VIDA Training – VIDA Insights (Blog)

77. A Huge Hug for September #WorldAlzheimersDay

19/9/2018

Image is on a black background, showing on the left an emoji with 2 hands outstretched (sign for a hug). On the top right hand side is white text, saying 'A huge hug for September, in honour of #WorldAlzheimersDay, with thanks to Wendy Mitchell' in the bottom right are two leaves in orange and brown for autumn colour.

In honour of World Alzheimer's Day – 21st September, I (Vicky) wanted to share some of a recent blog by Wendy Mitchell called a Huge Hug for the Arrival of September. Thank you to Wendy for agreeing to us using this.

In her blog, Wendy talks about how August is her least favourite month of the year, “when routine changes, my calendar goes quiet and I’m filled with dread of what dementia might do to me.”

There’s a lot mentioned, quite rightly, to raise awareness about hidden disabilities (i.e. those disabilities and impairments that aren’t obvious to others – for example Crohn’s Disease) but in our training we also talk about the hidden impacts of any disability or impairment and Wendy’s blog highlighted this again to me.

Whereas for many of us August brings something different in a positive way – it’s holiday season, the kids are off school, we can relax a little – this is not the same for everyone. It also reminded me of the many conversations I’ve had with Dave and other people with vision impairments about finding going on holiday hard – the change of environment meaning, usually, a loss of independence due to being in an unfamiliar place and therefore having to be more reliant on those around you.

Back to Wendy to explain why August is not her favourite month:
“It’s the disappearance of routine that is the hardest element. The lack of children walking to and from school to signal the time of day; the DJs on the radio going on holiday; my calendar lacking in its usual business. For me it’s a strange month as I come to love just sitting. I live upstairs during the day when I’m at home. Snuggly sat in my bed with my iPad and everything I need around me and the large window which looks out onto the tree tops offering a birds eye view of the world. But, as nice as that is, I can hear dementia laughing at me, rubbing its hands with glee at being given the opportunity to filter through the peace and settle down beside me………”

To read Wendy’s blog in full, go to https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/2018/09/03/a-huge-hug-at-the-arrival-of-september/.
All of Wendy’s blogs can be accessed via her website ‘Which Me Am I Today’ - https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

76. VIDA - Vision Impaired Daredevil Act

12/9/2018

That’s right folks, we’re venturing out and now entertaining thousands of people with our new blind trapeze act, demonstrating how good our balance is whilst under blindfold!

Only joking… but in celebration of National Balance Week (16 – 22 September), I thought that I would talk about balance and how this affects me (Dave) because of my sight loss.

It is quite common for blind people to suffer with poor balance and this is because good balance generally requires 3 things…
1.    Your vision
2.    Your ability to feel your feet and sense the position of your body in the environment or surroundings
3.    Your capacity to tell if you are really moving through space.

On the whole my balance is good. I sometimes go a little off kilter as a result of being caught out on uneven surfaces (or as a result of a few too many beers) but even then I’m able to correct myself usually before I end up on the floor!

I don’t do any exercises to aid this but I’m aware that there are some exercises that blind people can do to strengthen their other senses to compensate for a lack of vision. For anyone interested in what exercises you can do, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) have some very clear ones: http://www.afb.org/section.aspx?SectionID=67&TopicID=313&DocumentID=3470

I guess, now that I think about it, I have to concentrate more on moving around when it’s very noisy or in crowded places. Whether I’m concentrating to ensure that I don’t get disorientated or to keep my balance, I’m not sure but I expect a bit of both.

I remember talking to a physiotherapist on one of our training courses a while ago and her asking how I managed to stand all day and her commending me on my posture and ability to stand still. She had worked with several blind people who really struggled to stay upright or who sway and wanted to know how I did it… I couldn’t answer her, I just can!

I’m no doctor (nor am I a scientist, therapist or brainbox) but from reading some of Dr Google’s results, it would seem that there is a link with people who have poor balance due to vision loss and people who have inner ear disorders such as Meniere’s disease and Labyrinthitis. It would seem that the same part of the brain uses these senses to perform perfect balance and if one of them doesn’t communicate with the brain as expected it causes balance problems.

Whilst writing this Insight I discovered, via searching online, that, earlier this year, during the filming of America’s Got Talent, there was in fact a trapeze act involving a blind guy. However, vision impaired Tyce dropped his wife Mary on their first attempt!! You can watch it all happen, just Google AGT blind trapeze! Maybe it is a sensible decision for us to stick with the Vision Impairment & Disability Awareness training after all!! 😊 (smiley face)

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

75. First hand experiences!

5/9/2018

Image shows a selection of the books we have read that are mentioned in this post

Vicky: In honour of Read a Book day tomorrow (6th September) I started out to write another short post about the various books we’ve read that have a link to vision impairment.

However, when I started to think about our favourites, one thing became obvious to me. The ones we’ve both really enjoyed have been written by a person who is themselves vision impaired or co-written by one person with a vision impairment and one person who is sighted.

They may be factual accounts (Touching the Rock by John M Hull; The Blind Man of Hoy by Red Szell; A dog called DEZ by John Tovey), novels (Blind Trust by Red Szell) or tales about adventures undertaken (Touching the World by Cathy Birchall and Bernard Smith; The Windhorse by Elaine Brook and Julie Donnelly) but somehow the stories, be they fact or fiction, just ring truer and don’t have so many jarring elements (why in novels about blind people do they always mention people counting their steps when they’re out and about? No wonder members of the public have so many misconceptions!).

What comes across in all of them is that being blind is a part of life, giving rise to different challenges but not being the only thing going on! The interactions between people (and DEZ the dog) makes the books even more fascinating.

I think it would be fair to say that top of our pile so far of all of these is Touching the World, about Cathy and Bernard, who undertake the challenge of a motorbike adventure across 25,000 miles of the world. It’s a great book for so many reasons (the adventure itself, the relationship between the two of them and the humour all make it well worth a read).

As well as writing blogs about them (read our previous blogs to find out more) we also discuss and recommend these books on our training sessions. Thinking about the books we’ve enjoyed also highlights why we both undertake these training sessions – we know that having Dave talk about his personal experiences and the impact sight loss has on him as a person is invaluable. We also know people witnessing us working together in an equal partnership provides another dimension, underlining what we talk about on our training sessions. Both are things people comment on the most in our feedback. That and our constant references to food, our great sense of humour and our wonderful personalities of course! 😊 (smiley face).

Dave: I have only really got in to books as my sight has deteriorated. I tend to use RNIB’s talking book service for my audio books but occasionally purchase books from Audible if they are unavailable through the RNIB. Fortunately I have been able to read the books that Vicky has mentioned and have really enjoyed them for the same reasons. Elements of each of the books have made me smile as I relate to the situation or the responses given by the blind person from questions or observations made by sighted people.

If you’ve read a book written by a vision impaired person that we’ve not mentioned then please let us know. Vicky and I are always trying to source new books to read but think that we’ve exhausted our options! 😊 (smiley face)

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

74. I thought you were Blind? Part 3

29/8/2018

Following on from the last 2 blogs reminded me (Vicky) of 2 recent train encounters and how you just never know!! I guess it also relates to the RNIB’s campaign mentioned last week #HowISee, as well as bringing to mind that Awareness raising should be a full time job!!

Back in April, 3 of us were travelling up to Naidex, Europe’s largest exhibition for disability equipment held at the NEC in Birmingham, in relation to the other service Dave and I own/manage called the Disability Equipment Service (www.disabilityequipmentservice.co.uk). The other person with Dave and I also has a vision impairment. The three of us were all sat at a table on the train and, at some point along the journey, another passenger asked if he could sit with us. After a short while we got chatting about what he did and where he was going and as his job involved the train services, one of us asked him whether he’d ever driven a train. To which he replied, ‘No my vision’s s*** [not very good!!]’ to which our colleague replied, ‘I bet it’s not as bad as ours’. We then got chatting more about this to find that the man has RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa) the same sight condition as Dave. However, his sight hasn’t deteriorated to the same level as Dave’s and he did not require any additional aids or support (aside from screen magnification). If we hadn’t have got chatting to him, we never would have known, as wouldn’t any other passenger on that train. It also highlights that although both Dave and he have the same sight condition, the effects on their day to day life are at the present time, very different.

I was then on another train a few weeks later (again sitting at a table) with another colleague from a completely separate organisation, who also has a vision impairment. She and I were chatting about the potential impact vision impairment can have on your enjoyment of holidays and the gentleman beside me said ‘I’m sorry, I wasn’t meaning to listen but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation about sight loss. I have Macular Degeneration myself’. We then got chatting about that, as well as where he was travelling to/from. After my colleague had left the train, we carried on chatting and he mentioned that his daughter also has a vision impairment and that she was concerned that she might have to give up work. I asked if they had heard about Access to Work (not surprisingly, as it is DWP’s best kept secret, he hadn’t) so I gave details about it and the various ways his daughter (and her employer) might be able to receive support. I also gave him a VIDA Training card in case he needed to get in touch in the future.

Although I’m tempted to say it’s a small world, I don’t think it’s that, it just highlights that you never know until you talk to people (and therefore shouldn’t make assumptions!!).

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

73. I thought you were Blind? Part 2

22/8/2018

Image shows Vicky and Dave walking along a pavement with Vicky SIght Guiding Dave

Following on from Dave’s blog last week, I (Vicky) thought it would be good to mention again the RNIB’s set of mini films called #HowISee – available on Social Media, YouTube and also on their website - https://www.rnib.org.uk/rnibconnect/how-i-see. These are short films by people with vision impairments talking about the way their vision impairment specifically affects them. It also attempts to change some of the misperceptions people have about vision impairments.

Whilst reading Dave’s blog prior to posting, I was reminded of Jen Pearlstein’s article on The Mighty - https://themighty.com/2017/06/when-people-say-they-forget-about-my-disability/#_=_desribes which details how she now doesn’t find it a compliment when people forget she has a vision impairment and actually finds it offensive when they could assume it is. It’s a really interesting article and well worth a read. It also outlines to me 2 important things:

Firstly, a very common theme from our training about how everyone is different. Get to know someone or ask them rather than making assumptions. So, as in the case of this article, as a sighted person, don’t assume that a vision impaired person would want to be thought of as sighted – that may be your viewpoint but one they don’t share.

And secondly, that it can be a fine line between supporting someone appropriately who has a vision impairment versus only registering that person as someone with a vision impairment or ignoring their vision impairment completely. As Jen says in the article, ‘although it is flattering that [her colleague] does not see me as defined by my disability, my vision loss is a core piece of my identity that impacts how I live my life.’

So, to highlight this within our own VIDA training partnership and our other working roles, I couldn’t ‘forget’ that Dave is blind and walk off not sight guiding him in an unfamiliar place. However, I also acknowledge that he is taller than me and so can reach things for me and is also stronger and therefore better at, for example, lifting our training suitcases out of the car. I might need to give directional prompts for these things to be achieved successfully but although Dave’s vision impairment is an important element of his life and impacts how we work together, there are other factors about both of us that we need to take into account too. If you’re interested to read about this further, we recently published a post entitled ‘Playing to our strengths’, which was our Insight at the beginning of this month - No. 70.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

72. I thought you were blind? Part 1

15/8/2018

Photo of Dave demonstrating how he uses his phone

Back in September last year, I wrote an Insight called What can you see for Eye Week - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/22-what-can-you-see-eyeweek that tries to explain what I can see (although it’s very hard to give an explain – think about how you would describe what you can see). I wanted to follow up that Insight with something similar but this one is more about how people perceive me and my blindness.

It doesn’t happen quite as much nowadays probably due to me being a bit more ‘obviously’ blind. I get sight guided or use a white cane to get around, usually have my sunglasses on and regularly bump in to things or need extra help to complete tasks. However, I still sometimes surprise people by what I can do or still can see.

Being registered blind doesn’t mean that you can’t see anything; in fact statistics state that only about 4% of people have no sight with these people usually having their eyes removed and/or having prosthetic eyes. In fact, even if you have no light perception, often you still see something. A BBC Ouch blog about David Rose, a blind journalist entitled “Do blind people really experience complete darkness?” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-ouch-31487662) helps explain this and, although 3 years old, is still very relevant.

David Rose describes the flashes and fireworks as ‘Visual Tinnitus’ which I think is a great description. I am in this camp, I still can see when it is light and dark; I can see lights in the ceiling and I can see flickering images if I look closely at the TV. However, this is all very blurred and behind a load of rapidly flashing white dots and green swirls. As with David, these don’t go away when I close my eyes or bury my head under the duvet, they’re always there.

So, it still surprises people that I can bend down and pick up a coin that I’ve dropped, do the ironing or wash the car. I can do these things but I do them differently than a sighted person would. I use my other senses more, so for example, I feel the paintwork when washing the car and use my ears to listen to wear something has dropped so that I have an idea of where to start feeling to find it. Ironing is slightly different, obviously I don’t touch the iron as that would be stupid, but I do feel where I have ironed and work in a methodical way so that I don’t iron in creases (well I don’t think I do anyway).

An advantage to using my other senses to do tasks is that I don’t need the light on to do it. I can wash the car in the dark and regularly end up ironing in the dark without even noticing that the room has gone dark due to the sun going down. I rarely put lights on in the house so shower, shave and dress in the dark and I’ve even made breakfast for the children in the dark forgetting that they can see and would probably prefer the lights on!

I’m not saying that life is easy without sight, it isn’t. However, it doesn’t stop me from doing normal things; it just means that I might do them differently and am usually much slower at doing them. Obviously there are things that I can’t do or find really difficult such as driving, painting and decorating and knowing whether something is stained following a spillage. I also find dusting and window cleaning difficult due to not seeing whether I’ve removed the dust or just moved it around (I also tend to knock things over or have to remove everything from the shelf before I dust so it takes ages!) or have left smeary windows.

My life is about finding new strategies or solutions to achieving everyday tasks. Perhaps you can take some time to think about how you might do things if you couldn’t see… try it, and see how your other senses take over.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

71. Do you watch TV?

8/8/2018

Photo of a TV screen shoing the setting change to Audio Description

A question that I’m (Dave) fortunately not asked that often, however, I am aware that people, when discussing or asking me about a TV programme that they think I may have watched, are cautious about the language they use or sometimes change it; “Did you, urrr, listen to the football match on the TV?” for example.

Usually I don’t even comment on this and just reply saying that I did or didn’t watch the TV and we discuss the programme in question. I have noticed that even my dad will now say “Did you listen to the Grand Prix on TV?”.

Watching TV is what people do. TVs are ‘visual’ so why wouldn’t we watch TV? This is a subject that Vicky and I discuss on our training lots. Not just watching TV, but the colloquial phrases that we use that have visual connotations ‘see you tomorrow’, ‘oh I see what you mean’ and ‘looking forward to meeting you’ are all examples as we mentioned in our previous blog about communication - 11. See you tomorrow…(Communication Part 1) - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/11-see-you-tomorrowcommunication-part-1.

Getting back to TV though, I do watch TV but I do like to have and rely on the Audio description (AD) being turned on. AD is spoken commentary that runs alongside the dialog describing the important visual things happening on the programme such as body language, expressions, movements and explanations of scenery and colours where necessary. This additional dialog enables me to build a better picture of what is going on and fills in the gaps from unspoken elements of the programme that I would miss out on if I didn’t have AD.

AD is available on most new digital TVs or set-top boxes nowadays and usually there is a dedicated AD button on the remote control (or plonker as it’s known in our house) that turns AD on and off. Alternatively, you can access AD by changing your TV settings.

Broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky must ensure that AD is available on 20% of their programmes. AD is also available on some Freeview channels/programmes and on the majority of films released on DVD.

In the past couple of years, streaming providers such as NetFlix and Amazon TV are now also making programmes and films available with AD and making these easy to find by adding them to a dedicated ‘AD’ menu/list.

If you’re interested to find out more about Audio Description, then the RNIB has a webpage that has further information as well as links to downloadable factsheets. A direct link to the AD page is: https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-home-and-leisure-television-radio-and-film/audio-description

Unfortunately, copyright laws mean we can't show you a video of how AD works, but turn it on on your TV and listen to the audio description to find out how it works.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

70. Playing to our strengths

1/8/2018

Banner photo from website showing Vicky and Dave deliveering training

Vicky: In previous blogs we’ve mentioned independence (No.49 Stirred not Shaken - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/49 and No. 50 Help, hindrance or interference - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/50-help-hindrance-or-interference although it is a common theme 😊), I think there’s a good case to be made for working to each other’s strengths. This could be in any situation. As an example, I’ll use our training sessions.

We plan these together before the day and always have an idea of the topics we want to cover and will have agreed what equipment to bring.
Usually, I will have collected Dave en route to the training venue so we arrive together.

Assuming we’re in unfamiliar surroundings, we’ll start with a quick recce of the room so Dave can orientate himself for the day and then we’ll agree the best way to face and the room layout etc. I’ll check the fire evacuation procedures (usually a poster on the wall) and double check where toilets are. When setting up, we’ll both get tables ready and then I’ll deal with the paperwork and getting refreshments ready whilst Dave decides and lays out which equipment is appropriate for that session and usually gets the chairs ready. Dave is also better at dealing with any technical equipment required, so if that’s needed, that also generally falls to him 😊

During the training, as those of you who have taken part will know, we have a relaxed style and both chip in throughout the day. However, we do have different elements we lead on and I’ll often do the more factual information as its easier for me to read specific facts. We also try to be flexible to the needs of the group and Dave is more comfortable at ad libbing than I am. He also brings all of his personal experiences to the day and is happy to share personal examples with the group, although we often both share relevant anecdotes. I will usually be the time keeper for the session trying to keep us on track 😊 as again its easier for me to glance at our timetable and gauge how we are doing, but again we try to strike a happy medium between getting through the information we need to and going off piste a bit if the group are interested in a particular topic.

We must be doing something right as our recent feedback from a training session included:

"Fantastic chemistry between the two trainers. Not dry deliverance at all, kept their audience engaged, informed and involved as they rolled out the day"

"Great to see the working relationship you both have, makes for a very friendly, inclusive training session"

At the end of the day, we’ll usually have a brief breather before we start to pack up. Again, I’ll tend to deal with any paperwork as I can see what needs keeping and what can be discarded, Dave will put away equipment, chairs etc. On the way home we’ll discuss how the day went and any changes we want to make for next time.

It’s taken us a while to get this routine established, but we both know and accept that each of us are better at different tasks. We have both also adapted and been flexible enough to allow this to happen.

Dave: Vicky has clearly demonstrated how we work to our strengths but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds to get to this stage. We were lucky in that we worked together on projects before we started VIDA Training and therefore knew quite well what or where our strengths were. However, we did have to work at this work balance which involved communicating both our needs with each other. I’m better now at time keeping (due to having a smart ‘Bradley’ watch) but still rely on Vicky to be chief timekeeper mainly due to her having the planned timings on a sheet in front of her rather than me having to remember this info. What Vicky did forget to mention is that I usually switch off during the car journey home, not because we’ve heard enough of each other’s voices, but due to being fatigued from delivering the training. (Vicky – luckily I don’t switch off as I’m the one driving but Dave is right to mention his fatigue levels as this is an impact often forgotten about with any impairment. On the other hand, I think that’s why I’m usually quite keen to have a bit of a breather after the session and before packing up, whereas Dave is usually keen to pack up and get going. Interestingly, I hadn’t even thought that this was why we react differently at the end of a training session. Whilst I was aware of Dave’s fatigue I hadn’t really considered that my need for a break before the drive home was opposed to Dave just wanting to get to the car so he can have a break!!! It just proves that however well you know each other, there’s always more to learn and plenty of compromises to be made 😊)

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

69. Sightseeing…

25/7/2018

With our thoughts turning to the long school holidays, I, Dave, thought that I would write an Insight about Sightseeing from a blind person’s perspective. In last year’s VIDA Insight number 16, Going on Holiday - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/16-going-on-holiday, I briefly touched upon how not being able to see the new surroundings, colours, etc makes holidays for me less enjoyable than when I could see.

Building on that Insight, an element of most holidays and day trips is ‘Sightseeing’; taking in the environment and looking at new things, be that buildings, statues, sculptures, etc. Clearly, if you have sight, then you can experience this just by looking at whatever you’re seeing, however, when you can’t see you miss out on the visual aspect – I’m pointing out the obvious, right?

However, there are ways in which a vision impaired person can enjoy the same to some degree. For example, you could do some research online before you go so that you know where you’re going or what you’re going to see and read about the history, etc. Alternatively, you could just ask the person who you go with to describe or read about it (only possible if you’re with someone). Another option would be to take advantage of some great apps and then find out more when you’re there.

Technology has really made living with a vision impairment so much more accessible; smart phones enable you to make calls, send texts and emails, use social media and browse the internet and much much more. There are many apps specifically for vision impaired people including some apps that are for identifying items or objects. TapTapSee, CamFind and iDentifi are 3 apps that come to mind and that I have on my phone. These apps allow you to take a photo of a two or three dimensional item from most angles and, using cloud based image recognition API technology, recognise it and tell you what it is. Some of these apps will then provide links to webpages where others will require you to use a web browser to find out more. These apps are particularly useful for statues and objects where it isn’t always obvious what they are.

Depending on where you’re visiting, there might be options for you to get a touch tour (a hands on experience) or the ability to use electronic audio guides. Museums and the larger places of interest usually have audio guides (often available in different languages) enabling you to walk around and listen to information about particular objects or rooms or the history of a place at your own leisure.

Another way, that doesn’t require the use of technology, is to book yourself on to a guided tour. I find these tours a great opportunity to find out about a new area without having to do the research in advance. I also find that the tour guides often know more about the local area and therefore you find out about some things that you wouldn’t necessarily find online. You don’t require sight for these (other than to follow the guide) so it’s more ‘Hearhearing’ than ‘Sightseeing’??

I’m not saying that Sightseeing is the same when you can’t see, what I’m saying is that there are other ways to appreciate something or somewhere new that don’t require sight.

For anyone interested in the apps I mentioned (might be useful for people with vision too), you can read more at:
TapTapSee – https://taptapseeapp.com/
CamFind – https://camfindapp.com/
iDentifi - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/identifi-object-recognition-for-visually-impaired/id1135223189?mt=8

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

68. What’s that noise?

18/7/2018

Vicky: We have a statement on our training quiz ‘Blind people can hear better than sighted people’ and we ask people to mark it as True or False. I’d say we get 50/50 responses – which we then discuss. For those of you wondering about the correct answer – no, people with a vision impairment can’t automatically hear better than sighted people (and there are plenty of people with a dual sensory loss – both a vision and a hearing impairment). However, many people with a vision impairment will use their hearing differently and be more reliant on that sense.

Quite often if we’re out, Dave will ask me ‘What’s that noise?’ to which my reply is sometimes ‘what noise?’ and I then have to focus on sounds around me which I had previously been oblivious to. But to Dave, without sight, noise is an important indicator of what’s going on around him. If out on his own, he will use sound to orientate himself (as well as smell) – so for example, knowing where he is when he hears the electrical drone from a telephone exchange or recognises the smell of a bakery (it’s always a bakery – funny that!) will enable him to know that he is where he is and that he’s on the right route.

There is a technique that some blind people use called echolocation – where the person would make a noise (often clicking with their tongue) and, dependent on the responding echo, know how far away items are - there is a fascinating video on the BBC news website of Daniel Kish giving quite a detailed description of a park that he cannot see by relying on echolocation - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-35545476/daniel-kish-man-who-is-blind-but-can-see-like-a-bat.

Dave: It is common knowledge that people with a vision impairment use their other senses more to compensate for a lack or loss of vision. I use my hearing loads, more so if I’m out on my own or with the children to ensure that I am exactly where I think I am. I use traffic noise in particular, listening out for cars so that I can gauge how close I’m getting to a particular junction or to confirm that I’m still on the pavement and heading in the right direction. Since losing Errol (my guide dog) and having to use a white cane, I have had to relearn how to use my senses in tandem, for example, I will sweep my cane and be listening out for what it’s hitting. This might be some metal railings or a wall or even finding a gravel drive. These are known as ‘landmarks’ and it is the sound that these make that I use to orientate myself, not the feel of the cane (notice I didn’t mention cars… whilst they make a great noise when you hit them, because they are a movable object they don’t make good landmarks).

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

67. All about UKVIJOBS

11/7/2018

Image shows a screenshot of Brendan Magill's webpage about UKVIJOBS email groups with text as detailed in the blog

I (Dave) have been accessing services from UKVIJOBS for several years now and thought it about time to write a blog about them and encourage more vision impaired people to access them.

UKVIJOBS (UK VI Jobs) was created by and still moderated by Brendan Magill, a self-employed Business, Employment & Disability Consultant based in Worcestershire.

Brendan set up these services as a side-line to his business nearly 20 years ago to support people with a vision impairment with finding work and with having access to support from other vision impaired people who were employed or self-employed through email groups and noticeboards. I commend Brendan on his dedication and time on keeping these services active.

There are 3 services that make up the UKVIJOBS portfolio as follows:

UKVISE - United Kingdom Vision Impairment Small Enterprise and Self-Employment discussion group

UKVISE is an email discussion group specifically for anyone interested in matters relating to small enterprise or self-employment for people who are vision impaired. This group is really active and is an excellent source for advice and guidance on topics relating to (or close to) the world of self-employment. Recent threads have been about GDPR, accessible printers, web and email hosting and overnight accommodation for support workers.

UKVIEMP - United Kingdom Vision Impairment Employment Discussion Group

UKVIEMP is an email discussion group specifically for anyone interested in matters relating to employment of people who are vision impaired. This group is less active than the UKVISE group but is another excellent source of support to people with vision impairments who are in paid employment. Recent postings to this group have been around employing support workers through the Access to Work scheme and about being disabled at work.

VISECTOR – VI Sector Job Vacancy Advertising Noticeboard

The last service offered by the UKVIJOBS is VISECTOR. The VISECTOR mailing list was created to provide a common noticeboard for advertising job vacancies which may be of interest to people who are vision impaired in the United Kingdom. The service is free to both list members (job seekers) and advertisers (usually employers). With job search sites becoming more accessible nowadays, this noticeboard is less active than it used to be, however, jobs are still advertised using this platform especially jobs that are for organisations or charities that work directly with sight loss – RNIB and Thomas Pocklington for example.

The UKVIJOBS services can be accessed via a page on Brendan’s business website where you’ll be able to find further information about these services including how you can sign up to the email groups or post jobs on the VISECTOR noticeboard. Just visit: http://www.magill.co.uk/ukvijobs/index.html

You can find out more about Brendan at: http://www.magill.co.uk/index.html

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

66. Sport… for the blind?

4/7/2018

Vicky and Dave at the 5km finish, having taken part in the Run in the Dark event last year

Dave: How much can change in a week and a bit!! When I first started writing this post – England had just beaten Panama 6 -1 in the World Cup, Lewis Hamilton returned to the top of the F1 driver standings following a win at the French Grand Prix, Andy Murray’s return to tennis since Wimbledon last year saw him have a straight sets win over Stan Wawrinka in Eastbourne and England completed a 5 – 0 win over the Aussie’s in the One Day Internationals (Cricket) – sorry, I’m not being sexist, just noted all my examples seem to be male!

So with all this sporting activity (and what a nail biting England match in the World Cup last night!!), doesn’t it encourage you to get off of the sofa and take up a sport? You don’t have to be an expert or be any good, it’s the taking part that counts… and this includes people who have a vision impairment.

Back in my sighted days I used to play short mat bowls. I was actually pretty good at this and was ranked in the top 10 in Kent for a while. I played for Kent for several seasons as well as becoming only the 2nd player from Kent to be called to play for England.

I have been asked recently if I was interested in taking up running and have also been invited to go to the gym with friends, however, I’m not interested in running and find gyms a bit boring.

Since my sight has deteriorated, participating in sport has become less attractive. Also, getting involved in a competitive sport as a blind person would mean that I would have to travel to somewhere like London to participate – making the activity both expensive and time consuming. Maybe when the children are a bit older and I have more free time on my hands (when I’ve retired), I’ll think again about finding a local sport that I can play.

However, there are some excellent organisations that are doing a great job in ensuring that sport is available for people with a vision impairment. There are 2 main charities leading the way in the UK:
· British Blind Sports (https://britishblindsport.org.uk/) are a national charity providing sporting opportunities for vision impaired people across the UK.
· Metro Blind Sports (https://www.metroblindsport.org/sports/) are another charity who provides sporting activities in and around London as well as promoting other UK activities via their newsletter and social media pages.

There are also other smaller charities that are dedicated to a particular sporting activity such as ‘English Blind Golf Association’ (http://www.blindgolf.co.uk/) and ‘Sailability’ (https://www.sailability.org/?p=19).

Vicky: Whilst Dave isn’t interested in running, I just wanted to mention the Park Runs that now happen every Saturday morning across the country (https://www.parkrun.org.uk/). These are free events to attend, and people can run or walk the 5k courses (or run and walk which is what I do!). They are operated by volunteers and there is always a volunteer who will keep the last person company be they walking or running so that no-one finishes on their own which I think is a lovely touch. They also welcome people with vision impairments and encourage people to volunteer their services as a Guide Runner – this can be anyone of any running or walking ability and they will match people accordingly. Its easy to register and, as I said, completely free to take part!

So, sighted or not, there is a sport out there for you… you just need to go and find it!

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

65. The effects and causes of: Misty Vision

27/6/2018

Image of a market scene as it might be seen by someone with 'Misty Vision' - the whole image is unclear, as if being viewed through mist or fog

This is the last in our run of eye sight effects and causes, previously covering ‘Tunnel Vision’, ‘Blotchy Vision’ and ‘Peripheral Vision’, and this time it’s the turn of about ‘Misty Vision’.

This term is commonly used to describe when someone experiences blurred or cloudy vision.

The most common cause of Misty vision is cataracts, however, misty vision may also be caused by other conditions or medical problems including astigmatism and glaucoma or from a cloudy vitreous humour.

Misty vision can be very slight and therefore not cause any problems with seeing or completing daily tasks. However, in severe cases, the misting can cause problems with getting around, identifying objects, loss of detail, poor contrast, increased glare and, in some cases, halo vision.

Misty vision caused by cataracts is due to lens becoming cloudy. Your lens is situated just behind the iris (the coloured part of your eye) and is responsible for focussing the light entering the eye. Cataracts can be removed with a replacement lens being fitted. This simple medical procedure often restores the vision unless there are other underpinning conditions when the treatment may not be so effective. There may not be a cure or treatment for misty vision caused by other conditions.

In some cases, wearing sunglasses will help reduce the glare from misty vision. This links us nicely into reminding you that it is ‘National Sunglasses Day’ today (Wednesday 27 June). Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory but help protect your eyes from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays from the sun and for some people with vision impairments also help reduce the glare that these conditions can cause, even on not very sunny/bright days. (read our post about this last year - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/9-not-just-sunglasses)

The RNIB’s website has some useful information about cataracts including a link to their ‘Guide to Understanding Cataracts’ booklet - https://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health-eye-conditions-z-eye-conditions/cataracts

As we’ve said before, it is really important to have a regular eye sight test even if you feel there is no change in your vision. These tests will ensure that you’re eyes are healthy and will ensure that any problems are identified and treated appropriately.

For further information about sight conditions and their effects/impacts, a good resource that we often mention on our training is the RNIB’s #HowISee campaign. This includes short video clips highlighting the different impacts people’s different vision impairments have on them. RNIB (www.rnib.org.uk) also have a range of booklets about different sight conditions.

The NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) also has lots of information about sight conditions as well as symptoms people may experience.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

64. The effects and causes of: Peripheral Vision

20/6/2018

The image displayed is of a market scene, as it might be seen by someone with Peripheral Vision. The central part of the photo is dark with the surrounding area distorted but becoming clearer the further away from the central point

Continuing on our theme and following on from our posts about ‘Tunnel Vision’ and ‘Blotchy Vision’ over the last two weeks, this time it’s the turn of Peripheral Vision. This is in advance of #MacularWeek running this year from 25 June - 1 July.

This term is commonly used to describe the resulting vision when someone’s central vision is affected. The person’s clearer vision will be outside the direct gaze (so at the sides, top and bottom) with the central point of their vision missing, blurred or obscure (not necessarily black as shown in the photo).

Peripheral vision, or loss of central vision, usually occurs when the macular is damaged or weak. The macular is part of the retina at the back of the eye, responsible for all of our central vision, most of our colour vision and the fine detail of what we see.

The most common eye sight condition associated with peripheral vision is Age Related Macular Degeneration but there are many different conditions that may cause this type of vision loss or have this effect on a person’s vision including strokes, tumours, Stargardt’s Disease and many other conditions affecting the macular.

Depending on the severity, this lack or loss of central vision will have an impact on the person being able to undertake close detail work, reading and writing. However, for some people with early stages of a deteriorating condition, hardly any changes will be noticed (this is again why we urge people to have regular eye checks as these are often where such conditions are first noticed).

Further information about different conditions affecting the Macular can be found on the Macular Society website - https://www.macularsociety.org/about-macular-conditions. The Macular Society also runs support groups, a helpline and other information as well as funding research into macular disease.

Stargardts UK also has a website with information and support for people affected by this condition - https://stargardts.org.uk/

For further information about sight conditions and their effects/impacts, a good resource that we often mention on our training is the RNIB’s #HowISee campaign. This includes short video clips highlighting the different impacts people’s different vision impairments have on them. RNIB (www.rnib.org.uk) also have a range of booklets about different sight conditions.

The NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) also has lots of information about sight conditions as well as symptoms people may experience.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

63. The effects and causes of: Blotchy Vision

13/6/2018

An image of a market scene as it might be seen by someone with blotchy vision. Dark blurring patches appear at random across the scene, obscuring parts of it and distorting others.

We kicked off last week with a VIDA Insight about ‘Tunnel Vision’, a term used when someone only has central vision or has little or no peripheral vision. Well, this week, and in line with Diabetes Awareness Week (12 – 18 June), we thought that we should talk about the effects this condition can cause – blotchy vision. This is a result of having Diabetic Retinopathy, one of the effects of Diabetes. Blotchy vision can also be caused by Retinal Telangiectasia, another sight condition that Dave has.

The term ‘blotchy vision’ is used to describe when someone is experiencing spots or dark strings floating in their vision. These are commonly known as floaters. Other symptoms can be blurred areas, fluctuating vision, impaired colour vision, dark or empty areas or in some severe cases, complete vision loss.

It's caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina) or, in the case of Telangiectasia, having weak or abnormal blood vessels that haemorrhage allowing blood to enter in to the eye and ‘float’ around.

For people with Diabetic Retinopathy, these symptoms, not only hinder you doing standard daily tasks, but are a sign that your blood sugar levels are not being managed correctly. Other causes could be from a knock to the head, whiplash, or from experiencing high g-forces (rollercoaster rides, bungee jumping, etc).

Although most people with ‘floaters’ can function normally, the moving spots can cause problems with completing some tasks depending on where and how big the floaters are. Also, as they move around, this may mean that you won’t be able to do something that you may have done earlier that day.

In a lot of cases, the floaters will naturally disperse over time with no long term damage; however, people are advised, even if there are no current symptoms, to have regular eye tests with a specialist.

A good resource that we often mention on our training is the RNIB’s #HowISee campaign of short video clips highlighting the different impacts people’s different vision impairments have on them. RNIB (www.rnib.org.uk) also have a range of booklets about different sight conditions.

The NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) has lots of information about sight conditions.

A good resource for further information, advice and news can be found at Diabetes UK (https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/diabetic-retinopathy.html).

It is important to mention that having floaters doesn’t mean that you have either of the above mentioned conditions. Floaters are very common but it is advised to have your eyes tested if you do experience them just to double check.

And just for information, there is a two part programme on ITV called The Fast Fix: Diabetes. This relates to diet and type 2 diabetes. It’s on this evening and tomorrow (13th and 14th June). As its not aired yet, we have no idea what it will be like and I’m always slightly sceptical of anything labelled ‘Fast Fix’ but it may be worth a watch.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

62. The effects and causes of: Tunnel Vision

6/6/2018

A photo depicting a market scene as it might appear to someone with Tunnel Vision - the centre of the photo is clear, but the surrounding is distorted and misty in appearance.

When we provide training, it becomes clear that lots of people really don’t appreciate the wide variety of sight conditions people have and how these effect different people in different ways. So this month, and especially to coincide with National #GlaucomaAwarenessWeek from the 4th – 10th June, #DiabetesAwarenessWeek from the 11th – 17th and #InternationalSunglassesDay on the 27th June, we thought it was a good opportunity to pull some resources together for you!

In line with Glaucoma Awareness Week, we thought we would start with one of the effects this condition can cause – tunnel vision. Tunnel Vision can also be caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa, one of the sight conditions that Dave has.

The term ‘tunnel vision’ is used to describe a loss of peripheral vision where people’s central vision remains comparatively clear. People describe it as looking down a pair of tubes (like the inside of a kitchen roll), however, often the surrounding vision might be blurred rather than not there at all.

This loss of peripheral vision can be due to the outer part of the retina being damaged or deteriorating (as with RP), raised eye pressure (as is the case with Glaucoma) or a weakness in the optic nerve.

As well as the obvious effect of losing your peripheral vision, this type of sight loss can result in loss of depth perception (difficulties with judging distances, heights of kerbs, steps etc.), colour recognition and night vision. It can also make orientation difficult, and so might affect a person’s ability or willingness to go out, particularly to unfamiliar places.

A good resource that we often mention on our training is the RNIB’s #HowISee campaign of short video clips highlighting the different impacts people’s different vision impairments have on them. RNIB (www.rnib.org.uk) also have a range of booklets about different sight conditions.

The NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) has lots of information about sight conditions.

The International Glaucoma Association is a patient-based registered charity that works to prevent glaucoma blindness through information, advice and support. It operates a Sightline - 01233 648170 and also runs patient support groups in the UK – information about which is available on their website - https://www.glaucoma-association.com/about-the-iga/what-we-do/groups-in-your-area/

RP Fighting Blindness (soon to become Retina UK) is the specialist charity and support organisation for people with RP in the UK and was founded in 1975 by people with RP. As well as being a respected medical research charity, it also offers a range of support services for those affected by RP, including a helpline, social groups across the UK and the RPYP (RP Young People) Group. The helpline number is 0845 123 2354.

And, just to end, people are often unaware that they have these conditions in the early stages. It is always advisable to have regular sight tests, even if you don’t need glasses. In the case of several friends and both my parents, they were unaware of their sight conditions and it was an optician who picked up on them.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

61. Argh… where has my burger gone?

30/5/2018

Image of food on a BBQ

With hopes that the cold and wet weather will be behind us soon (it’s pouring with rain as we post this so maybe not!!) we live in hope of a long and warm (not too hot, just pleasant please) summer ahead of us. With summer and hot evenings brings eating ‘Alfresco’ (apparently that is defined as ‘In the open air’) and this means… Yes folks, the uncovering of the BBQ!! This week is National BBQ week (is that why it’s raining so much??) so we couldn’t let such a British tradition pass without us talking about it (and not just because it’s food related 😊).

Dave: I am a traditionalist when it comes to BBQs and continue to have a charcoal fired one. I’ve had the same BBQ for about 10 years, a cheap, round fold away one that I bought from Homebase (other home DIY supply shops are available). You might ask how it’s lasted 10 years… well, this is because it only gets used about once or twice each year (if we’re lucky) and spends the remaining time hanging up in my shed being used as a home for spiders.

I really enjoy the taste of barbequed food and would, if I had better sight, use the BBQ more than we do now. I have strategies in the kitchen for cooking and think that I do pretty well in this department; however, it’s very different when it comes to the BBQ.

The problem with a BBQ is that:
a)   You have to set them up and light the coals about 3 hours before you want to cook on them. I find that you have to allow 3 hours as it usually takes several attempts (usually using a bottle of lighting fluid and packet of firelighters) to light them unless you cheat and use the impregnated charcoal or buy the charcoal where you just light the bag
b)   It’s outside… usually in a sunny garden where the glare is impacting on the little sight I have remaining
c)    They smoke… the smoke always (yes always) comes in the direction of the chef and for me, trying to see through smoke with watering eyes that aren’t functioning due to the glare of the sun is an accident waiting to happen
d)   They eat my food… It’s true, for some reason, every time I go to turn a burger or roll a sausage they’ve gone… Usually this is due to them rolling off of the BBQ on to the floor (does the 5 second rule apply outside?) or they have fallen from my tongs and dropped in to the coals without me noticing
e)   And finally, I can’t tell if things are cooked… Unlike an oven that has a controllable temperature or a hob that has a dial to change the heat a BBQ has the following heat settings: cold > not quite hot enough to cook > too hot to cook > not hot enough to cook > cold. There doesn’t seem to be a time in the middle for optimal cooking! As a result, when I do cook (and to be honest, I’ve not cooked on a BBQ now for a couple of years) I really do have no idea if the food is cooked. I think that this is a very visual thing and something that I now have to let other people do for me.

I would be keen to know if there are any other vision impaired people out there who refuse to give up on using a BBQ and have found alternative strategies to combat such problems or maybe you’ve found a new type of BBQ that would work for me. If so, please leave us a comment or get in touch as we would love to hear from you!

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

60. Another chapter in my life…continuing sharing stories for #NationalShareAStoryMonth

23/5/2018

Making drinks is something that most people take for granted… for me (Dave), this is just another thing that I have to really concentrate on and have strategies to help with the task.

With my sight continuing to deteriorate, I have to adapt my strategies further or find alternative solutions. Several months ago I finally accepted that I needed extra help with making hot drinks. I was beginning to spill or overfill the mugs with either hot water or milk and making a right old mess on the worktop. So, I dug out a Christmas present that Kelly (my wife) had bought me several Christmases ago that I had refused to use at that point (yes I am stubborn at times) and started to use it.

The gadget, probably one of the simplest and easiest to use, is called a liquid level indicator. They are often supplied for free by local authorities or can be purchased from places such as the RNIB for around £10. The one that I have is an audio and vibrating one but you can get just an audio one that doesn’t vibrate.

The idea is that you hang the indicator over the side of the mug with the metal prongs inside the mug. As you fill the cup/mug/glass, the device will vibrate slowly and give off a beep when the liquid reaches the first level of the prongs. When you continue to fill the vessel, the device will vibrate faster and the beeps beep faster when the liquid reaches the top prong indicating that the vessel is full. You lift off the device to stop the vibrating and beeping.

The indicators have a magnet inside them so can be attached to a fridge door or other magnetic device so that they are easy to locate when you need them.

Watch the video to see how they work…

Other simple things that you can try to aid with this task are:

To use mugs that have a white inside. For someone with some vision, seeing a dark liquid (tea or coffee for example) filling up inside the mug against the white walls might help.

Placing the vessel on a contrasting surface might also help with identifying or defining the vessel further. Some people like to use a tray for this providing a dual purpose - not only giving a different colour contrast but also catching spills if they happen.

Using a kettle that has a good spout can make a big difference (some have lips on the end that enable you to feel when the spout connects with the edge of the vessel). Alternatively, there are some hot water dispensers that dispense 1 cup of water at a time; these are particularly useful for people that struggle to lift a kettle.

You can still buy kettle tippers; a metal cage type device that the kettle sits in that swings on hinges making the kettle easy to tip and pour. The down side to these is that you have to be sure where your cup is before you tip or you could easily miss! Also, not all kettles fit so you’ll have to find an appropriate kettle for the task.

And for some people, getting someone else to make the drinks works best!

Vicky – the only thing to add to this that Dave hasn’t mentioned is even with the above gadgets, it might depend on which kitchen you are in. So, when we’re working from Dave’s house, we tend to share drink making (not on a strict rota basis, just as and when either of us thinks about it!). But if we are out providing training, or even in the office kitchen that is shared between colleagues, making hot drinks is something I would do. This is because in an unfamiliar place, making drinks with unfamiliar equipment is just not practical and in a shared kitchen things get moved around a lot which makes it nigh on impossible for Dave to feel confident that he’s going to be able to locate items or not knock something over that someone else has left on the side.

[Video shows the liquid level indicator positioned on the side of a glass, with 3 metal prongs pointing down into the glass on the inside. Water is then poured into the glass. As the water level reaches the first prongs of the liquid level, the indicator starts to beep. As more water is poured in and the level reaches the highest prong, the indicator starts to beep and vibrate.
The end slide of the film shows the VIDA Training logo and the website address – www.vidatraining.co.uk]

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

59. A dog called DEZ – review of a book about John Tovey, ghost written with Veronica Clark.

16/5/2018

Dave and I have just finished reading and listening to ‘A Dog called DEZ’ and as it’s #NationalShareaStoryMonth, we thought it would be a good time to share our thoughts.

The book is the true life story (to date) of John Tovey, from his difficult childhood, adolescence and early years, through to him losing his sight as a result of diabetic retinopathy and to getting his guide dog, Dez.

Obviously this is just one person’s story and as always we’d like to remind people that not every person with a vision impairment wants or is entitled to, a guide dog. However, the book has some useful insights into the training of guide dogs and the commitment required by anyone considering having one, as well as recounting some of Dez’s misdemeanours and his eye for the ladies (if food’s not in the way 😊)

The early parts of the book are not an easy read, as the book states, “Life before Dez had been pretty bleak and I’d not been a very good person at all.”, however, John makes a commitment to himself and Dez when he applies to become a guide dog owner and the highlights of the book for me all relate to the bond they develop with each other.

There are some very funny moments (when Dez manages to grab a child’s lollipop and steals some chocolate cake – yes Dez is a Labrador 😊) but there is also a lot of information that will deepen people’s awareness about being blind (John feeling self-conscious when he first used his white cane and then realising the benefits to him and others is just one example) and also the responsibility of owning a guide dog (after Dez had stolen the lollipop, John invited a friend, who had a young child, round to his so they could teach Dez to ignore sweets, even if they were being waved at dog eye level by a young child). The book also talks about the training a dog receives, the support the person gets with the training and also the essential fundraising activities John and other people undertake in order to raise money for Guide Dogs.

There were also a few moments when John relates something about Dez that reminded me of Dave’s lovely guide dog Errol who sadly died last year. One such moment was when John first got Dez and then went outside to put out the rubbish:

“Dez sat back down and sighed as if in a huff. I closed the door behind me and nipped out to the bin. I must’ve been gone for a total of ten seconds, but as soon as I walked in through the door he bounced around like Tigger on Red Bull.”

Errol also didn’t appreciate being left behind either and used to look quite miffed if Dave had the nerve to leave him behind at any time. Unlike Dez though, Errol would maintain his aloofness for a while even after Dave returned home!

The other was when John describes Dez being so different with his harness on:
“When his harness was on Dez was the ultimate professional, always watching and waiting. He wasn’t reckless to impassive, instead he’d err on the side of caution, anything to keep me safe. However, as soon as the harness was removed he was off duty and back to being a regular dog and a bouncing ball of fun and energy.”

We definitely used to say that Errol held himself differently when his harness was on, more alert and ready to fulfil his important role!!

If you’ve read this book, please share your highlights with us or, if you have other books you’d like to recommend we read, please let us know. As always, we’re also interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

58. Aira – another story shared for #NationalShareaStoryMonth.

9/5/2018

[Photo, showing a pair of Aira glasses and a mobile phone showing the Aira app logo, is courtesy of the Aira.io website]
This is a guest blog, originally written by Jonathan Mosen. The full version entitled ‘A review of Aira. What it is, how it works, and the ways it has changed my life’ is on the Mosen Consulting website – http://mosen.org/aira/. Jonathan states he will be updating the post from time to time with additional information and experiences.

For information, Jonathan also produces The Blind Side Podcast (this can also be accessed via the Mosen Consulting website).

We have taken the following excerpts directly from Jonathan’s blog:

“When you’re involved with an industry, you tend to watch developments so closely that changes usually seem incremental. But occasionally, something new comes along that is so game changing, it stops you in your tracks. For me, San Diego-based Aira is one such technology.

According to the company’s website, Aira is today’s fastest growing assistive community. One tap of a button instantly connects you with a sighted professional agent who delivers visual assistance anytime and anywhere.

Here’s what that means in practice. At present, Aira is a smart phone app, available for iOS and Android. Since Aira is a service for blind people, it’s no surprise that the app is exemplary in terms of its accessibility. And in iOS, it even sports Siri integration.

Using the app, you can connect via video, much like a FaceTime call, with agents who can provide you with visual information. Audio quality is excellent, far clearer than a standard cell phone connection. Essentially, an Aira agent can tell you anything at all that a pair of functioning eyes can see, plus perform a range of tasks pertaining to that information.

You can acquire the visual information using your smart phone’s camera, or, when you become a subscriber to the Aira service (Aira calls its customers “explorers”) you receive a pair of smart glasses. These are included as part of your subscription, so there’s no hardware cost upfront.

Describing it like this makes it sound kind of cool. But I want to explain the impact that Aira has had on our lives in the brief time we have had it, to illustrate that, at least for some of us, this technology is more than just pretty cool, it’s life-changing.

If you’ve been reading this blog or listening to The Blind Side Podcast over the years, you will know that in recent times I have come out as having a hearing impairment. I love going to these big conferences because I get to catch up with old friends and make new ones, as well as see the latest and greatest technology. I hate going to these big conferences because often, I find myself in difficult audio environments. It can be very noisy. Hotel lobbies and restaurants are often exceedingly crowded, with high ceilings causing noise to bounce everywhere. The environment is difficult and tiring, but I keep going and doing the best I can, because the alternative is to sit at home and rust away, and I’m certainly not going to do that.

One smart thing that Aira has done is to start rolling out a concept called “site access”. With appropriate sponsorship, or perhaps at times where there will be many potential customers in one place, Aira can enable free access to a location or even the entire city through their smart city project. There are two benefits to the strategy. First, it’s helpful for existing Aira explorers because they can use the service as much as they want without it counting against their monthly plans. Second, anyone, even those not signed up with an Aira monthly plan, can go to the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store, download the app, create a guest account, and use the service for free. As I found out, it’s convenient to have access to Aira in such situations, and it offers the opportunity for Aira to convert those guests into full-time explorers. Smart stuff.

It was thanks to this program that I gave Aira a shot. Had I been required to go to the booth to give it a go, I probably would have run out of time and wouldn’t be writing this post. But it was a cinch to download the app and set up my guest account.

I first decided to put Aira through a simple test. Having arrived in San Diego after a long journey, I wasn’t taking much notice of the hotel layout when the porter showed me to my room. So, the next morning, I made my first call to Aira, and asked the friendly agent to guide me to the elevator. Not only did I get to the elevator effortlessly, I was also guided right to the button for the elevator.

But the call I will never forget is the one I made to ask for assistance getting to the exhibit hall while exhibits were being set up. If you’ve visited the Grand Hyatt in San Diego, you’ll know how cavernous the lobby can sound. When the lobby is full of people, I find it impossible to navigate, because there’s just so much sound bouncing everywhere. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from Aira, but I was keen to see what would happen.

This is the moment when I transitioned from the intellectual understanding that “this is quite a good concept”, to the emotional connection that made me say “holy guacamole, this thing is changing my life!”

I’m not a guide dog handler at the moment, but I have been in the past. One of the advantages of working with a dog over using a cane is that you avoid many obstacles without ever coming into contact with them. The exception is if you are a cane user with good echolocation. I think that even with full hearing, I would have found echolocation difficult in that very noisy lobby, but it’s certainly not viable for me now. Therefore, in that type of environment, I often find myself hitting people’s legs with my cane, as I try to find a way forward. With the Aira agent talking in my hearing aids which were also delivering environmental sounds, I was getting information about where the crowds were, and when I needed to veer to avoid running into people. I was told when it was necessary to turn to reach my destination and given confirmation that I was indeed heading in the correct direction.

Because of my hearing, and the fact that I know navigating these environments can be difficult, I had allowed myself plenty of time to reach the exhibit hall. But I reached it much more quickly than I had anticipated, and with much less stress than usual.

When we eventually reached the exhibit hall, which was some considerable distance away, the agent informed me that the door was closed. I expected this, since I was heading to the exhibit hall before it was officially open to the public. The icing on the cake was when she said that she could see a counter to the left of the door with a sign labelled “Exhibit Services”. She then informed me that there was a man behind that counter and offered to lead me to him. She did so, and he let me in. Astounded, I thanked the agent, and ended the call.

Full disclosure, at this point, it gets a bit embarrassing. No technology has made me cry for joy before. But a stressful experience I have to psych myself up for had just been made effortless and enjoyable. I was utterly overwhelmed. This was all achieved with no more than the free app and the camera on my iPhone X.

The good news is that Aira is preparing to spread its wings. They’re seeking expressions of interest from would-be explorers in New Zealand, Australia and the UK who would like to trial the service. The trial involves using only your phone. No glasses or WiFi are part of the trial, and you’ll use your own cellular data. To compensate for that, you’re getting a good deal on the 200 minutes a month plan. So, if you would like to give Aira a try, I’d appreciate it if you’d sign up using our referral link. The referral program means that the person being referred, and the person who did the referring, each gets a free month. Pretty good marketing. To take Aira for a spin, activate my referral link - https://aira.io/plans?referral=304c2. I hope it makes as much of a difference to you as it has to Bonnie and me.”

Thank you to Jonathan Mosen for giving us permission to use his blog. And, as we said at the top, if you’d like to read the full blog please visit - http://mosen.org/aira/

Further to this blog, the good news is that the Aira is currently being trialled in the UK. If this trial is successful we could see it live by the end of the year.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

57. Sharing Shared Stories for National Share-A-Story Month

2/5/2018

57. Sharing Shared Stories for National Share-A-Story Month

This month is #NationalShareAStory month so we thought we would write a blog about 2 of the most recent books we have read and listened to in which the authors share their own stories. One is by Red Szell entitled ‘The Blind Man of Hoy – A True Story’ (we previously read and reviewed the novel Blind Trust by him). Red has RP (Retinitis Pigmantosa) and this book is about his preparation for and actual climb of the Old Man of Hoy. The other book is ‘The Windhorse’ by Elaine Brook and Julie Donnelly. Julie has been blind since the age of 8 as a result of glaucoma, Elaine is sighted. This book is about their adventure to both trek to the 18,000 foot summit of Kala Patthar, 500 feet above Everest Base Camp. Both adventures raised funds for charities (RP Fighting Blindness and Guide Dogs) but the main drive for both of them was the experience itself.

If you are interested in either travel/endurance activities or vision impairments then these could be the books for you. If you, like us, are interested in both then they definitely are 😊. As well as offering fascinating accounts of their explorations and the determination required to succeed, they also provide some insight into undertaking such adventures with a vision impairment.

We’ll just give you a few quotes here that we think give you a feel for each of the books…

Red Szell talks about the challenges he faces, struggling to balance requiring/expecting people to assist him but not defining him by his disability. He talks about how the Paralympics changed his view:

“Medal winners were encouraged to tell their story, and again and again I heard a blend of pride and humility as they expressed thanks to coaches, trainers and support staff. It began to dawn on me that mountains don’t get conquered single-handedly but by teams….I took some positive action, accepted the help on offer and worked with Matthew and Andres to develop a system what would minimise the impact of my blindness on my sport.”

Julie also touches on this in the Windhorse:
Julie: “I would give anything right now to be back in my own house where I can run around all the rooms easily, without any help and I know where everything is kept. …I never stopped to think what it would be like to be in unfamiliar ground for so long without a break, dependent on someone every time I want to go anywhere further than the loo tent.”

And from Elaine’s point of view in the Windhorse:
“As she spoke of textures, sounds, smells, I began to enter a world of non-visual perception – a fluid and sometimes elusive world where a person’s expression is judged by their rate of breathing and the day’s weather by the smell of the wind. I was hooked. Here was a world as fascinating and mysterious as my beloved Himalayas. Aligning my perceptions with Julie’s had become as much of a challenge as understanding my extrovert and enigmatic Sherpa friends.”

The journey itself:
Red - “Our speed had picked up after about 20 minutes when Alex had started knocking on the top of large boulders with the end of his trekking pole to warn me of their position. It was genius, utterly unbidden by me and highly effective as it told me height and position in one as well as giving me a sense of size by dint of the tone the strike made”.

Julie - “It has got harder and steeper, but I’ve become more able to cope with it. Watching myself adapt has been one to of the most exciting parts of the whole thing.”

Elaine - “Strange isn’t it…So many people said to me, ‘What’s the point of Julie going if she can’t see any mountains?’ and it was hard to explain to them how much more there is to being up here than just being able to look at the view. Otherwise everyone would just take a mountain flight and stare out of the pressurised windows for an hour or two.”

And their experiences along the way:
Red -
“The contrast between light and shade; matt red and glittering blue; between shelter and exposure was so elemental and beautiful that I had to stop and catch my feelings.
A final tussle with a troublesome cam and I joined Martin on the ledge just below the summit”

“After Martin had gone, Nick and I shared the ledge with a little puffin…Nick directed my gaze and after a couple of minutes hard staring I finally made out it’s sleek black shape perched just a few feet from me. It’s noisy munching made the ledge…less haunting”

Talking about a cam stuck in the rocks:
“It was well and truly embedded and I would dearly have loved to see it to work out the angle it had been slipped in at, but I’m used to seeing with my fingers so, with the seconds ticking past and the shakes trembling in my left leg and threatening to dislodge my only solid point of contact, I ran my fingertips along the line of the groove trying to build a mental picture”

The Windhorse:
Julie - “I’m getting used to the different household sounds: the crackling of the fire with the juniper twigs on it. And I don’t need to be told its juniper, because of the lovely aromatic smell. Lhakpa’s aunt is making mashed potato to feed her family, rolling the boiled potatoes on a ridged stone – it sounds like an old fashioned washboard, and the vibrations are transmitted right across the floorboards.”

Elaine - “The conversation had bought us to a tea shop outside which a group of Tibetans had spread their wares on blankets laid on the ground…I began passing things over for Julie to feel.
‘She can’t see? Tch,tch. Nyingie’.
Soon the women were hovering around us, watching fascinated as Julie’s fingers ‘read’ the filigree patterns and carved woodblocks. Salesmanship took second place as they picked out things she would find interesting, no longer caring if it came from a competitor’s stall.”

We hope this has given you a flavour of these books. If you like stories about adventure, then we’d recommend both these books as a good read as well as Touching the World by Cathy Birchill and Bernard Smith which we previously reviewed in February - http://vidatraining.weebly.com/blog/february-28th-2018.

If you have any books that you’d like to recommend or think we would be interested in, then please comment here to let us know.

We’re also always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these too by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

56. In recognition of #InternationalGuideDogDay

25/4/2018

[The image is of 2 photos of Des, the guide dog puppy, sponsored by the Disability Equipment Service that Dave and I also manage. Des is a golden retriever. The first photo shows Des at a few weeks old, the second shows Dave and I meeting him in January – he is about 7 weeks old in that one.]

As it’s #InternationalGuideDogDay today, we thought this year we would do a quick round up of references to guide dogs that we have read about in various fact and fiction books we have read/listened to over the last year or two.

From Bleed Out by Joan Brady, - “‘I’m usually kind of good with dogs’ he said unhappily ‘This one sure don’t like me much’
‘It’s not you Mr Doe. She is a professional on duty. Rather like a Secret Service Agent. You must meet her in her free time one day’”

From The Windhorse – a book we have read but not yet reviewed, which is a true story about Julie Donnelly and Elaine Brook’s climb to Kala Patthar in the Himalayas (which also raised money for Guide Dogs). Julie has left Bruno, her guide dog back in the UK with her mother. At one point, early on in the trip, she records the following:
“Just to walk down the familiar streets with Bruno, and make the same old tube journey to work, would be wonderful! I never stopped to think what it would be like to be on unfamiliar ground for so long without a break, dependent on someone every time I want to go anywhere further than the loo tent. It’s like being in a cage. The bars are the unknown empty space around me and the locked door is my fear of it, For me, it’s like going back to a time I would rather forget, when the only way I could get about was with a white cane. I found it nerve-wracking and exhausting and I suffered from tension headaches. I became very good at inventing excuses for not going out at all. Having broken out of that, and having become independent with a guide dog, it’s depressing to find myself back in that old caged-in state, even though I know it’s only temporary”

Also in this book are the references to the Sherpa villagers reactions to the fact that Julie has a guide dog and that these dogs are trained. Most of the dogs there are wild and often feared. As Elaine writes
“I’ve told some of my Sherpa friends about you and Bruno. They think I’m kidding. (‘Dog school’ indeed!).”

Cathy Birchill mentions her first guide dog Petra “she proved to be my pathway back out into the world from which I had withdrawn”. In their book ‘Touching the World’, by Cathy Birchill and Bernard Smith, they also talk about their visit to the Swiss Centre for Guide Dogs and their particular attempts to thwart the Labrador’s tendency to constantly scan the ground for food. They describe “Trying to overcome this natural behaviour from an early age, they cover walls with interesting ‘things’ for the dog to look up at. At times they even lower the dog’s meal down from the ceiling. Thus over time, the dog naturally looks upwards as an awareness develops of all things above them.
On the street, meanwhile, this translates into overcoming ‘Rover’s’ inherent tendency to happily scan the floor for last night’s discarded kebab or bag of chips. Inevitably this results in suddenly being yanked left or right like some cartoon character as a kind person as left half a sausage roll on the pavement with your dog’s name on it.”

We are currently reading/listening to ‘A Dog Called DEZ’ about John Tovey. A quick quote from the introduction “Life before Dez had been pretty bleak and I’d not been a very good person at all. As you will come to read in this book, Dez turned out to be my redemption.” Should be an interesting read and once we’ve both finished, we’ll do a book review as a VIDA Insight so please check back regularly for that one.

It is important to mention of course, that not all people with a vision impairment (even if this is severe) will use a guide dog. There are strict criteria to apply and as David Blunkett recently commented, you also have to be a dog lover. It doesn’t fit around everyone’s family or work schedule and some people prefer to use their white cane (or manage with neither). There are some great discussions available on line about this – a few are listed here:
https://www.royalblind.org/blog/royal-blind/cane-or-canine
https://www.second-sense.org/2016/09/white-cane-vs-guide-dog-why-or-why-not/
Also a video clip from Blind Side Fresno - http://blindsidefresno.com/2017/11/03/white-cane-versus-guide-dog/
And a podcast from BBC In touch - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jxrdh#synopsis
We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

[The image is of 2 photos of Des, the guide dog puppy, sponsored by the Disability Equipment Service that Dave and I also manage. Des is a golden retriever. The first photo shows Des at a few weeks old, the second shows Dave and I meeting him in January – he is about 7 weeks old in that one.]

55. Am I bleeding? #FamilySafetyWeek

18/4/2018

Something that I (Dave) have found since not being able to see detail is how easy it is to cut myself and not realise that I’m bleeding everywhere. As you might imagine, not being able to see means that you can’t see the potential hazards that could cause harm, well, this is true… I regularly scrape my knuckles along a brick wall or cut them on something sharp whilst feeling around for something – I keep forgetting that I have a wire brush in my toolbox and frequently get a jab of wire under my nails when feeling for that tool I need - ouch! Sometimes I know that I’m bleeding due to feeling a sticky substance but more often than not, I don’t realise until someone (normally Kelly my wife) points it out because there is a blood trail around where I’ve been. I don’t feel pain (particularly) and I wonder if you only get pain if you see the wound? (if anyone can answer this I’d be interested to know).

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

54. You’ve got a stain on your shirt…

11/4/2018

Vicky: Okay this is an interesting one – if a vision impaired person has a mark or stain on their clothes do you point it out or not? Is it more embarrassing for you to point it out or would they prefer you to tell them so they’re aware of it? A while ago now, I was at Dave’s and noted that he had a mark on his shirt. As we were due to go out for a meeting I decided to tell him, taking the pretty sure bet that as he had the opportunity to change he’d probably prefer to know. I also have the added advantage of knowing Dave well enough that, if he could see the stain, he’d go and change his shirt (which he duly did)! If, however, I met a blind person down the pub, I would probably decide not to say anything – I wouldn’t walk up to a sighted person and say – hey did you know you’ve got a mark on your shirt! Having said that, if I was out with a friend with a vision impairment who had a mark on something, I would probably choose to tell them so that they could either try and remove the mark or cover it up with a cardy/jumper etc., in the same way that I would tell a sighted person if I thought they hadn’t noticed.

Dave: Such a sensitive subject and, as Vicky has identified, it’s likely that you’ll only say something if you know the vision impaired person well. Personally, I like to know if I have a stain on my clothes – sometimes this is because I’ve dropped some food down me and haven’t noticed or it might be from leaning on something or brushing past pollen from plants, either way, I would rather know than not. I like to think that I am well presented and that my clothes are clean and would be disappointed if I wasn’t told about it. Equally, I like to know if I smell but this is another post for another time!

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

53. Access All Areas

4/4/2018

Photo is taken from the top of a flight of stairs, and shows Errol (Dave's last guide dog) looking up the stairs. Dave's legs can be seen to the side of Errol.

Vicky: Just a couple of examples that Dave and I still laugh about now (well if you didn’t laugh…) – taking access to another level!!

Before the days of VIDA Training, Dave and I were visiting another organisation to do a presentation on a project we had been working on. These were the days when Dave still had Errol (his guide dog). So, the 3 of us arrived and introduced ourselves at reception. We were greeted warmly and then told the meeting was due to take place on the lower ground floor. The receptionist offered to show us the way and then said – ‘oh but I don’t know how you’re going to get there – our lift is broken’. I was still trying to process this nugget of information when Dave asked ‘Do you not have stairs?’. The receptionist confirmed that indeed stairs were available and we explained ‘we can do stairs’! Needless to say we got safely to the meeting room – stairs and everything!!

On another occasion, we were again in an office building. Again we were greeted by someone who explained they would take us up to the meeting room on the third floor. We’d been to this building loads and always happily took the stairs (we need all the exercise we can get with our liking for doughnuts)! However, on this occasion the woman taking us upstairs proceeded to the lift. We said we could do stairs but she said something like ‘Oh the lift is easier’. Thinking that she may not be able to manage the stairs herself, we both went over to the lift. Once it had arrived, she indicated for us to go in first and then promptly turned around and walked up the stairs stating that she would meet us up there!! Dave and I just burst out laughing!

Now, please don’t take from this that every person with a vision impairment will want to take the stairs but please just ask the simple question – ‘would you prefer the lift or the stairs?’. And this shouldn’t apply just for people with a vision impairment – there may be lots of reasons why people would have a preference - I know Dave has said that if on his own (or in the past when with Errol) he’d prefer stairs as lifts are a nightmare with not knowing which button to press etc. but I also have a sighted friend who has a phobia about lifts so she’d always prefer stairs too. So don’t assume – Ask!

Dave: There are several other stories we tell similar to this including a few about ramps and revolving doors. As Vicky has said, I would always prefer the stairs to a lift; finding the buttons in a lift is really difficult and, even if they are marked with raised numbers or symbols, it’s still a bit of a lottery. Just one point here though, there is a correct technique for supporting/guiding people up and down stairs. We cover this in our training sessions (cheap plug) but the key things to consider are ‘stairs up’ or ‘stairs down’, don’t count the stairs and let the person with a vision impairment decide on how they would like to navigate them.

We’re always interested to know about other people’s experiences and thoughts. Please share these by commenting…

Interested to learn more about VIDA Training? Read about our Training and Consultancy packages, specialising in Vision Impairment and Disability Awareness, Communication and Team Building or contact us for further information.

Our VIDA Insights...

Following our experiences from delivering our Vision Impairment Awareness training days over the past couple of years, we know that there’s loads more that we could talk about and examples we could have shared. Whilst these won’t be a substitute for our training, they will give you an insight (hence the name!) into our thoughts, observations and experiences from each of our perspectives - Dave’s living with sight loss and Vicky’s from being a sighted person and working alongside and supporting people who have sight loss.

We recognise some of you won’t agree with us or will have your own opinions or comments – after all, as we say loads during our training, everyone is an individual! If you have any comments or thoughts about our ‘Insights’ in particular that you’d like to add, we would love you to share them with us!

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