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When you meet a blind person treat the person as you would any other friend. If you are new acquaintances be sure to identify yourself. Speak in a normal tone of voice and address the person directly. Fill you conversation with adjectives that will describe whatever you are discussing even ordinary objects will benefit from a few descriptive words...describe the print of a dress or the frosting on a birthday cake. Don't be a grabber or a pusher. Let your blind friend take your arm and follow the motion of your body rather than being pulled or pushed around by you. To show a blind person to a seat, place the person's hand on the back of the chair. Introduce your friend to those sitting nearby. When leaving a blind acquaintance be sure to let the person know you are leaving. Don't just walk away without a word. Half-open doors are hazards to sighted and blind people. Be sure all doors are either completely closed or wide open. When walking with a blind friend describe obstacles, steps or changes in the terrain as you approach them. Eating is a pleasure that can be made even more enjoyable if you describe the food on the plate to your blind eating companion. Some restaurants have Braille menus available. Blindness doesn't mean total lack of vision. Only a small percentage of the blind population is totally blind. Avoid referring to blind people as "sightless." It is perfectly acceptable to use the word "blind." There are no substitutes for the words "see" and "look." Most blind people use those words themselves. So don't be afraid to say, "See you around," when parting from a blind friend, and don't be surprised if your friend says it first!
Training in daily living skills can be obtained through many public and private agencies. These skills include personal care, cooking, cleaning and household management. Contact you state's department of rehabilitation on local and national resources. Braille books and magazines, 'talking books' in record and cassette form as well as players designed for their use are available on loan, at no cost, through your state's library services. Physical fitness is important for everyone and there are many physical activity and sport programs blind people can continue to enjoy. Swimming, weight lifting, aerobics, camping, hiking are just a few. There are ski programs designed for blind skiers. A popular sport in which both blind and sighted people can participate is beep baseball. Orientation and mobility skills should be learned by all physically able blind people. Information on this training is available through state departments of rehabilitation. Having learned orientation and mobility skills, a blind person can navigate unassisted to work, to shops and to any other known area. One type of mobility is available through the use of a Guide Dog. A Guide Dog is not for every blind person. Some blind people do not want the responsibility of a dog, may not like dogs, may be allergic to dogs, or may travel perfectly well without a dog. Guide Dogs are trained to avoid obstacles and to check for traffic. The dogs are not mind readers, however, and must be told by their blind partners what to do; so, to use a Guide Dog effectively the blind person must know where he or she wants to go and must direct the dog in order to get there. If you meet someone who has a Guide Dog here are a few point of courtesy: Never interfere with a blind person who is using a Guide Dog. Do not pet the dog, talk to the dog or offer it food as this creates a serious distraction. If you are interested in the dog, simply ask the dog's human partner about it. Most Guide Dog users are delighted to talk about their canine partners.
A few facts and figures to ponder...There are about 600,000 legally blind people in the U. S. An estimated 47,000 people become blind each year. Leading causes of blindness are macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. About one million Americans suffer visual impairment due to eye injuries. Only about one percent of the American totally blind population uses dog guides for mobility. Finally, being blind doesn't make a person less human. A blind person is just like a sighted person except for the degree of vision. And being human means that a blind person has qualities and flaws, skills and shortcomings, in no greater or lesser quantities than the rest of the population. Be sensitive to your blind friend without being patronizing. Be supportive without being domineering. Be helpful without being overprotective. Most important of all be a friend.
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