I.                    General Considerations

A.       Emphasize tactile along with auditory (if hearing individuals)

B.        Individuals who have had sight and lost it will have visual memory

C.       Keep things in the same place (not a good idea to change bedrooms or move furniture, unless you absolutely need to).

D.       If a change is necessary, then re-training of location will have to be done in order to re-orient the person. 

II.                 Personalization

A.       Individuals need some Amark@ to attach to their things which will identify them from others; this can be something unique to them or an arbitrary symbol that comes to have meaning

B.        This identifying Amark@ can be velcroed or in some way attached to all of their things:  outside bedroom, grooming box, laundry basket, dresser, closet, clothing, personal items, radio, etc.

C.       Color-Coding of clothes can be done with buttons (e.g. 1 button means Ablue@, 2 buttons vertically mean Ablack@, 2 buttons horizontally means Awhite@, etc.

 III.               Sighted Guides:

A.       If an individual will have a sighted guide, then cane use would not be indicated (canes are also potential weapons!).  Cane use might be considered for someone who will be very independent and moving in and out of various buildings.

B.        A non-sighted individuals should take the sighted persons arm and hold right above the elbow (rather than the sighted person taking the non-sighted persons arm or hand and pulling); this allows the individual to Afeel@ when the guide is turning and which direction.  The guide can verbalize potential changes, e.g. step up, step down, we=re going to walk on the grass now, etc.

IV.              Trailing

A.       Rails in the hallway are nice, but not an absolute, if you can teach the individual to Atrail@

B.        For trailing, an individual should curve their arm across their body (to protect their face), and curve their fingers inward, use the back of the hand to trail along the wall.

 V.                 Environmental Safety

A.       Non-skid floors, especially in the bathroom are very important

B.        Height of the sink is important (not too low)

C.       Look for protruding towel racks, soap dispensers, sharp edges, ledges, steps, etc.

D.       Watch for doors opening outward as these get left open and can be run into. 

E.       Can place food on the plate as positioning on a clock, e.g. 12:00 meat, 3:00 potatoes, 6:00 vegetable, 9:00 fruit

F.        Tell them where their food is, e.g. guiding their hand on the fork and tapping the location while telling them Ayour meat is here, etc.@

G.       Need a Abumper@ such as a piece of bread to be held at the edge of the plate to help scoop up food.

H.       For pouring, bring glass to edge of table, place one finger in glass to identify when full; container you are pouring from will be at the edge of the table; might also set glass in shallow pan/plate to avoid cleaning up a big spill.

 VII.            Kitchen

A.       Use silverware or utensil holders that have large compartments

B.        Can separate canned goods by grouping in shallow boxes; can alphabetize if individual knows letters; can develop some other tactile code.

C.       Would use broiler rather then frying pan to cook meat

D.       Use a plastic drainboard or cookie sheet (with lip) to set items in for pouring (easier to clean up and avoids spills on counters and floor).

E.        Use a Ahotshot@ - a one cup heater for coffee, cocoa, tea.

F.        There are Asticks@ which can be attached to oven racks for pulling/pushing them in and out.

G.       There is a sugar container that automatically measures 2 tsp when you pour it out.

H.       Get a Acheapie@ microwave with the turn knobs to start, then mark with raised dots (puff paint or slick pen works well) rather than expensive microwaves with push buttons.

I.          Use oven mitts rather than pot holders

 VIII.         Other Adaptations:

A.       Use grooming kits that can be sectioned, have compartments to keep individual items separate (this could also assist in teaching a sequence of tasks as to what to do first, second, etc.)

B.        Use puff paint or slick pen to make dots or raised markings to identify temperature on the stove; dials on washer and dryer; buttons on radios or appliances.

C.       Mark A#5" (center number) on the telephone with raised dot, can then teach 3 finger location of 1-2-3 about the 5, 4-5-6 in center; and 7-8-9 below and A0" is 2 below the #5.

D.       Keep coins in coin purse, dimes and quarters have rough edges; pennies and nickels don=t; keep pennies separate; fold paper money in different ways to keep straight, e.g.  1's flat; 5's folded in half, 10's quartered, etc.

E.    Some adapted games available, e.g. checkers with a modified edge and uses square and round checkers.