As someone who cares, what can I do?

Living with vision loss doesn't mean loss of hope. There are many independent living options and self-help choices.

Talk with your friend or family member, learn what troubles him or her the most, and begin by focusing specifically on those issues. Helping Family and Friends Adjust to Vision Loss [1] can be especially helpful when learning how to cope with the emotional impact of vision loss.

All of the everyday adaptations we recommend have been tested and adapted so they can be safely and successfully accomplished without having to rely entirely on vision. You can begin by experimenting together with one or two tasks. For example, using the telephone [2], selecting a system for organizing and locating clothes and personal items [3], or making safety adaptations in the home [4].

It will take time and patience to learn different ways of doing everyday tasks. Your support and encouragement are important. Try working together at a pace that is comfortable and relaxing for both of you.

Regardless of the task you're working on, encourage your loved one to use and develop trust in all of his or her senses [5]—remaining vision, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. Each can play an important role when learning to make successful and safe adaptations. If your loved one or family member has relied on vision for much of his or her life, encourage the use of "visual memory," which, in many cases, can can safely and effectively compensate for reduced vision.

A Wide Range of Service and Resource Options Exist

Together you can also learn about the different options for gaining increased independence and quality of life. These options may include:

• Attending a vision rehabilitation center [6] or, dependent on local resources, having a vision rehabilitation [7] professional provide services in your home
• Self-help: learning from self-study tapes, attending a self-help support group, or reading self-help publications [8]

Depending upon your needs, comfort level, and personal preferences, there are many choices for you to explore.

Employment Pursuits

For information on employment, you can explore career advice for young people [9] and employment options for working-age adults [10].

"My Story": Interviews with others who have dealt with vision loss

Let yourself be inspired by the challenges and successes of other blind and visually impaired adults as they continue to pursue productive lives after vision loss in VisionAWARE's "My Story" series [11].

Caregiving: A Daughter's Dilemma

When my parents were in their 80s, my brother and I noticed how time was finally catching up with them, and this vital, energetic pair were indeed less able to do things on their own. Sure, my father still climbed up on the roof to fix a leak and he still drove from Indiana to Florida for the winter. But, was it really safe? He was in the early stages of macular degeneration and had diabetes. My mother, however, had had a stroke, and her balance wasn't good, and she had cataracts. But they didn't want to talk about "future" plans because all that meant to them was loss of independence and a feeling of incompetence. My brother and I both lived out of state and we worried. Read the full story... [12]

If you find the help you need on VisionAWARE, please let us know [13]. If you need more information, or do not find what you need, please feel free to contact us [13].