[Blindtlk] Learning Daily Living Skills

Tue Jun 21 18:03:58 UTC 2011

Dear Umberto,

To be frank, I would say that you would benefit greatly by attending a Blind 
Rehab center somewhere.
If you go to the one in your state, you will likely pay nothing as they 
receive both State and Federal funds for doing this training.
At a center like this, you would have the opportunity to learn all of these 
skills you seem to need from hopefully, good instructors and be able to 
function on your own after that.
Now this might take up to 9 months to complete, but the time spent would be 
worth it in the long run.
You can even ask your Division of the Blind counselor to send you to a NFB 
center, out of state and you have that Right under the Freedom of Choice 
Provision of the Rehab Act of 1973 as amended.  I know as I helped the NFB 
get it passed back in the early 1990's.
The State Division of Blind services might cover all of the cost and then 
again they might only cover the amount that the state normally pays for 
someone to attend their state center and you would need to find the funding 
for the rest, but it is doable.
If you are going to get training, get the best you can find and afford.  It 
will pay you back many times over later.

You can get some training from local organizations such as the Lighthouse or 
maybe Goodwill, but getting trained a piece at a time will take much longer 
and it likely will not be as good.  Nine months at a good training center or 
years getting poor quality training, your choice.
This is what I advise, as someone who has been there and made that mistake 
thinking that it would be okay.
I am considered a fast learner, but I messed up an turned down training at a 
center for many years, thinking that I could learn it on my own or by just 
watching others.
I got away with it for a long time until I started to wonder," Am I using 
poor skills that might get me hurt?"
I asked DBS to open my case and send me for an evaluation of my skills and 
they agreed.  Up till now, I had used my fellow NFB members as my role 
models and mentors.
At the center, I found that I had above average mobility skills with a cane, 
even under sleep shades, which was one of the things the O and M instructors 
did not want to test me with, but I insisted and they did it.
I Did find that there were several other skills that I needed to learn or 
improve on and came back for 14 weeks of additional training.  it was worth 
it and I know that I can do just about everything I need to be able to do.
If you have better skills, you will likely do better in school and in a job 
too.
"A house is no better than the foundation it is built upon."  Your basic 
skill set is that foundation so make it the best and don't let impatience 
rob you of being the best you can be.
If you have questions, just ask your NFB friends and see what they say, then 
consider and act

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
Retired Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
Builder of the Lunar Rovers and the IF 117 Stealth Fighter..
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Learning Daily Living Skills

> Hi Humberto,
>
> Like Gary, I too applaud your honesty, and think that it definitely places 
> you on the right track. I think sometimes when trying to work with 
> parents, things get a little tricky. Not only is there the parent/teen 
> communication thing, but when the parent doesn't really have any firsthand 
> experience, meaning that, they themselves, do not have to use the 
> alternative techniques of blindness, they really don't know how to teach 
> them. They of course want to help, but maybe they don't know how, or don't 
> have a lot of confidence in the alternative techniques. They might tend to 
> tell you that things aren't possible, when, in fact, they are very 
> possible with the proper techniques or alternative routes in place. Many 
> times the sighted will take shortcuts across rocks and gravelly areas, or 
> parking lots, which don't work for me because there are not landmarks to 
> let me know where I am. I like to stay next to curbs and structured areas 
> if I can. Of course, this isn't an ideal world, and sometimes this isn't 
> possible, but this is my preference. Sighted people though don't need to 
> worry about things like that. Their landmark is that grocery store they 
> see on the other side of this huge parking lot filled with cars and speed 
> bumps or whatever you call those ledges which mark off the parking spaces.
>
> Anyway, is there a local NFB chapter in your area? If so, even if you 
> can't attend a training center, maybe some of those members could spend 
> some time showing you the skills that they use. Do you know what I mean?
>
> I wish I lived close, and I would try to help. Not that I am a model 
> housekeeper by any stretch of the imagination. Some of that is blindness 
> related--I never did learn to use a broom properly--some of it is time 
> related, and some of it is the fatigue that comes from work and school. 
> However, I do know how to manage a home fairly well. For instance, when I 
> wipe off a table, I first check to be sure that I have all of the cups, 
> glasses and other items that need to go into the kitchen off of the table. 
> Our table is often cluttered with odds and ends, such as cereal 
> containers, loaves of bread and other things, so sometimes I just have to 
> push those back to the far edge and clean the area where we eat. I wet my 
> dishrag with warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, making sure to 
> squeeze out the excess water from the rag, then gently go over the surface 
> of the table, taking one small area at a time. If there are crumbs on the 
> table, you'll want to be sure to pick those up with the rag, or place your 
> hand under the edge of the table and brush the crumbs into your hand so 
> that they don't get pushed off onto the floor. If there is stuck on food, 
> which will feel sticky to the touch, you'll need to scrub with the rag a 
> bit to loosen this. Depending on how many crumbs you pick up and how many 
> stuck on spots you have to scrub, you will probably need to make a couple 
> of trips back to the kitchen sink to rinse off the rag thoroughly for 
> another go. When the table is clean, it should feel smooth to the touch 
> and free of crumbs.
>
> I don't know if this makes any sense or not, but I hope it has been at 
> least a little help. If you would like to talk further, do feel free to 
> email me off list. My home email, if you would like to use that is 
> Princess.di2007 at gmail.com.
>
> Diane Graves
> Civil Rights Specialist
> Indiana Civil Rights Commission
> Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
> 317-232-2647
>
> "It is service that measures success."
> George Washington Carver
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Humberto Avila
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 4:18 PM
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org; blindTlk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Learning Daily Living Skills
>
> Hello fellow listers:
>
> As you know I've been really wanting to learn Daily Living and life 
> skills.
> I am starting college in the fall and therefore I don't want to be living 
> at
> home forever -- most college students my age are living in their dorms
> (including blind students). although my community college is not located 
> far
> from home, learning daily living skills would be a plus for me and if I
> actually want to get a place of my own in the future I must be able to 
> have
> life and daily living skills.
>
> the only glitch I'm facing, however, is my parents, especially my Mom. I
> have talked to them into teaching me how to do daily living tasks, yet 
> when
> they are actually trying to teach me it gets sort of confusing and I can't
> really understand what they are teaching, and I don't really know whether
> the alternatives they teach me are the safest or most accessible. Like for
> example, one day my Dad and I were going to our nearby grocery store 
> called
> "Fiesta foods" walking. I was using my cane and as we were walking my dad
> walked me through a bunch of gravel and rocks. was there a sidewalk I
> could've used? I don't know, but he said "this is the fastest way".
>
> but anyways, just like my teacher of the blind pointed out in my IEP
> post-secondary plan worksheet when I graduated, MY PARENTS STILL DO A
> TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FOR ME AND IF I'M TAUGHT THE SKILL I CAN SUCCEED.
>
> and... here I am, a 20-year-old who doesn't even know how to fold his
> clothes properly or wash them, go to the store and manage money and 
> shopping
> by himself, and not knowing how to perform basic cooking tasks.
>
> I know how to wash dishes (I haven't learn to use a dishwasher), and I 
> know
> how to vacuum, mop and clean the table (still * requiring lots of sighted
> assistance *)
>
> Unfortunately I can not afford going to an NFB training center or an
> orientation and training center at my home state [feel free to email me 
> off
> list if you want to know exactly why].
> if I want to live productively and form a new family as well as get my own
> place, how would I go about explaining my parents (or even friends) to
> really teach me the skills I want to learn? Do I have to adapt to how they
> teach me? Are there any teacher of the blind that, for an affordable cost,
> can come to my house and teach me such skills. I really want your 
> opinions.
> I don't want to end up getting my AA degree and after that move away and I
> have to ask people "Can you please do this for me?" plus, that would be
> embarrassing.
>
> thanks,
> Humberto
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