[Nfb-krafters-korner] OT guide dogs

Tue Jul 5 19:10:15 UTC 2016

I have been in classes at the Seeing Eye where they have had elderly 
students. The instructors work with them to match them with the right 
dog, modify the routes as necessary, etc. I don't think it would be 
necessary to switch schools unless you felt you needed to for some other 
reason. With that said, most of the schools out there are very good and 
each will evaluate you as needed. I think, if this is what you want to 
do, there's no reason you shouldn't pursue it.

On 7/5/2016 1:15 PM, Deborah Armstrong via Nfb-krafters-korner wrote:
> That's terribly poignant, oh how I feel for you!
>
> As for dogs, the good news is that with blindness being a "fixable" 
> disability with surgeries these days, there are fewer young blind 
> people and more older ones. So the shifting demographic has caused the 
> guide dog schools to move their focus from high-energy go-anywhere 
> dogs to quieter canines with softer temperaments and calmer natures.
>
> Anyway, I'm not convinced the Seeing Eye though it has a great 
> reputation, is the best school for senior folks. I'm partial to Guide 
> Dogs For The Blind in San Rafael which is near where I live. I think 
> as I have aged they have given me calmer dogs. When I started, I had 
> the fastest dog in the class, and now working my sixth guide, we call 
> him the slug-dog, he was the slowest and I didn't care that my younger 
> classmates laughed at us -- he was right for me.
>
> But there are other schools that have great reputations too. I've 
> heard good things about Leader dogs for seniors and not such great 
> things about the experiences of younger more active folks going to 
> leader. And Guide Dogs of the Desert, also in California,  works 
> strictly with people who have secondary disabilities, such as being 
> hard of hearing, or people who walk with support canes, or people who 
> lack a left arm. And southeast in Florida gets many retired people and 
> works with people in power chairs as well.
>
> So I'd embark on a research project if I were you, calling all the 
> schools and asking about the training program and explaining your 
> physical limitations.
>
> I'd also try to work on any physical limitations you can fix. You 
> could for example, try the gentle workout from blindalive.com.
>
> I had a bad fall in 2009 and couldn't walk for six months. After that 
> I took up exercise, working with different trainers until I found a 
> sighted lady who really challenges me but has the skills to know when 
> she's pushing too much. I have developed better balance than some of 
> the young football players who work out at our gym according to their 
> coach, and I can now recover if I trip on an unexpected step. I still 
> have bad knees and arthritis, but my body is in the best shape I can 
> make it be. I can't pound away on the treadmill like the kids in the 
> gym, but I can balance on a core board while lifting weights and I can 
> walk for miles without pain or fatigue! So if you can get physical 
> therapy or personal training to strengthen the muscles that prevent 
> you from falling, you will walk with more confidence. And you can 
> always find a guide dog which will match your speed if you research 
> the best school for you.
>
> By the way, I'm mot rich. I got my trainer for free in exchange for 
> being a guinea pig. The college where I work teaches students to 
> become personal trainers. My agreement is that I get all my assistance 
> for free in exchange for  letting newbies work with me to develop 
> their coaching skills. I also work with an expert trainer who doesn't 
> charge me in exchange for this service. When I first fell, I had to 
> argue with my HMO to get all the physical therapy I needed, but I kept 
> pitching a fit until it happened. When they tried to tell me you 
> needed vision to have good balance, I just kept fighting until I found 
> a physical therapist who believed I could get my balance back if we 
> worked together.
>  You don't have to pay large sums to get help learning balance and 
> coordination but you do need to pitch a fit sometimes! And once you 
> have that, you can be even safer with a dog!
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner
> Sent: Monday, July 04, 2016 8:35 PM
> To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
> Cc: blindhands at aol.com
> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] OT guide dogs
>
> All you guide dog users.  I need to ask you  folks out there something.I
> don't know how old you folks are, but I had 2 Seeing Eye dogs to guide me
> for 18 years.  I had to put down my last one a year ago, but had 
> basically
> retired her the year prior, but kept her.
>
> This is a question for folks facing those getting older.  I had basically
> retired her earleier as my husband retired and would give me the, "You 
> don't
> need her, you got me to guide you"  So I had not used her for maybe 9 
> months
> and then my husband died, I broke my ankle and then in August she got 
> sick
> for 3 days and brought her in to the vet to find out she had diabetes and
> was recommended I put her down.
>
> I really after my second fall off a curb in Baltimore and broke my 5th
> metatarsil just could not think of getting another guide dog.  I felt I
> could not make it through the training andcould not keep up with a 
> younger
> guide.  I did get a lab mix 4 month old as my household was way too 
> empty.
>
> Does anyone know if they put older dogs out to older people?  I miss 
> being
> guided and actually I miss the steadiness of my feet with a guide to 
> guide
> me.  I would like to turn back the hands on a clock and change the early
> retirement of using a guide, but I feel that I am too old and...
>
> I am sure it is all this mixed up feelings about the crazy blowing up and
> stealing the ashes and urns from the cemetery.  Not even our service 
> men can
> rest in peace and I don't have a place to go and share our resting place
> together now.
>
> Oh well, I do remember the last time I saw fireworks.  I was in Stratford
> and was by myself as John was working and no one would go with me[kids 
> grow
> up too fast] and I took Guy my little long hair red Dachshund with me 
> down
> to this parking lot near the beach.  Put my chair in the middle of the
> parking lot, people went down to the beach and didn't park and walk.  
> I set
> my chair up along with my camera stand and took pictures of the fire 
> works
> while Guy sat in my lap.  I went in for my heart surgery on August 26 and
> that was the last time I saw anything.
>
> Send us your red, white and blue projects and send us some pictures, too.
> We need to put pictures of what you are working on to show off you 
> don' have
> to see in order to enjoy your crafting.
>
> Joyce
>
>
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