[stylist] Off-topic: Training and blindness

Fri Oct 7 22:57:51 UTC 2011

Bridget,
Thanks for a wonderfully comprehensive answer. Yes, I did qualify for voc
rehab training as I mentioned. But at least a few of the problems in
applying it happened here in Arizona. They had continuous cutbacks and
finally home teachers were not getting mileage for trips. Also constant
changes of teachers because they had to use cabs and either could not afford
it, or there cabs did not show up.  I finally got a good teacher who brought
a laptop. After nothing but lesson time being used to try to get things up
and running right, we found that the laptop had never been cleaned up after
the last client. About that time I dropped from the voc program because of
no jobs for one my age in my home. I still use the computer and was lucky to
find an unemployed computer person who will come in a pinch and fix things.
She hates JAWS and turns it off so I can not learn from the experience.
Iowa does have an excellent Word tutorial and most of my skills come from
that.  Robert did help me with e-mail. (I think I just answered Ashley, but
it said "read my blog" which made me think I was answering you.
We have a program which does reimburse for a certain amount of mileage, and
also a discounted cab coupon program. I hope they last for those save the
day for me.
I am contacting DES again to see if they have any new accessibility tools
they will provide even though I am no longer in voc rehab.
I think they key is that I need to keep pushing the envelope. I quite simply
got very tired. My mother lived to 97 and lived alone, kept writing on an
old selectric and had little vision. She said once, "Jackie, I don't
recommend that you live past 90. It just becomes too much work and if you
quite pushing for all your worth, you are useless and might just as well lie
there and decay. You can see she kept pushing anyway, and thus the 97. At
ninety-six, she won three poetry prizes. 
I think all of the people in this group are  helping re-energize me.
Your letter helps me to find the gaps in my training.
Jacqui

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 12:34 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] Off-topic: Training and blindness

Jacqueline,

Shortly after I started losing my vision, I was contacted by the Iowa
Department for the Blind. No one is sure how they got my name, including
my doctor, but it's a good thing I learned about IDB. My family was
living in Iowa at the time, which is why I trained in Iowa. Because I
was still recovering from my illness, I couldn't move to Des Moines and
participate in the residential Adult Orientation Training Center. I was
given a laptop on loan, but never provided with any lessons on JAWS. I
was also given a cane, but only had one lesson. I was never contacted
again about having a cane travel lesson at home. Almost a year later, my
doctors gave me the okay to move and do a full training at the center.

I spent nine months living on campus at IDB while I learned Braille,
computer technology, white cane and home management along with shop. My
counselor and I worked on a plan and what items I may need to accomplish
those plans, which included any technology among other items that IDB
would financially cover.

I married shortly after graduating from training and moved to Omaha,
Nebraska so my file was closed in Iowa and I registered for services
from the Nebraska Commission for the Blind. I was able to have the
Nebraska Commission cover my tuition for school, but I decided to
purchase most of my own technology, though recently I was able to
receive an upgrade in JAWS and Microsoft from the Commission so I can
compete better in terms of employment.

Most states have a rehab agency for the blind that should provide
training and the purchase of material necessary for school and/or work.
They also should initially help purchase any items necessary for
homemakers. This isn't meant to be an ongoing process, but up front an
agency should help to ensure your success with whatever route you take.

These agencies are also suppose to provide field staff who can do home
training for those, like seniors, who can't, for one reason or another,
live on campus for training. There are a couple of reasons home training
ends up not providing people with extensive training. One, there is not
enough staff compared to all those who require training. Two, because of
budgets there is not always enough funding to support an active field
staff. Three, because those of working age can still "put into the
system," they often get precedence in training over those who don't work
and therefore aren't paying taxes like those working. And four, in my
experience, the effort isn't put in for those deemed "unfit" or not as
able like seniors are those who are ill.

Not all training centers for the blind are good because of the attitude
they promote, but many are good and provide people with the basic skills
necessary to be independent as a blind person. In nine months, I spent 5
days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM in classes teaching me these skills. We
also met altogether three times a week for what we called business class
in which we discussed blindness on a philosophical level, instilling a
positive outlook. From time to time we went on field trips doing
anything from camping to visiting museums to skiing to sporting events.
These field trips forced us to use the skills we were learning and apply
them in real life situations. It also helped reinforce a positive
mindset. If we could do things like grill on an open grill or pitch a
tent or navigate a ballpark, we could go about our daily lives.

I am only 30 so I can't answer your question about not having family,
but both my husband and I are blind and live on our own. We have family
near, but not on a frequent enough basis to rely on them for assistance.
There's very little we require sighted assistance for. It might be
convenient at times, but very little it's necessary for. If you have a
state rehab agency, contact them and find out what you may qualify for.
If they aren't much help, find out if other blind people live nearby who
can help. They may be able to provide you with training that you
currently lack. I know how frustrating it is to need some training, but
to not receive it.

This may not be helpful, but I hope I have provided you with something.
I can always email more off list. You can contact me any time. There may
also be others who have professional experience, like Robert, who can
give you better answers.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message:   5
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 20:24:49 -0700
From: "Jacqueline Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] Please read my latest Live Well column
Message-ID: <2FA64A7DD5B743DC87F0CF1FF67A2588 at JackiLeePoet>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Dear Bridget,
Again, I thank you for a comprehensive explanation of the course of an
event that turned into many events that led to your blindness. It does
make one understand that blindness is not always the worst thing that
can happen. Certainly your extremely productive life of writing has
displayed in inner spirit and vigor that can hardly be matched by a
seeing person. I am particularly interested in your training. In fact,
the training of all the participants here. I got some training through
vocational rehabilitation only when I applied to work at age 76. It was
spotty but I kept at it in spite of constantly changing teachers and
methods some of whom came to my house, and as many computer breakdowns
and software problems, that the lessons were the least of the time
spent. When the recession hit big time, I was 79, and in spite of a
resume that is stellar, I just could not compete, and I dropped from the
program before having solid computer skills. 
I wonder how most blind people get their wonderful training. Is it all
government and State money? There are probably big differences in the
states. I know how much NFB has done to insure that young people and
beyond have done to get educational opportunities. However, at my level
of computer
skills, and other lacks, I find it expensive to be blind.    Though I do
my
own cooking, laundry, personal care, I still have to hire aides for
voluminous mail with so many follow-up problems, getting to a class,
meetings, shopping, medical care, etc. 
I do wonder how elderly blind people who live alone who have no families
left, who are poverty-stricken, manage. Perhaps that underlies my
interest in the details of others lives who show such tremendous spirit,
have managed to keep going on an upward arc from wherever the severe
problems started. There are so many of you. Jacqueline Williams 

_______________________________________________
Writers Division web site:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.net <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>

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