United Way to fund Agency vision rehabilitation services,
computer training and outreach activities

The Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired will receive funding from United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) in support of Agency in-home vision rehabilitation and Accessible Computer Training, as well as outreach and education activities. The funding comes under United Way’s Agenda for Change – it’s response to the expanding need faced by our region in the wake of challenging economic times.

Agency rehabilitation services help seniors who have experienced severe vision loss to live more independently, reducing the demands on family members and other caregivers. Accessible Computer Training connects those who are blind or visually impaired to the world around them through e-mail and the Internet. Agency outreach and education initiatives connect people to community resources and teach the importance preventative care, eye health and safety.

As part of what United Way considers to be Basic Needs services, the three Agency programs will be funded in a way that ties into a larger UWSEM objective to improve the delivery of human services to people living throughout southeast Michigan.

GDABVI, which has been a United Way partner for more than 45 years, is pleased to continue its partnership with UWSEM n an effort to bring about lasting change in metro Detroit.

Low vision exhibit comes to Detroit

THE EYE SITE – a Traveling Exhibit on Low Vision will be on display at the Detroit Public Library Main Branch from July 9 – September 7. The Main Branch is located at 5201 Woodward Avenue, across from the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The exhibit is designed to provide information to the general public about low vision, which affects one out of every 20 Americans.

Click here to learn more.

Former child actor becomes first blind Supreme Court law clerk

On July 14, Isaac Lidsky, 28, will begin a new job, working as a law clerk in the U.S. Supreme Court. There have been clerks working for the justices for more than a century, but Lidsky will be making history. He will be the first blind law clerk to take on a job that requires a lot of reading. But he doesn't see that as a problem.

Read more from Voice of America.

My perspective – Lynn Wiggins, CVRT

Losing part or all of one's vision can be a frightening and frustrating experience. Sometimes, simple tasks like telling time, handling money, dressing, eating and moving about in one's environment can seem impossible to the one whose sight is lost. As a rehabilitation therapist for GDABVI, it is my privilege and pleasure to help people see that their lives are not over. They can do almost everything they did before, just in a different way.

My journey as a rehabilitation therapist began 34 years ago. And though advances in technology have made some of my teaching different than it was then, my job is still basically the same… helping adults and seniors who have experienced severe vision loss to remain self-sufficient.

Some of the skills I teach include: telling time, cooking, personal care, handling money, adaptive communication and Braille, as well as basic use of the cane and sighted guide. In many ways, though, I believe my clients teach me as much as I teach them, because they have a long lifetime of experience from which I can learn.

It is hard to put into words the rewards that come from being a rehabilitation therapist. For me, there’s really no way to describe the thrill and satisfaction I get when clients say things to me like "You've helped me so much!" or "I thought my life was over until you came."

When it comes right down to it, I suppose it’s really all about helping people to maintain independence and feel good about themselves… which is not a bad way to earn a living.

Lynn Wiggins, who is blind herself, recently celebrated her 34th Anniversary as an Agency Rehabilitation Therapist. For information on in-home rehabilitation therapy, call the agency at 313.272-3900.

Agency survey now available online

GDABVI wants to learn what the community knows about the Agency and its services in an effort to address the unmet needs of men, women and children in our area who are blind or visually impaired.

Community groups have been sent brief questionnaires via US mail, but for those who have not taken an Agency awareness survey, you can now do so online. The survey can be completed in five minutes or less, and will help us understand what you know about us.

Take the online survey.