Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Advice for helping family member with recent blindness? (self.Blind)
submitted by incognito_dingdong
Hey yall, this is my first time here.. I've scoped around a bit, but I'm still unsure of what to do to help someone who is rapidly losing their vision. My uncle was a welder and worked in many chemical plants, and over the years his eyes have detereorated. He recently needed surgery, and neither were sucessful, so his prognosis is that he will be mostly blind.
Everyone is different, of course. He's a very "fuck it all" kind of guy- his main hobbies are drinking beer, shooting/blowing things up, driving bikes, and being handy around the farm. He's already a hothead, and this has sent him over the edge. I'm just wondering what are some things I can do to help him that others (yall) have had good experiences with? What should I avoid doing/saying? What might help him through this painful transition in his life?
I'd love to hear ya'lls perspectives on this! Thank you for your time <3
Everyone is different, of course. He's a very "fuck it all" kind of guy- his main hobbies are drinking beer, shooting/blowing things up, driving bikes, and being handy around the farm. He's already a hothead, and this has sent him over the edge. I'm just wondering what are some things I can do to help him that others (yall) have had good experiences with? What should I avoid doing/saying? What might help him through this painful transition in his life?
I'd love to hear ya'lls perspectives on this! Thank you for your time <3
MalcolmYoungForever 5 points 1y ago
FWIW see if there is anyplace he really wants to visit while still has some vision. Also, just be a good listener.
incognito_dingdong [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Noted!! tysm!!
OldManOnFire 4 points 1y ago
*What should I avoid doing/saying?*
Absolutely nothing. Do **not** censor yourself around him. Don't walk on eggshells. He just lost his vision, don't make him feel like he's lost his favorite nephew, too.
*What might help him through this painful transition in his life?*
My kids spent much of the last year helping me with my blind bucket list. You can try that with your uncle.
Absolutely nothing. Do **not** censor yourself around him. Don't walk on eggshells. He just lost his vision, don't make him feel like he's lost his favorite nephew, too.
*What might help him through this painful transition in his life?*
My kids spent much of the last year helping me with my blind bucket list. You can try that with your uncle.
incognito_dingdong [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thank you so much for this insight, especially the bucket list
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
I am that type of person in a sense myself very tough and if there’s a problem I don’t talk about it or my emotions to it. Just plow on find another way screw how I feel.
If he needs to talk let him talk, if he just wants to plow on and try things let him do that. Not everyone wants or needs emotional support. And some need it more and some need to trust or open up to you. See what his needs are and where he wants to go.
Would say also help him adapt with helping him with finding people to help him and training to be more independent. Training on how to use assistive tech, cane skills and independent living skills. Get some dots sometimes you can find them in hardware stores too or blind specific ones, and label everything the stove, the oven, and the microwave.
Blindness is not the end of the world and blind people can still do a lot and it’s not the end of the world.
If he needs to talk let him talk, if he just wants to plow on and try things let him do that. Not everyone wants or needs emotional support. And some need it more and some need to trust or open up to you. See what his needs are and where he wants to go.
Would say also help him adapt with helping him with finding people to help him and training to be more independent. Training on how to use assistive tech, cane skills and independent living skills. Get some dots sometimes you can find them in hardware stores too or blind specific ones, and label everything the stove, the oven, and the microwave.
Blindness is not the end of the world and blind people can still do a lot and it’s not the end of the world.
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