[Nfb-seniors] National Federation of the Blind of Alabama - Seniors Division

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Hi You All
RE: More of these types of messages are coming!


Note: I am the webmaster for the NFB (National) Senior division, and am in
the process of collecting information on what affiliates have a senior
division, which information will be added to our http://seniors.nfb.org/
website; all this with the help of our NFB Senior Division's board and
Division's membership. In visiting Alabama's affiliate's website, and their
page for their Seniors Division, I grabbed the following text. Check out
what Alabama is presenting; think of your state's Senior Division's  page,
in sharing our approaches, can help us to all have the best
textual/educational presentation of blindness and aging as we can collective
have. I always learn from reading how other Federationest's present
blindness and our efforts to live the life we want.
At the bottom of this message is the link to the Seniors Division of
Alabama.
**

FOCUS on Seniors

Are you over age 50? Are you blind or starting to lose your vision and
wondering how other people like you handle problems you have not had to
worry about in the past? If so, you are not alone. All over Alabama there
are people like you.

The National Federation of the Blind of Alabama is with you! We want to open
lines of communication throughout the state to help each other find some
solutions that really work so we can live the lives we want. Some top
concerns for all seniors are:

o   Personal safety

o   Maintaining good health

o   Financial security

o   Becoming or staying independent

o   Access to the community of your choice

o   Inclusion in the community of your choice (family, worship setting,
community events, voting process..to name a few)

We who have lost or are losing vision have a few more concerns specific to
us, too. See if you want help with any of the following challenges or can
offer help to other seniors with any of them:

o   Overcoming isolation and misunderstanding

o   Maintaining a positive attitude about your condition

o   Finding good training for

o    using a cane or guide dog for travel

o   reading and writing Braille

 o   using high tech devices like a computer or cell phone 

 o   keeping your home safe and organized 

 o   gaining and keeping a job

 o   understanding services offered by the Alabama Department of
Rehabilitation Services and the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind 

 o   finding affordable resources for getting a computer or cell phone

 o   learning about how NFB can help you 

 o   learning about how you can help other blind people through supporting
the NFB

 

As you read these checklists, consider the ones that matter to you. If you
check even one of them, your NFB affiliate is with you! We seniors all have
at least ONE check. We want to help each other with becoming empowered to
increase our personal freedom to live the lives we want. 








The Seniors Division met on August 17. NFB chapters represented at the
meeting were Birmingham, Montgomery, and Huntsville. Officers who attended
the NFB Senior Division meetings at this summer's NFB National Convention
reported on what happened. Discussion topics for September, October, and
December were determined by the membership.


Save these dates:




On September 14 we will hear from Brandy Wood, a blind rehabilitation
teacher at the Veterans' Administration Blind Rehabilitation Center in
Birmingham, will walk us through some iPhone apps such as Seeing AI and the
KNFB Reader. 




On October 12 Sue Povinelli, a blind Human Resource Specialist with the
United States Army Materiel Command, will introduce Blind Alive's accessible
fitness programs. 




On November 9 we will hear about diabetes prevention and management updates
from Constance Hughes, a nutrition educator at USA Medical Center in Mobile
and has been a presenter at NFB of Alabama State Conventions. 




We welcome all seniors with vision loss, their family members and friends,
and vision loss professionals to phone in for our live discussion meetings.
Dial 712_432_5924 and follow the prompts to enter live chat room 33.




Remember-blindness is not what holds you back from living the life you want.





If you have questions or suggestions for the agenda, call Carol Braithwaite
at 205.903.8520.






The NFB of Alabama is here for you! You need us, and we need you.

Concerned seniors in all of our 7 chapters

 are aware that blind seniors are wanting 

* more involvement in their local chapters

* more active connection with each other

* more ways to reach out to other blind and visually impaired seniors in our
communities with NFB's positive message about blindness

We want you to know we are ramping up for seniors, and we want to know you

For more information,

call Carol Braithwaite, State NFB Membership Chairman, at

 205.903.8520 

or email her at

 cwbraithwaite at bellsouth.net 

http://www.nfbal.org/seniors-division

Respectfully yours,
Robert Leslie Newman
NFBN Senior Division, President