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Blind and Visually Impaired Community

Full History - 2021 - 04 - 14 - ID#mquzw9
3
Home Modification (self.Blind)
submitted by [deleted]
[deleted]
TwoSunsRise 7 points 2y ago
From my personal experience, a home doesn't need to be modified. VI people are very physically capable. You could use brighter light bulbs if that's helpful to them. What's really helpful in a home is some kind of labeling system whether it's braille or something like a PenFriend. Some people use water proof tags on clothing to help them decipher colors. Helping them organize and memorize what's in the pantry, where things are in the kitchen, etc is helpful.
NewDay1118 1 points 2y ago
I should have added that this person also has had a brain injury so the modification is related to the residual physical deficits as well.
TwoSunsRise 1 points 2y ago
Yeah that's definitely different needs there. My suggestions for VI help still stands. I don't have experience with brain injury needs.
lil-alfalfa-sprout 3 points 2y ago
Cortical blindness is generally not accepted as an appropriate diagnosis anymore. It sounds possible that your patient has Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), which can be improved by with targeted intervention by a CVI specialist.
Apocalyptias 3 points 2y ago
For the most part nothing really needs to change.
My wife is fully blind, no sight at all, and our apartment is just like any other.
The kitchen is the area I'd focus on, specifically the oven.
A lot of the newer ovens use an electronic display and buttons to set the temperature, and these simply aren't easily accessible.
Having an oven with just knobs for every control is extremely easy to use and make accessible with soft velcro stickers on the important temperatures/settings.
And having a labelling system is paramound, it could be as simple as "Bottle with rubber band is salt, bottle with two is Garlic Powder.." etc, or as complex as labels.
Labels would work best if they like to cook and are likely to have a lot of spices.
But again, not a lot has to change to be accessible!
DrillInstructorJan 2 points 2y ago
Just from the perspective of the visual impairment it's usually better to just have normal stuff. When I stay in hotels I have to resist being put in the special disabled room, not only because it's weird, but also because there's then a bunch of stuff intended to help out people with physical issues that I really don't get and end up knocking my funny bone on or something.

Obviously if there's a physical issue too that's different, but as to the visual impairment, it's far better to get used to the real world and operate in that world. Because that's the world you will spend the rest of your life operating in.
traumatic_worth 2 points 2y ago
Maybe support bars on the walls, a contrasting color along small raises in the floor or shelves that go into the shower wall.
NewDay1118 1 points 2y ago
That's her ICD code so I apologize if it isn't PC
lil-alfalfa-sprout 1 points 2y ago
Not a matter of political correctness, it's a matter of appropriate diagnosis and intervention. "Cortical blindness" implies permanency, while CVI can actually be treated. It's all about rebuilding the neural pathways that were damaged. You can think of it like a patient improving their speech through therapy after a stroke damaged the language center in the brain. The same is possible with the visual cortex.

Cortical blindness is a common misnomer because that was the term before research showed that it could be treated. Would be happy to share resources if you want to pm me.
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