Home Care for the Legally Blind and Visually Impaired

Did you know that over half of the people in the United States who are considered legally blind are over the age of 65? You can begin to lose your vision at any age, but vision loss tends to become more prominent and more problematic as we age. 

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What Does Legally Blind Mean?

To be considered legally blind, a person must have a visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in their better eye. This means they can only see at 20 feet what a person with “normal” vision can see at 200 feet. They may still have some vision but likely have difficulty with things like seeing in the dark or making out details and expressions on faces. 

Losing vision can be frustrating and scary for our elderly loved ones, but there are many things you can do at home to provide help for blind seniors, and there are many care and assistance options as well. 

Home Care for Legally Blind

We know how important it is for our loved ones to remain in their homes for as long as possible as they age – it helps them feel safe, comfortable, and provides a sense of independence. That is why in-home care can be so valuable, especially if you are unable to be with your senior loved one 24/7.

Care in home for elderly blind individuals can include a variety of things. A provider can help your loved one with morning activities, like hygiene and getting dressed. They can help them move around the home safely, since the risk of falling increases as vision decreases. They can help with tasks around the home like cooking, cleaning, or doing laundry, which may be difficult or not safe for your loved one to complete on their own. 

They can also do more blindness-specific things like:

• Assist with blindness training
• Explaining noises or long silences 
• Help with alternative sensory input, like playing music or reading a book out loud
• Make sure things in the home return to the same spot every time so they are easy for the visually impaired to find
• Providing precise instructions (pointing at things does not work)

There are other ways you can provide help for the blind elderly person in your home, by making some simple modifications:

• Clear out hallways and other pathways to make sure there are no tripping hazards
• Get a large screen TV and turn up the contrast and acquire some large print books (libraries generally have more of these than you might think)
• Organize the home so things can be easily found using touch
• Always say you loved one’s name when speaking to them since they cannot rely on visual cues

Resources for Supporting Blind Individuals

It’s not just your loved one who needs support, it’s you, the caregiver as well. You can find many resources at the Caregiver Action Network. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act National Network provides resources and information on how the ADA can benefit you and your loved one. 

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging can help you find local support. 

As your loved one adjusts to their loss of vision, it may surprise you how much they are capable of doing on their own. At-home assisted living for blind seniors is just one way to help your loved one stay comfortable and safe in their home as long as possible. 

To learn about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today at 1-800-GRISWOLD or find a Caregiver near you.