The ConnectCenter Information and Referral Line: A Lifeline for People with Vision Loss

Editor’s note: This post was written by Alan Lovell, Information and Referral Coordinator for the APH ConnectCenter. Alan often receives calls that are especially good examples of what we strive to do in the ConnectCenter and from time to time he’ll share them here on the blog. I receive calls to the APH ConnectCenter’s I&R … Continued

Audio Description Makes Theatre, TV, and Movies Accessible

Editor’s note: We are celebrating the anniversary on July 26 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under Title II of the ADA, audio description (AD) is required for public entities; Title III includes AD for places of public accommodation. As noted in the post, the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 … Continued

Practice Good Eye Safety Around Fireworks This Fourth of July

Happy Safe Fourth of July!   The Fourth of July is a time of fun, remembrance, and celebration for many Americans. Friends and family gather together to enjoy early morning parades, backyard barbecues, and nighttime fireworks. Fireworks are exciting, fun, and spectacular, but don’t let an accident spoil your celebration. According to the U.S. Consumer … Continued

Communication Devices for Helping Individuals who are DeafBlind

Communicating with others can be challenging. For individuals who are DeafBlind, communicating with others presents some additional challenges. Some devices (low and high tech) are available to assist DeafBlind individuals in communicating with those around them. The APH DeafBlind Pocket Communicator The DeafBlind Pocket Communicator (DBPC), a low-tech device, is available through the American Printing … Continued

The Next Phase of Telehealth: Adapting to Post-Pandemic Healthcare Changes

by Amanda Bernath During the height of the pandemic, many services, including healthcare, education, shopping, and entertainment, shifted to online platforms. My favorite pandemic changes were the rise of online shopping and the expansion of delivery options and curbside pick-up. The new level of convenience was amazing, especially when it meant I didn’t need to … Continued

Thanks for Calling Me an Inspiration, but May I See the Receipts

Individual Smiling at the Camera Editor’s note: Jacob Lesner-Buxton, who is blind, is the Systems Change Coordinator at the Independent Living Resource Center. During his time at ILRC, he has specialized in advocacy around accessible events, youth transition, and voter education. He has over 20 years of experience volunteering and working with non-profit and government … Continued

Smart Speakers Bring New Access and Opportunities for Blind and Low Vision Residents in West Virginia

As discussed in the April 5, 2023, APH VisionAware blog entitled, APH Huntington Conducts Needs Assessment Study for Rural West Virginia Counties, APH Huntington partnered with the Marshall University Research Corporation to conduct a needs assessment study for Cabell and Wayne County West Virginia residents who are blind or have low vision. This study determined … Continued

Big Data Project Provides Critical Information About Prevalence of Vision Loss Among Older People

Editor’s note: This post is the last in our series for Older Americans Month. It represents a call to action to increase the availability of vision rehabilitation services for older people in this country. For years, the vision rehabilitation field has been talking about the tsunami of older people with vision loss coming our way. … Continued

My Mother, the Wind Beneath My Wings

Editor’s note:  It is fitting that for Mother’s Day 2023, we revisit a post that Peer Advisor DeAnna Quietwater Noriega wrote in May, 2013, as a tribute to her mother. This post marked the inaugural post for the Peer Perspectives on Vision Loss Blog—now called “Visually Impaired Now What?”   Diagnosed with Congenital Glaucoma My … Continued