
During this virus time there is a great need for rest and recreation. Ways of relaxing – going to a café, store, park, or meeting with family or close friends may all be barred for now.
Too much anxiety, too much listening to the news on top of managing your vision loss or blindness can stretch you out very thin. You can end up on high alert—wired up to cope with whatever is coming at you next. Of course you may have a pet to keep you grounded, and a porch or garden with spring flowers to smell, touch and maybe seeas well. but more comfort activities and quiet times are very important. Here are some reminders of things to enjoy by yourself,
Touch: So many of our happiest and most relaxed activities depend on touch. There’s the wind in your hair, the sunshine on your back, hot water enveloping your body, slathering yourself in lotion, and maybe pleasuring yourself.
Sight: You may still dive deep into favorite TV shows and movies, and sit close up to the TV to enjoy details that are hard to see in real life. A square of bright tape or bump dot on the remote can be useful in getting to the right channel. One cable company now has a voice-controlled remote.
Hearing: We are all listening to more just now and radio, CDs, and streaming services (on a smartphone) are all good.
If you have wifi at home a smart speaker offers an extraordinary range of ways to take a break using your voice to get music, comedy, games, call a friend, and more. This isn’t the best time to install one but details of this and other audio services are at the bottom of the post.
There are three reading services which are free (or somewhat free) after you provide some proof of vision loss:
The National Library Service (NLS) from the Library of Congress puts out thousands of books and magazines each year in the Talking Books program, which you can listen to on the NLS player or download onto a smart phone or tablet. The books are read aloud by volunteer and professional readers.
NFB-NEWSLINE gives you access to a wide choice of newspapers and magazines using a touch-tone or smart phone and electronic speech. NEWSLINE can also play on a smart speaker.
Bookshare is preferred by many skilled blind people because the text is highlighted word by word as electronic speech reads the text aloud.However there is an annual subscription of $50.
Laughter: It’s still the best medicine—listening to comedy shows or funny stories can be a great relaxer. And if you can still see enough, bringing a chair right up to the TV may allow you to see the clowning. There’s lots of research confirming that laughter is good for you.
Eating and Drinking: Whether your taste is for ribs and a cold beer or avocado and iced tea, the pleasure remains. You may even find that your appreciation of textures, tastes, and smells is a little heightened. Cooking can also be a great recreation – maybe you can try something new, or variations on tried and true favorites.
Sleep: A good night’s sleep may be the best recreation of all, and stress can make you need more sleep than usual. Naps are good too, but not if they interfere with night-time sleep. You don’t need the three a.m. glooms! Later on when doctors have time again you might ask yours about the hormone melatonin, which some people with sight loss find helpful.
These tips are adapted from my new Book, When You Can’t Believe Your Eyes: Vision Loss and Personal Recovery.You’ll find links to print and accessible copies and the Talking Book and Bookshare catalog entries on the book page of my website, VisionLossandPersonalRecovery.com, or you are welcome to apply for a free copy of the eBook/Audio book.
Information:
Smart Speakers are voice activated computers. The most popular are Google Home and Amazon Alexa (or Echo) which is said to have the better speaker. The first generation Amazon Alexa (also known as Echo_)can be found for about $60, and the newest is on offer just now for $80
www.amazon.com. It is the size and shape of a food can .You need wifi to use it. There are also mini-versions called “dots,” which do not have the good speaker for music, phone calls etc. The Google Home smart speaker can be cheaper, depending on your need.
To find your Regional talking book library call: 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323. Regional talking book libraries often have movies with audio description and even magnification devices to lend: NFB Newsline has hundreds of newspapers and magazines available using a land-line, smart phone, or smart speaker. To sign up, call your regional talking book library or NFB: 866-504-7300:
Bookshare has an annual subscription of $50, But is free for students. It is an online service so you need either a laptop, smartphone or tablet. It has 750,000 books.
Bookshare.org | Bookshare | Accessible Books Online
Audible is a commercial audio book library which uses professional readers. $15 per month gets you 3 books to listen to and one of them to keep.
Audiobooks & Original Audio Shows – Get More from Audible
The American Council of the Blind hosts ACB Radio withshows from blind musicians and artists. Acces by phone at 712-775-4808, or online at ACBRadio.org, or download the app.
How to use my computer. I have lost my vision and prayng for help. This just happened four days ago. It is my boyfriend who lost his vision, and I need help getting help for him, . Please tell me how to help him with TV and fun things to do again in his life. My email is savagelena@gmail.com
Hello Lena,
The first thing is for your boyfriend or you to call a regional or university hospital in your city or area which has an eye department, and find out where he can get checked by a consultant ophthalmologist. If this happened suddenly 4 days ago it may be critical to get him to a big hospital with an eye department for treatment despite the corona virus.
whether he already has a well-regarded eye doctor.
So sorry this has happened to him and you. Hannah Fairbairn