What is Vision Rehabilitation?
Vision rehabilitation therapists instruct persons with vision loss in the use of compensatory skills and assistive technology that will enable them to live safe, productive and independent lives. Vision rehabilitation therapists work in areas that enhance the vocational opportunities, independent living and educational development of persons with vision loss, and may include working in center-based or itinerant settings.
Specific areas of instruction taught by Vision rehabilitation therapists include:
1. Communication Systems (braille, handwriting, recording skills, use of electronic reading systems, use of assistive technology and computer access technology, etc.).
2. Personal Management (grooming, hygiene, clothing organization, medical measurement, socialization skills, etc.).
3. Home Management (organization and labeling, repair and home maintenance, budgeting and record keeping, etc.).
4. Activities of Daily Living (cooking, cleaning, shopping, safety, money organization and management, etc.).
5. Leisure and Recreation (hobbies, woodworking, crafts, sports, etc.).
6. Psychosocial Aspects of Blindness and Vision Loss.
7. Medical Management (assessment and instruction and training of adaptive medical equipment).
8. Basic Orientation and Mobility Skills (sighted guide, safety techniques, etc.).
Vision Rehabilitation Therapists work with a number of special populations among persons who are blind or visually impaired including persons who are deaf-blind, college students, persons over 55 years old, children in transition to adult services, persons who are multiply disabled, employed persons requiring "on the job training" or workplace management, and veterans.
For more information about Vision Rehabilitation and the Guild's vision rehabilitation program, contact Polly Abbott at 312-236-8569 or polly@guildfortheblind.org
(This description is from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals at www.acvrep.org)
