by Anisio Correia, an experienced vision rehabilitation professional who is blind. Editor’s Note: As we approach the anniversary of the signing of the ADA on July 26, it is important to remember the critical role of advocacy whether for ourselves or for a cause. Find out about the benefits of becoming involved in ASPECT, a self-advocacy training program. During the spring and summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to participate in Prevent Blindness’s ASPECT (Advocacy, Support, Perspective, Empowerment, Communication, and Training) program. Having been blind all my life, and after a profession ..read more

In June 2023, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) [of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)] released a report on changes in the retina (the layer of cells lining the back wall of the inside the eye that perceives light and signals the brain so one can see) and their relationship to stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As noted in the study, this research and others are related to NIH’s AD+ADRD Research Implementation Milestone 9.F, Initiate studies to develop minimally invasive biomarkers for detection of cerebral amyloidosis, A, and AD-related dementias pathophysiology. The NIA set ..read more

Editor’s note: We are celebrating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under Title II of the ADA, audio description (AD) is required for public entities; Title III includes AD for places of public accommodation. As noted in the post, the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 was enacted, and it required making communication technologies accessible to everyone. Audio Description Turns Movies and Theatre into Inclusive Experiences If you think the visual performing arts are only for sighted people, you’re missing out on a world of enter ..read more

Fireworks Safety Poster from US Consumer Product Safety Commission Happy Safe Fourth of July!   The Fourth of July is a time of fun, remembrance, and celebration for many Americans. Friends and family gather together to enjoy early morning parades, backyard barbecues, and nighttime fireworks. Fireworks are exciting, fun, and spectacular, but don’t let an accident spoil your celebration. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), each year, thousands of people are injured by fireworks during June and July. Almost one-third of those injured are children younger than fi ..read more

Communicating with others can be challenging. For individuals who are DeafBlind, communicating with others presents some additional challenges. Some devices (low and high tech) are available to assist DeafBlind individuals in communicating with those around them. The APH DeafBlind Pocket Communicator The DeafBlind Pocket Communicator (DBPC), a low-tech device, is available through the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). The slim device can easily fit in a purse or bag. It features a lanyard for more carrying flexibility. The DBPC uses communication cards featuring large print and bra ..read more

by Amanda Bernath During the height of the pandemic, many services, including healthcare, education, shopping, and entertainment, shifted to online platforms. My favorite pandemic changes were the rise of online shopping and the expansion of delivery options and curbside pick-up. The new level of convenience was amazing, especially when it meant I didn’t need to wrangle kiddos through the stores with me anymore or spend hours on-site selecting my desired goods. While we can probably agree that Telehealth expansions were an incredibly practical and helpful silver lining of the pandemic – servi ..read more

Individual Smiling at the Camera Editor’s note: Jacob Lesner-Buxton, who is blind, is the Systems Change Coordinator at the Independent Living Resource Center. During his time at ILRC, he has specialized in advocacy around accessible events, youth transition, and voter education. He has over 20 years of experience volunteering and working with non-profit and government settings focused on disability advocacy. He has also been a producer on KPFA’s Pushing Limits, one of the only radio shows about disability rights in the USA. Jacob has written for many online publications, including The Mighty ..read more

Amazon Echo As discussed in the April 5, 2023, APH VisionAware blog entitled, APH Huntington Conducts Needs Assessment Study for Rural West Virginia Counties, APH Huntington partnered with the Marshall University Research Corporation to conduct a needs assessment study for Cabell and Wayne County West Virginia residents who are blind or have low vision. This study determined that a relatively low number of blind/ low vision residents were smart speaker users and could benefit from information and training on using them. Amazon Echo Device Training Initiative In direct response to that data poi ..read more

Percentages of persons aged ≥18 years with severe vision loss, by county—United States, American Community Survey, 2009–2013 Editor’s note: This post is the last in our series for Older Americans Month. It represents a call to action to increase the availability of vision rehabilitation services for older people in this country. For years, the vision rehabilitation field has been talking about the tsunami of older people with vision loss coming our way. Given the number of older people in this country and its expected growth, it is no surprise that the prevalence of age-related vision loss wou ..read more

Healthy Vision Family Focus Logo This year, National Eye Institute’s Healthy Vision Month’s goal is to encourage and equip families to protect their vision together! Their aim is to highlight their Spanish content to support Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latino families and caregivers. Spanish/English Materials The National Eye Institute (NEI) created campaign materials using a Spanish-first approach, meaning the information is written first in Spanish and then translated into English. They used principles of transcreation, meaning the Spanish and English material isn’t word-for-word ide ..read more