July 5 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace
From Our Friends at Louisville-based American Printing House for the Blind:
Suggestions for how to be more sensitive to the blind and visually impaired
www.aph.org
Sensitivity to Blindness or Visual Impairment
1. Introduce yourself to persons who are blind or visually impaired
using your name and/or position, especially if you are wearing a
name badge containing this information.
2. Speak directly to persons who are blind or visually impaired using
a natural conversational tone and speed. Do not speak loudly and
slowly unless the person also has a hearing impairment.
3. Address persons who are totally blind or severely visually
impaired by name when possible. This is especially important in
crowded areas where persons cannot distinguish whether you are
looking toward them by hearing the direction from which your
voice is coming.
4. Speak directly to persons who are blind or visually impaired, not
through a companion, guide, or other individual.
5. Immediately greet persons who are blind or visually impaired
when they enter a room or a service area. This allows you to let
them know you are present and ready to assist. And, it
eliminates uncomfortable silences.
6. When you greet a visually impaired person whom you have
previously met, identify yourself by name. Even though the
person remembers you, he/she may not connect your name and
voice in the moment.
7. Indicate the end of a conversation with a person who is totally
blind or severely visually impaired to avoid the embarrassment of
leaving a person speaking when no one is actually there.
8. Feel free to use words that refer to vision during the course of
conversations with persons who are blind or visually impaired.
Vision-oriented words such as "look", "see", and "watching TV"
are a part of everyday verbal communication. The words "blind"
and "visually impaired" are acceptable in conversation.
9. Be precise and thorough when you describe people, places, or
things to persons who are totally blind. Don't leave things out or
change a description because you think it is unimportant or
unpleasant.10. Feel free to use visually descriptive language. Making reference to
colors, patterns, designs, and shapes is perfectly acceptable.
11. Speak about a person with a disability by first referring to the
person and then the disability. You should, therefore, refer to
persons who are blind rather than to blind persons.
12. Offer to guide persons who are blind or visually impaired by asking if
they would like assistance. Offer them your arm. It is not always
necessary to provide guided assistance; in some instances, it can be
disorienting and disruptive. Respect the desires of the person
you are with.
13. Guide persons who request assistance by allowing them to take
your arm just above the elbow when the arm is bent. Walk
ahead of the persons you are guiding. Never grab a person who
is blind or visually impaired by the arm and push him/her forward.
14. Dog guides are working mobility tools. Do not pet them, feed
them, or distract them while they are working.
15. Do not leave a person who is blind or visually impaired standing
alone in "free space" when you serve as a guide. Mention
environmental features such as chairs, walls, or counters and ask
the person that you are guiding where he/she would like to wait
for you if you have to be separated momentarily.
16. Be calm and clear about what to do if you see a person who is blind
or visually impaired about to encounter a dangerous situation.
Distinguish degree of danger clearly in your communications. For
example, if a person who is blind is walking toward an open
construction site, call out to the person to stop because open
construction is ahead. Then approach the person, briefly
describe the situation, and offer assistance. If a person who is
blind is approaching a less dangerous obstacle such as a stanchion
in a hotel lobby, call out that there is a pole in front of the person
and ask if assistance is wanted.Dog Guides.
