Tips for Walking with a Sighted Guide or Human Guide

There may be times when you find that it is faster and easier to get somewhere by walking with another person who will act as a “guide.”  The following tips may be helpful if you use a sighted guide or human guide to help you walk to your mailbox, visit a neighbor, or shop in a mall or grocery store.

1. Do not allow the guide to take your arm or hand and attempt to push you forward.  Instead, take the guide’s arm and hold it just above the elbow, with your thumb on the outside and the rest of your fingers on the inside part of the arm.  This grip will allow you to receive the greatest amount of feedback from the guide’s movements.

2. If you use a cane, take the guide’s arm with your free hand.  If you feel that you need additional support, you may grip the guide’s forearm instead of the elbow.

3. Tell the guide if their pace is too fast or too slow for you. It’s important that you walk at a pace that is comfortable for both of you.

4. Follow your guide’s movements and stay half a step behind your guide when you walk together. A good way to do this is to place your shoulder directly behind your guide’s. If you walk in this position, instead of side-by-side, you will both have sufficient time to react to hazards or obstacles in your path.

5. Ask your guide to give you information about your surroundings by describing people, places, and interesting objects that you encounter as you walk together.

6. Remember to use visualization in combination with this guiding technique in order to receive maximum feedback from your surroundings. See "All About Maximizing All Your Senses" on this web site.