[Nfb-krafters-korner] note for Kathy

[Becky Frankeberger]

Hey Kathy you hit the jackpot.  Check out these resources, smile.

Becky hugging you tightly


If Kathy in Natick, MA is legally blind, she may be eligible for services
from the Mass. Commission for the Blind. She could call Meg Robertson,
Director of MCB's O&M Unit, at 617-626-7581 for assistance with filling out
an application for the Mass. Bay Transportation Authority's paratransit
service called The Ride; Meg can also assign her to a mobility instructor if
she needs to learn how to use a white cane and/or a support cane for safer
travel.

I am not sure if MCB is still involved with the Mass. Equipment Program run
by Verizon; it provides various kinds of phones for people with various
disabilities. (It can't hurt to ask, smile.) 

Kathy may also want to call Cheryl Standley, Director of the BRIDGE Program
for older adults. She or a social worker in her unit may be able to assess
whether it would be beneficial for a rehab teacher to work with her to
refine or teach her homemaking, cooking, personal care & computer skills.
They might arrange for a vision utilization evaluation to determine how she
can maximize the use of her vision.
A number of consumers served by this unit have a hearing loss. MCB has a
phone tape that is updated weekly with announcements of upcoming meetings
and events of interest to the blindness community.

In Conjunction with MAB Community Services, MCB runs support groups for
legally blind adults, mostly senior citizens. Most of those groups meet
monthly and some provide transportation to and from their meetings. Cheryl
could tell her about the closest group to her home.

MAB Community Services has a volunteer program; it matches a legally blind
consumer with a sighted person who can assist with reading, clerical items,
shopping, walking and friendly visiting.
Their phone number is 617-926-4232.

She can call the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library at 617-972-7240 to
apply to receive books and magazines in Braille, large print or recorded
formats. This library can also send her an application for Newsline so she
can listen to local, state and national newspapers by phone. This library
has a program in which it lends a patron passes to visit various museums in
the area.
She can request that the library send her a Massachusetts Resource Directory
of agencies service blind people in this state.

The Talking Information Center is the radio reading service in
Massachusetts. In addition to having volunteers read various periodicals, it
broadcasts several call-in shows, and they do live broadcasting of some
events of interest To the blind community, such as parts of the state
conventions of the ACB and NFB state affiliates.

She can call Perkins School for the Blind at 617-924-3434 to learn about
their Elder Program. They offer sessions throughout the year, including a
book club, cooking class, crafts, etc. I think Debby Smith runs that
program.

      A social worker in the BRIDGE Program may be able to assist Kathy with
completing applications for some of the above programs and provide more
detailed information about them.

Some theaters in Boston, including Huntington Theatre and Wheelock Family
Theatre, offer several audio-described performances throughout the year.

She might be interested in joining the Bay State Council of the Blind (ACB
state affiliate) or NFB of Massachusetts. 

Hope this helps.

Take care, Jan
 

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