Optimizing aging loved ones’ quality of life is a foundation of in-home care providers. And since vision impairment is a typical result of age-related physical decline, we make it a point to plan for that.
Don’t Let Senior Vision Loss Diminish Quality of Life
Without clear vision, many seniors lose the ability to do the things they love most (read, drive, get outdoors, travel, engage in hobbies, etc.) which takes a toll. As caregivers, our goal is to find newly supported ways to do what seniors love most or to find new things to love that rely on other senses.
Vision impairment has an immediate impact on senior well-being. Without proper support and encouragement, seniors going blind often experience:
- Diminished mobility
- Loss of independence
- Reduced confidence
- Social isolation
- Feelings of being a burden, and lacking life purpose
All of these can be eliminated when the proper support and care are put into place.
To start, you’ll need to ensure loved ones have access to safe senior transportation services to get them where they need and want to go. If they live alone, we highly recommend connecting with local senior home care agencies to bring companionship and support into the home.
7 Activities to Keep the Blind Elderly Saying “Yes” to Life
Here are seven ideas to keep the blind elderly active and participating in daily life with a sense of joy and purpose.
1. Connect with Inland Empire Lighthouse for the Blind
We are so fortunate to have close geographic proximity to an incredible nonprofit dedicated to teaching legally and totally blind individuals independent daily living skills as well as providing recreational and social outlets. The Inland Empire Lighthouse for the Blind’s services are available 100% free of charge.
The only qualification is that a member receiving service is legally blind and has the capability to participate in a classroom setting. If you’re a spouse or family caregiver, you’ll also benefit from their wide range of educational and informational resources.
Examples of the courses and training offered there include:
- Independent living classes
- Mobility and orientation
- Kitchen and cooking training
- Braille instruction
- Computer and smartphone training (helpful for #2)
The Inland Empire Lighthouse for the Blind also hosts support groups, which have become an incredible social and community resource for seniors who’ve lost their vision.
2. Use audiobooks & the library (or senior center) book club
It’s painful when avid readers have to give up reading. However, that doesn’t mean they have to give up the love of a good story. Once large print is no longer enough, or if Braille is too challenging, begin transitioning seniors into technology that supports vision-free “reading.”
Apps like Audible, Hoopla, and countless others make it possible for anyone to enjoy their favorite authors, subjects, or genres word for word without any vision required.
We also recommend joining book clubs offered by local libraries or senior centers. For example, the Riverside Regional Library offers book clubs in-person and virtual options for bed- or homebound seniors. Engaging with others in discussion about what they’ve just read is one of our clients’ favorite social dates of the month.
3. Take guided walks in favorite parks with companions
Does your parent love the great outdoors? While independent walks through the neighborhood or around area parks are not safe for vision-impaired seniors on their own, companion services keep this passion alive. Being out in nature supports physical and emotional well-being, helping seniors feel part of—rather than separate from—the world around them.
Just about any recreational activity for the elderly is possible, whether your loved one can see or not. The key is to pair them with a companion who is a good observer and knows how to strike the balance between describing the setting and allowing space and silence for other senses to take over.
Once your loved one is used to this new way of being, they can enjoy weekly outings to local parks, the California Botanical Garden, accessible trails at Big Bear Mountain, or any other favorite haunts.
4. Find the right volunteer organization
Social isolation is a growing issue for adults 65 and older who live alone or can no longer drive. However, most retired seniors have plenty of time on their hands which is an ideal fit for the hundreds of Inland Empire nonprofits and charities hungry for volunteer support.
The ability to volunteer and do for others means you are wanted, needed, and have a purpose. The organization Vision Aware offers lots of volunteer ideas for visually impaired adults and seniors.
There’s a wide range of activities from serving on boards of local organizations to handling calls for various hotlines, or even knitting/crocheting hats, scarves, or blankets for the homeless.
Together, caregivers work with clients to identify the nexus between their life experiences, passions, and interests and then align those with volunteer opportunities nearby.
5. Schedule reading or FaceTime dates with grandchildren
Did you know that studies prove children who have close, connected, and personal relationships with their grandparents are less likely to become depressed and do better in school? It also diminishes rates of senior depression and increases senior lifespans. Why not capitalize on that and schedule weekly FaceTime or video chats with grandchildren or great nieces/nephews?
These could be opportunities for younger children to practice their reading skills by reading a story to their grandparents. Or older grandchildren could recount the past week at school or at work to keep their grandparents up to speed. The interaction would benefit both the older and younger generations!
6. Sing and dance along
Music is a powerful connector and holder of emotion. While this is true for all of us, it’s especially true for vision-impaired seniors who rely more on hearing and audible pleasures than ever before.
If your loved one has dementia, playing their favorite music and singing or dancing along is easier than things that require more mental stamina—like following along in a long audiobook.
7. Make weekly restaurant or coffee shop dates
Good food and nutrition are essential for healthy senior aging. However, meal services only go so far. We recommend going on weekly lunch or coffee shop dates. Different foods, ordering from a menu, and mixing things up with the public are all part of normal life and shouldn’t be cut off just because a senior goes blind.
Activities for the Blind Elderly Are the Home Care Norm
Homecare services are essential for keeping your elderly loved one socially active and engaged once vision loss is an issue. Schedule an in-home assessment to learn more about how Families Choice Home Care can support you.
Worried about how to pay for home care? Don’t Be. We have all kinds of tips for how to make personalized home care affordable.
