I can do well, some things I can’t, but it was that way before I lost my vision. I don’t care about being super successful, I just want to live my life and enjoy my friends and family. I hate when people group blind people together like we’re all alike. I don’t think sighted people are all alike, except sometimes it seems like many of them want me to be just like the blind people they know or know about. Once I even got called by another blind person’s name on campus, and I know we don’t look alike, friends told me so. Yet the person insisted I was that person. I know my own name! Anyway, people should think a little before they speak. I do put my foot in my mouth sometimes too, I just get tired of other people expecting me to get a guide dog or play the piano. I don’t like dogs and I can’t play the piano, never wanted to. Give me drums any day! “
“ I am amazed at how many genuinely good people there are out there. One day a stranger walked me to the door of the store I was looking for because they said it was easier to take me there. I find the bus drivers very helpful, and most people seem to want to share information with me if I ask. Sometimes I get “But you don’t look blind!”but most of the time I know that people want to be helpful but just don’t know how until I ask. I’m not afraid to speak up any more because most of the time I get the information I need with a warm response”“There are times I feel like hitting people because they fawn over me. Sometimes they talk so loud to me I can hardly hear myself think. I just say “I’m not deaf, I’m blind!’” and they get the message. One time someone was so obnoxiously loud that I purposely dropped my voice to a whisper. When I felt them lean in towards me saying “What?” I spoke loudly and giggled when they jumped. “Sorry,” I said, “I thought maybe you were hard of hearing because you were talking so loud” After the initial shock they started giggling too and said, “ I guess you aren’t hard of hearing either.”
CTAP is one of the wonderful resources that Jacquie Johnson, BVIC Support Services/ Case manager shares with clients.
FREE PHONES???Submitted by Pa Kou Cha, CTAP Outreach Specialist
CTAP provides free specialized telephone equipment to California residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision, speech disabilities, cognitive disabilities or mobility impairments.
How can CTAP provide free phones? CTAP is funded through a small surcharge that appears on each Californian’s monthly telephone bill. It ranges anywhere from $.02 to $.10 depending on the percentage of telephone usage. These funds pay for the program.
To qualify you must: 1) reside in California, 2) have telephone service in your home, 3) have your doctor or other qualified agent certify that you have a disability that makes using a standard phone difficult. It’s easy and it’s free!
For more information you can contact CTAP at (800) 806-1191 (voice) or
(800) 806-4474 (TTY).
