[nagdu] Leader's Accelerated mobility program

d m gina dmgina at samobile.net
Wed May 25 17:10:12 UTC 2011


I use the 46 inch cane and when the ball is put on it brings the cane 
to 48 inches.
I want to hit the curb at the same time the cane does, not have more 
steps to get out of the street.
So a shorter cane is better for me.
I take small steps so I can keep my balance.
Longer ones messes me up.
If I hit a crack wrong over I go.

Original message:
> Agree with Rebecca. A longer can is probably better. Mine is up to my 
> nose. I'd say at least to your chin. I am a fan of the NFB type canes 
> with the metal glide tips. My wife, on the other hand, prefers the 
> rolling ball tip on a folding Ambutech cane.
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY



> On May 25, 2011, at 10:32 AM, PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC) wrote:

>> Brenda,
>> I'd suggest you go witha longer cane, you will pick up more that way. 
>> Get one as tall as you are.
>> Also, try a fat tip like a marshmellow.
>> You don't want a shorter cane.

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf Of Brenda
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 10:28 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Leader's Accelerated mobility program

>> Hi Tracy

>> Yep, I'm the one that went to Leader for the AMP program because of the
>> minimal mobility training my State provided.  now is a good time for me
>> to get my mobility down solid.  I do feel it is very hard for me as I
>> have some remaining vision. It was hard to ask for help because I often
>> am treated like I don't need it even though I really do benefit from a
>> cane and some day a guide dog.

>> I learned a lot at leader.  I needed concentrated practice crossing busy
>> streets, and I got that.  I still catch my cane a lot, and I felt they
>> did not address that well - they just said it takes time.  I was told to
>> pay more attention to what my cane was saying but that is hard when it
>> catches all the time.  I'm going to purchase a slightly shorter cane and
>> experiment with the different tips I have from the 2 canes I currently
>> have.  My mobility instructor from my state was good, he just was not
>> allotted funds/time to give me much training.  I am now combining all
>> the tips from the state-supplied instructor and leader to travel safely
>> and efficiently.  Kind of like a 12-step group - take what you want and
>> leave the rest.

>> At Leader we also did a guide dog experience.  it was okay.  I walked
>> with a small dog and the trainer said right away the harness handle was
>>     too short and the dog walked slower than my pace. I had issues with
>> balance and I was trying so hard not to lead the dog which was hard with
>> this slow-walking guide. I did not want them to think I had too much
>> usuable vision for a dog.   It was a good experience and I will get a
>> guide when my pet passes on.  I realize this was just a brief
>> introduction to using a guide.  As I was the last person to go out (all
>> the totally blind were taken out first) and the miss match, I did wonder
>> if I was just an afterthought.
>> There was a thread recently about letting someone else use your guide.
>> If I had the opportunity, I would ask someone to allow me
>> to have another guiding experience with them present of course.

>> Besides the badly needed traffic training I got the Kapten.  This device
>> would have been helpful for me all my life as a high partial.  I still
>> have nightmares of being lost and wondering around trying to find my
>> way.  My trips were always longer because i could not read street
>> signs.  The main thing is I have the Kapten now.

>> I sure hope the word about the kapten gets out to high partials who are
>> often left out because they are expected to be able to see.  Growing up,
>> all the attention, information etc went to blind students/campers, etc.,
>> leaving high partials in the dark.  Wwe were never given the
>> opportunities and struggled to live in the sighted world with very
>> limited vision and no adaptive strategies - we could not accept who we
>> were as high partials.

>> I really needed and benefited from leader's Accelerated Mobility
>> training (AMP).  I still do have usable vision to walk a straight line,
>> but I think somehow it is because I use my cane.  When i was a high
>> partial someone said I walked crooked lines but now that I use a cane I
>> walk straighter.  I still feel like my vision puts me in limbo.  I know
>> a cane and a guide dog will help me, but I don't think the instructors
>> think I need the help.  Hopefully the guide dog school I choose will
>> agree with me.

>> I am glad to see the leader AMP program there for those of us that never
>> got the chance of having mobility training which of course you need
>> before you can get a guide dog.  I think many low partials could benefit
>> from leader's AMP program.

>> Brenda


>> Brenda



>> On 5/25/2011 8:26 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
>>> Hi Brenda.
>>> Are you the person who was having trouble getting cane training from your
>>> state, and so decided to go to Leader's cane program?  Did you get what
>>> you needed from it?  I'd be interested to hear your impressions, and I'm
>>> sure others would, too.  There are too many people who can't get the
>>> assistance they should from their states, and it would be good to know
>>> about other options.
>>> Sorry if I'm confusing you with someone else.
>>> Tracy
>>>> I went to the accelarated mobility program at Leader this early spring
>>>> and was given the Kapten.  I love it.  I like to put it in free
>>>> navigation mode and find out all the streets I cross that I never knew
>>>> the names of before.  They recommend you update it via the internet and
>>>> the Kapten's website, but I have never done that.  I suppose if I was
>>>> going somewhere new I would try to figure that out.  There is also an
>>>> automobile mode which may be nice for bus travel.

>>>> Brenda


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