I’m so sorry that you have to see this so often. It was heartbreaking for me to see once.

Yes, she attends because she drives him, but I’m not sure how involved she is doing the actual medical procedures. She does know that he is blind and cannot see and is not doing these things on purpose, however her reactions have not changed. She just hasn’t internalized or fully accepted that this is the new reality yet. I can see how a third party and a doctor/specialist could make her understand that it’s actually legitimate.

Thank you so much for your suggestion! I hadn’t heard of this organization before. I will check right now.

Edit: There is one within a long, but reasonable drive from them. Unfortunately my mother can’t drive for awhile but perhaps someone could drive him. Thank you!

I contacted the local division of blind services when I was visiting my parents a few months ago. I was hoping to make an appointment within the next week or so, but they said they would send out the initial application in about one month. They did send it within that one month, but after receiving it, they said it would take at least 1 to 2 more months to be processed. Then they would schedule a home visit. This is just the process to confirm eligibility, not to receive services. So we are still waiting.

Thank you! So many things to put on the list to do...

Thank you! I’m in the North/South Carolina and Georgia region. Unfortunately nothing yet listed for those states.

Hello there, I was also going to recommend looking into a residential training center, but TheBlindBookLover took the words right out of my mouth. If your dad would consider such a training center, he would almost definitely want to attend before getting a guide dog, not after. Pretty much all training centers teach cane travel skills, and if your dad did go on to get a dog he would learn how to use it from the school that gave him the dog. Either way, your dad will not be allowed to get a guide dog until he first learns how to get around with a cane.

I lost my sight when I was 18 and I attended a 9\-month training program in Louisiana called the Louisiana Center for the blind. The students in such a center run the entire gamut, as far as age and blindness skills. There were 18\-year old kids, such as myself, who needed blindness skills to attend college, 30 something year old professional types who had always been blind but needed to brush up on some skills, and many older people who have never had training before; I believe there were several people in their seventies while I was there. The training is super intense and comprehensive, but worth it and life changing.

As far as finances and some of the other concerns you mentioned; the state payed for me to attend through vocational rehabilitation. However, I was lucky because I believe they prioritize young people, such as myself, who are primed for higher education and then the job market. I also had a great councilor who really believed in me and went the extra mile. I have no idea if your dad would have such look, it’s really going to vary by state, agency, and individual.

You mentioned someone accompany your dad, every training center is different, but this would not be allowed at LCB. Someone could bring him to the center and stay for a few days to help him get settled in, but the training center would not want someone staying in town to help him; of course, people could visit, my parents visited once or twice. The whole point of this kind of center is to instill independence and self\-confidence; there are even weekly seminars where students and teachers talk about the mental, societal, philosophical, and emotional side of blindness.

I just want to say that I’m really sorry that your mother is dealing with her husband’s blindness the way she is. In my experience, spouses often want to be supportive, but I can understand why your mom is feeling the way she is. Your mom probably thinks of your dad as the independent guy that she married, and I guess she resents who he has become for the moment. Blindness can be frustrating at times, especially when the blind person has not learned to be independent. There are two aspects of blindness that newly blind people must deal with. There is the mental and emotional aspect that requires one to realize blindness is not the end of the world and that blind people can go on to live happy, fulfilling, independent lives. However, all of that is just words without the other aspect which is the knowledge, experience, and opportunity to prove yourself and learn to be an independent blind person.

In other words, I know your family is very much stuck in a waiting game for the moment, and I would hope that your mom can learn to become more understanding, but there is a process that your dad can also go through to make things better. There is hope.

Good luck, feel free to PM me with any more questions you may have, although other people in this community may be able to better answer them.

Hi. Your father might not qualify for a guide dog quite yet unless he can independently travel with a cane. This is a link to a website with some additional resources. https://www.blindinc.org/resources/
Just note that there several programs that might provide resources at little or no cost through donations. In fact, many guide dog schools provide the guide dog and the necessary equipment free of charge. I plan to apply to this guide dog school in the future. https://www.guidedogs.com/

I will send you any additional resources as I find them. I hope that this helps.

Thanks for the comment. I have taken a look at government services previously, but they seem focused on the mentally ill, and abuse and addiction counseling and rehabilitation. Non-clinical depression does not seem to be covered.

I should follow up, but don’t want to bother the employee (singular!) again. Has hand delivery worked for you in the past?