If his vision loss is recent, he has a lot to work through. I know a couple days after my vision loss was caused by a medical emergency, I told my wife I wish I had died. I regret saying that so much. A change like vision loss requires a grieving process not unlike losing a loves one. I suggest that he get mental health counseling. I wish I had back when I was processing my own vision loss.

As far as vacation, try to help him orient himself to the new surroundings, because new places are harder for the visually impaired. Include him in as many activities as possible. And take time to let him enjoy things that are not so visual in nature. My favorite times are just sitting on the balcony listening to the waves or a summer storm.

You are going to the beach! How fun!

Beaches can be beautiful places. Not only for what you can see (if you can) but also what you hear and feel. Sand on you feet, waves crashing against the shore, the wind blowing through your hair as the sun sets.

>Tip: A good pair of walking/yoga socks will still let you feel the sand on your feet while offering some protection against some of the less harmless bits of things you cannot see.

Now, about helping your dad. There is only so much you can do. In the end, the decision to accept that his life has changed and move on to living it are his and his alone. The only person we have any hope of controlling is ourself. Here are some things that would have helped me in similar circumstances. You will need to decide which, if any to use, and adapt them accordingly, based on your relationship with your dad.

1. Start with yourself by accepting the fact that his life has changed but does not have to be over. Stop grieving for what he has lost and start looking forward to what you can have together.
2. Stop feeling sorry for him. It sounds like he's doing that well enough on his own. His life has changed. It is not over.
3. Remember that he is still you father and deserves any respect he may have earned by raising and caring for you.
4. His eyes may no longer work how he wants them to but his mind still does and he has a lifetime of knowledge and experience to draw on. Continue to talk to him about your concerns and asking for his opinion, advice, and help.
5. If he has not done so already, encourage him to get ***Basic Living Skills*** (BLS) and ***Orientation and Mobility*** (O&M) training from you local Blind Services organizations. They can go a long way to restoring self reliance which can improve your outlook immensely. Plus, they can help give a sense of community with others in similar situations.
5. If you think it will work, and he will not do it on his own, get the name of a good family counselor specializing in dealing with vision loss from your local blind services organization, and tell him you are struggling with this as well and ask if he will do family counseling with you.
6. If all else fails, and he's the type to put your needs before his own, consider telling him that what you're seeing from him not has you worried about your own future and that of your children. Diabetes is often hereditary and you, or your children, may have to go through something similar down the line.

Again, these are things that would have helped me. There is no way for me to know if they would work for you and your father. You will have to decide which, of any, to use, and adapt them into what would work best for you all.

By the way, the diabetes concern is a real one. It can be hereditary and cannot always be controlled well enough to prevent some of its more damaging consequences, like diabetic retinopathy. That means you really could find yourself in this position down the road. Make sure you doctors are aware of your family history and be sure to get regular checkups (or whatever the equivalent term is). Also start doing what you can to build better eating habits with that in mind. Be sure to pay attention to what your father is going through now. Best case, he wakes up, and starts setting a good example you can follow if you need to. Worst case, you can learn what not to do.

Good luck and remember to enjoy the day (and your trip to the beach!). I hope things work out well for you and your dad and do not forget to take care of yourself in all this.

He can enjoy it in other ways like feeling stuff enjoy just being there and other things. I went site seeing as a totally blind person and thoroughly enjoyed it about 3 years ago now. It’s more about an attitude check as I was saying on a post on many post it’s about learning to be blind and being proud of it.

Here's two quick reads that might help -

$1

https://quicklygoingblind.blogspot.com/2022/03/going-blind-is-hard-being-blind-is-easy.html

I've come to understand the only disability that holds people back is having a bad attitude. Everything else is just a speed bump. Your father can have a rewarding and happy life if he allows himself to accept his new reality.

It isn't easy. I grieved when I got the diagnosis. I grieved the loss of my sense of purpose more than the loss of my eyesight. And it took awhile to get my head straight again.

It's something that has to come from within. Unfortunately there isn't much anybody except your father can do. Acceptance is a choice only he can make.

But there are some ways to make it easier for him. Don't treat him any differently than you did when he could see. Make him feel needed. Ask his advice. Learn from his wisdom. His abilities have changed but his need to feel like a contributing member of the family hasn't. Find ways for him to contribute.

Good luck, and please let us know how the vacation goes.

hello, first you must be patient with him. Accepting blindness takes a process and is difficult to overcome at first. I recommend that you always take him by the hand and describe in detail everything you see. Help him to feel confident when walking, put sand in his hands, enter the sea with him, sit down to listen to the seagulls and describe the landscape. Help him and motivate him, the beach gives you the opportunity to be in contact with nature and use your other senses in a natural way. By the way, just as a comment in Walt Disney World most of its spaces are accessible to blind people, they have audio description devices so they can enjoy the ride.