How To Help Someone With Vision Loss

If the person you’re caring for has recently experienced vision loss, you may be worried about how this change will impact your caregiving.

Aside from the obvious physical effects, visual impairment can take an emotional toll as well. It’s important that you help the person you’re caring for feel as comfortable as possible during this stressful time.

In this video, we’ll give you some tips on how to adjust your environment and adapt the way you communicate to make things easier for someone who’s visually impaired.

You might notice that the person you’re caring for starts to experience other physical changes in addition to their reduced vision.

They’ll probably seem more tired than usual since their other senses have been working extra hard to compensate. Trying to block out excess noises like ticking clocks or nearby traffic can be exhausting, so allow them extra time to rest and recuperate.

Eyesight is important for posture, so they may start to walk or sit with their head hunched down and forward. Encourage them to maintain good posture, and offer gentle reminders when you notice them slouching.

Environmental factors can make a huge difference when it comes to vision loss.

Proper lighting is key, so work with the person you’re caring for to adjust the light to their taste. Every person responds to light differently, so finding the best lighting levels may take some trial and error. Keep in mind that brighter is not always better and that lighting objects from the back instead of the front will help to reduce shadows.

It’s also important to use contrasting colours for household objects like placemats, plates, and cutlery. Bright contrasting colours like blue and yellow can work just as well as black and white. Don’t be afraid to ask the person you’re caring for which colours are easiest for them to see.

Maintaining clear communication is another vital way that you can help someone with vision loss feel more comfortable.

Try to provide regular updates on what you’re doing. You don’t have to give them every single detail, but let them know if you’re about to turn on the faucet or use the blender; loud noises can be startling for people with vision loss if they don’t expect them.

Unexpected touching is also very startling, so always let the person you’re caring for know before you touch them. If you need to guide them, ask first, and then allow them to grab onto your arm instead of taking theirs.

Mention any potential hazards that may be in their way, and if you come to a door tell them which side the handle is on and whether they should pull or push. Prepare them before guiding them up or downstairs, but try not to count steps out loud because that can sometimes be confusing.

No matter what, always let them know if you’re planning to exit the room, even if it’s only for a moment.

If you need to leave them a note, try to use a marker with a thick point and write on unlined white paper.

If the person you’re caring for has a dog guide, you should avoid touching, feeding, or talking to the dog, so that it is bonded solely to its owner.

The dog should be in a harness whenever it is working, so tell the person you’re caring for immediately if the harness is not on or looks improperly secured.

Remember that just because someone is visually impaired doesn’t mean they’re hearing-impaired too, so you don’t have to shout or speak extra slowly.

You should also do your best to encourage the person you’re caring for to be independent; don’t just do everything for them, ask them if they think they can manage it on their own first. Eliminating background noise from the radio or TV can sometimes help if they’re trying to focus on a task.

Always keep their living space free of clutter and walking hazards, and avoid leaving sharp objects like knives or scissors on the counter or in the sink.

Although it can be hard to watch the person you’re caring for struggle with vision loss, by adjusting their environment and using clear communication you’ll help make it easier for them to adapt to this new change.

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