Helping Someone Who Is Losing Their Sight Without Taking Away Their Independence

In Part One, we talked about the different types of blindness and vision loss and how being blind doesn't necessarily mean someone sees complete darkness.

Now comes the harder question:

How do you actually help someone who is losing their sight?

I've learned that there isn't one perfect answer.

There are techniques we're taught as caregivers. There are recommendations that work really well for some people. But at the end of the day, the person sitting in front of you is the one who can tell you what actually works for them.

The Clock Method Doesn't Work for Everyone

Working in hospitals, one of the things we're taught is to describe things using a clock.

Meals are a good example.

“The meat is at 12 o'clock.”

“The green beans are at 3 o'clock.”

“The potatoes are at 6 o'clock.”

And for some people, that works great.

But it doesn't work for everyone.

Someone else might understand:

“Your meat is at the top of your plate.”

“Your green beans are on your right.”

“Your potatoes are closest to you.”

Another person may still have enough usable vision that a high-contrast plate, better lighting, or simply moving something into the area where they can see best works better than either description.

That's something caregiving has taught me.

Just because there's a standard way we're taught to do something doesn't mean it's the best way for every client.

Ask them what makes sense to them.

Ask Before You Help

When someone starts losing their sight, our first instinct can be to help with everything.

We see them struggling to find something, so we grab it.

They're having trouble navigating somewhere, so we take their arm.

They can't immediately see what's on the counter, so we do the task for them.

But sometimes helping too quickly can take away an opportunity for that person to continue doing something independently.

Try asking:

“Do you want some help?”

“Do you want me to tell you where it is?”

“Do you want me to hand it to you?”

“Do you want to try first?”

Sometimes my job isn't doing something for someone.

It's helping them figure out a way they can still do it themselves.

Be Specific With Your Words

“It's over there.”

“Watch out.”

“It's right beside that thing.”

Those directions depend heavily on being able to see what the other person is talking about.

Instead, be specific.

“Your cup is directly to your right.”

“There's a chair about two steps in front of you.”

“The doorway is on your left.”

“Your phone is beside your right hand.”

The clock method can absolutely be part of this. So can left and right, steps, landmarks, or whatever descriptions make the most sense to that particular person.

The goal isn't to use the “correct” wording.

The goal is for them to understand you.

Don't Move Things Without Saying Something

When someone has limited vision, knowing where things are can become incredibly important.

If their water bottle always sits in the same place, they may know exactly where to reach for it without seeing it clearly.

If you move it across the room because you think it's a better spot, you've just changed something they had already learned how to find.

The same goes for furniture and frequently used belongings.

That doesn't mean nothing can ever be moved. Sometimes things need to change for safety.

Just involve the person.

Tell them what you're moving and where you're putting it. When possible, let them decide where their belongings should go.

Don't Assume More Light Is Always Better

Turning every light on might seem like an obvious way to help someone who can't see well.

Sometimes it is.

Other times, bright light or glare can actually make seeing more difficult.

Ask:

“Would another light help?”

“Is this too bright?”

“Can you see it better over here?”

Contrast can also make a huge difference. A light-colored object may be easier to see against a dark background, or a dark object against something light.

The important part is figuring out what works with their remaining vision instead of assuming what they should be able to see.

Announce Yourself and What's Happening

If someone can't clearly see you approaching, suddenly touching them can be startling.

Say their name.

Tell them who you are.

If you're leaving the room, tell them.

If you're about to move something near them, tell them.

And before physically guiding someone, ask how they prefer to be guided.

Don't automatically grab someone's arm, push them from behind, or start steering their body.

They may prefer to hold onto your arm. They may want verbal directions. They may have another technique that already works for them.

Again—ask.

Keep Walkways Predictable

Little things can become big obstacles when someone can't clearly see them.

A laundry basket left in the hallway, a chair pushed into a different spot, a bag sitting on the floor, or a cabinet door left open can create unnecessary risks.

Keeping commonly used pathways clear and predictable can make it easier for someone to move around their own home independently.

But there's another side to this.

Don't completely rearrange someone's home in the name of making it “safer” without involving them.

They live there.

They may already know exactly where the furniture is and use those familiar locations to navigate.

Use Tools That Actually Help That Person

There are so many tools available for people experiencing vision loss.

Large-print labels, magnifiers, tactile markers, contrasting colors, talking clocks, voice assistants, screen readers, phone accessibility settings, audio books and other adaptive technology can all be useful.

But once again, not every person needs every tool.

You don't need to turn someone's entire house into what you think a blind person's house should look like.

Start with what they're struggling with and find a solution for that specific problem.

Don't Constantly Test Their Vision

If someone is losing their sight, they don't need everyone around them constantly asking:

“Can you see me?”

“How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Can you read that?”

Vision can change depending on lighting, contrast, distance, fatigue and the person's particular condition.

They may see something today that they struggle with tomorrow.

Ask questions when the answer actually helps you adapt something for them.

“Is this easier to see on the dark counter?”

“Can you see the screen better when I make the letters bigger?”

Those questions have a purpose.

Losing Sight Doesn't Mean Losing Your Voice

This might be the most important part.

A person losing their vision is still capable of having preferences.

They can still decide what they want to eat.

What they want to wear.

Where they want their belongings.

How they want someone to help them.

What they want to try themselves.

And when they actually want help.

As caregivers, family members, or friends, we can learn every technique in the book.

We can learn the clock method.

We can learn how to describe someone's surroundings.

We can learn how to guide someone safely.

But none of those techniques replace simply asking:

“What works best for you?”

Because the goal shouldn't be to do everything for someone because they're losing their sight.

The goal should be to help them find new ways to continue doing as much as they can for themselves.

And for Part Three, instead of only talking about what caregivers are taught, I want to share some things I've learned from someone actually experiencing it.

I'm going to talk about what one of my clients, who is losing his sight, has taught me about what helps, what doesn't, and what he wishes other people understood.

Kayla