[NFBC-Info] Health Programs Offered at LightHouse for the Blind

[LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired]

Health  Programs Offered at LightHouse for the Blind

Despite COVID-19 putting a temporary stop to face-to-face classes, with the innovation of LightHouse instructors, several of our popular Health and Wellness programs have been adapted and run online:

Vinyasa Flow Yoga on Mondays, Optimal Health, Optimal You on Wednesdays, and Meditation and Mindfulness on Fridays.

Monday afternoon’s yoga class with Health and Wellness Program manager Amber Sherrard, is a soothing, two-hour interactive experience from the comfort of your own home. Amber’s classes were originally designed for people who have low vision or are blind, therefore her yoga program was already very descriptive, which made the transition into the virtual world fairly easy. Amber uses concise, descriptive and encouraging language to guide her students auditorily through the poses and stretches. She incorporates enough time between poses to allow each student to move at their own body’s pace.

Amber also offers Optimal Health, Optimal You, a class that allows participants to call in and listen to, and discuss, a wellness podcast. Amber leads the discussion on maintaining personal health and works with her students to set their own personal weekly goals.

On Friday afternoons, LightHouse staff and students call into Meditation and Mindfulness. This class is designed for the support and development of ones’ metal health. Amber guides her students in honest, encouraging discussions, allowing them to share their highs and their lows.

“Offering virtual classes has kept our community tight-knit”, says Health and Wellness instructor, Amber Sherrard.
While the “normalcy” of our future is uncertain, one thing is for sure: Health and Wellness is not forgotten at LightHouse. If anything, the virtual classes have allowed us to reach out to students beyond our usual scope. Even upon reopening, virtual classes and meet-ups are something Amber and many other LightHouse instructors have agreed to continue.

For the times for each of these classes, read below at the end of this newsletter. Stay up to date with all of our online classes by visiting our website calendar (https://lighthouse-sf.org/calendar/).

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Our offices have had to close for now, but LightHouse is still very much open. Online assistive technology training, virtual socializing and community health and wellbeing classes are just a few of the sessions for which you can sign up. Visit our events calendar often to find out what’s on: lighthouse-sf.org/calendar<https://lighthouse-sf.org/calendar>

And give what you can to help us provide these crucial services by filling out the secure form on our donations page at: lighthouse-sf.org/donate<https://lighthouse-sf.org/donate>