[CT-NFB] Fwd: Learning to Truly See: Reflections from the Human Guide Workshop

Tue Jun 24 23:03:44 UTC 2025

FYI, from URCommunity Cares

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: UR Community Cares, Inc. <info at urcommunitycares.org>
Date: Tue, Jun 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Subject: Learning to Truly See: Reflections from the Human Guide Workshop
To: <marysilverfox at gmail.com>

Mary Silverberg

Learning to Truly See: Reflections from the Human Guide Workshop Today, I
had the privilege of attending a Human Guide Workshop hosted South East Cen

[image: HKC]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2889.1.ce2a3d1a8e28d0f5db808982339ade17>

Learning to Truly See: Reflections from the Human Guide Workshop

Today, I had the privilege of attending a *Human Guide Workshop* hosted South
East Center for the Blind
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2890.1.1bfc0a861c6ac297f29006fac263a631>,
and presented by the Helen Keller National Center, featuring Christine
Tedford and Jenna Rydl—both Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists
(COMS). This immersive experience brought together a diverse group,
including volunteers, bus drivers, board members, physical therapists from
Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, and individuals who are blind, have low
vision, or are hard of hearing.

We gathered to learn how to better support individuals with vision and
hearing loss—those with conditions like macular degeneration, optic
atrophy, glaucoma, color blindness, and retinitis pigmentosa. These are not
just clinical terms; they represent real challenges people face
daily—reading a menu, identifying groceries, navigating new spaces, or
moving to a new home.

*Understanding Vision Loss*

Christine and Jenna explained that legal blindness isn’t just about total
blindness—it’s defined as having visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the
better eye, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less. Some individuals have
central vision loss, making tasks like reading recipes or shopping
difficult. Others lose peripheral vision, as with retinitis pigmentosa,
which often begins with night blindness in the teenage years and progresses
over time. We also learned about scotomas, or blind spots, and how these
vary from person to person.

Accommodations can make a world of difference—such as additional lighting,
reduced glare, magnification, voice output, tactile sign language, braille,
contrasting colors, and OttLite task lighting
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2891.1.e506542f533c0d4a271c674069a2089e>.
Tools like white canes are not one-size-fits-all either—participants were
encouraged to swap out cane tips for different environments, like hiking.

*Human Guide Techniques*

The heart of the workshop was learning the *Human Guide technique*—a
respectful and effective way to assist a person who is blind or has low
vision in navigating their environment.

*Here are the essentials:*
▪ Tap the back of the person’s hand gently to signal you are ready to guide.
▪ They will slide their hand up to your elbow, maintaining a C-shaped
grip—like holding a soda can.
▪ No hand-holding, no interlocking arms.
▪ The guide keeps their elbow bent at 90 degrees and walks slightly ahead.
▪ In tight spaces, the guide can make a fist and place it behind their
tailbone to let the person grasp the lower arm and follow through the
narrow area.
▪ Tap the back of the person’s hand gently to signal you are ready to guide.
▪ They will slide their hand up to your elbow, maintaining a C-shaped
grip—like holding a soda can.
▪ No hand-holding, no interlocking arms.
▪ The guide keeps their elbow bent at 90 degrees and walks slightly ahead.
▪ In tight spaces, the guide can make a fist and place it behind their
tailbone to let the person grasp the lower arm and follow through the
narrow area.

*It was a simple but powerful lesson in dignity and independence.*
[image: HKC1]
Broader Services & Support

The Helen Keller National Center serves all U.S. states, including
territories like the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Samoa. They offer training
for individuals who are deaf-blind or have combined vision and hearing
loss, beginning at age 14 or 16, depending on location. There are grants
available by region and through agencies like BESB (Board of Education and
Services for the Blind) to help fund these supports.

*One important takeaway:* the Center can help individuals even if they are
transitioning between states, and they’ll work with nursing homes or group
homes to train staff when someone needs that extra level of support.

Need help navigating housing or benefits? Christine encouraged everyone to
reach out—referrals are available for those kinds of resources too, click
link to go to their website: https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc/
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2892.1.409a08e84330f577ef3965d397c48f41>
[image: HKC2]
Final Thoughts

Today’s workshop reminded me how much we can all do—especially when we
listen, learn, and lend an elbow.

Whether you’re a professional, a family member, or a neighbor, we all have
a role to play in building a more inclusive community.
*The first step? Extend a hand—not to lead, but to walk alongside.*

My Meme was DeafBlind in her later years and I wish I had known then what I
know now,

Michelle Puzzo, Executive Director

860-430-4557
[image: HKC3]
[image: facebook]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2893.1.900a6721bdf3b288bd700ae6ee950a9d>
 [image: instagram]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2894.1.c66cd373e7a4205ca239ba080b785638>
 [image: linkedin]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2895.1.c0ccd09b8b45103653b63e0a23fd88bc>
 [image: twitter]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2896.1.853ee7c31bf5902e0b92248c9a094a80>
 [image: youtube]
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2897.1.1a8a94e2825fa627772614440b6425a1>

©2025 UR Community Cares, Inc. | 153 Spruce Street, Manchester, CT
Web Version
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2898.1.2e6bb74254a4e1a21a82cd2f7fa105cf&p=eyJ7e21pbWktc2lnbmF0dXJlfX0iOiIxODc1NDA0OTgtMTQyMjgyMTQ1OTctZDc2NTUzMjJkYzYxNzI1YTVlYTA4N2RhMWU0NmRiMzgyMTBmYTBkZCIsInt7ZW1haWxJZH19IjoiMjc0NTIzNSJ9>
Preferences
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2899.1.123117d82da166f4de715047c02deb25&p=eyJ7e21pbWktc2lnbmF0dXJlfX0iOiIxODc1NDA0OTgtMTQyMjgyMTQ1OTctZDc2NTUzMjJkYzYxNzI1YTVlYTA4N2RhMWU0NmRiMzgyMTBmYTBkZCIsInt7ZW1haWxJZH19IjoiMjc0NTIzNSJ9>
Forward
<https://email.cloud2.secureclick.net/c/4104?id=2745235.2900.1.de9cabacffb3914b1745f855d85702c1&p=eyJ7e21pbWktc2lnbmF0dXJlfX0iOiIxODc1NDA0OTgtMTQyMjgyMTQ1OTctZDc2NTUzMjJkYzYxNzI1YTVlYTA4N2RhMWU0NmRiMzgyMTBmYTBkZCIsInt7ZW1haWxJZH19IjoiMjc0NTIzNSJ9>
Unsubscribe
<https://gem.godaddy.com/opt_out?pact=2745235-187540498-14228214597-d7655322dc61725a5ea087da1e46db38210fa0dd>

Powered by
*GoDaddy Email Marketing* ® <https://gem.godaddy.com/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250624/7cae657b/attachment.htm>