For a senior with low vision, running errands can be a bit overwhelming, but there are tactics you can implement to help out your loved one. Shopping methods will likely vary according to mobility and travel skills, general health, and merchandise preferences. Here are some hints, tips, and techniques that can help make shopping more relaxed and enjoyable:

• If only a few items are needed, the person can walk to the store and ask store personnel for assistance. If the same store is shopped regularly, assistance may not always be required to find needed items.
• The store can be called ahead of time with a list of needed items. Grocery shopping can be done in this way, especially if there is a familiarity with the clerks at the grocery store and their assistance is requested at a time of day when the store is not too busy.
• Consider working with a home care agency, like ours, where caregivers can assist with errands and locating items in stores.
• Shop with a friend or neighbor who is doing his or her own shopping at the same time.
• Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up a few items when he or she is out running errands.
• Find an older adult program that sends a van or bus to a shopping center occasionally.
• Arrange to shop with someone whose judgment is known and trusted, especially for clothing, furniture, or decorative items.
• Order items by telephone from a mail order catalog.

Continuum understands how best to manage the needs of decreased vision and can help coordinate community resources and services as needed. For more information about how we can help, please call (314) 863-9912.

There are a wide variety of gadgets on the market to assist people with low vision. A few examples are:

Color Identifiers: These devices can distinguish between different colors and have various volume levels and include an earphone jack.
Voice Labelers: These devices record audio talk labels for identifying canned goods, medications and household items.
Talking Bar Code Scanners: These are handy for shopping or at home. After scanning the bar code, the scanner identifies the product.
Magnifiers and Assistive Readers: There are many different types of magnifying aids available, including devices that can read the text aloud.
Talking Alarm Clocks: These can announce the time, either hourly or on demand.
Money Brailler: This device marks denominations of money by pressing Braille text into the bills.

Continuum understands how best to manage the needs of decreased vision and can help coordinate community resources and services as needed. For more information about how we can help, please call (314) 863-9912.

Helping the seniors in your life with low vision stay safe and secure in their home is possible. The basic principles to keep in mind when considering home modifications for persons with vision impairments are reducing clutter, improving lighting and reducing glare, as well as utilizing color and contrast. These principles can help individuals to safely maintain a level of independence while also making objects more visible.

When evaluating and modifying their home, start with these inexpensive recommendations for an immediate improvement.

• Install brighter light bulbs and more light bulbs for continuous lighting levels throughout the home.
• Install clap-on lights.
• Replace sheer curtains with mini-blinds to cut down on glare.
• Mark the edges of steps or handrails with brightly colored tape or paint to make them easier to see.
• Organize and label clothing and personal items.
• Label and mark medications.
• Mark cupboard pulls and pot handles with brightly colored electrical tape and use brightly colored marking dots on stove and microwave controls for easier adjustments.
• Rearrange the furniture to take advantage of natural sunlight and reduce glare.
• Highlight electrical sockets/light plate switches in a color that contrasts with the wall color for better visibility.
• Place a flexible-arm or gooseneck lamp near the telephone to help see the numbers more clearly and make sure the phone has large numbers on the buttons.

Continuum understands how best to manage the needs of decreased vision and can help coordinate community resources and services as needed. For more information about how we can help, please call (314) 863-9912.

Most of us experience some degree of vision decline as we age. But once eye problems have made simple daily tasks difficult or impossible, chances are the reason isn’t just a matter of “getting older.” Low vision can be the result of medical eye conditions, or it can be symptomatic of other ailments not directly related to the eye—diabetes, for example.

The important thing is to know that there is help. If you are worried about a loved one’s vision, make an appointment with an eye care professional who can provide an exam as a first step in determining the level of vision impairment. Often, these professionals will have recommendations on devices and low vision services that can help to maximize remaining vision. Having a professional caregiver come into the home to assist with daily tasks can also be a great help. An in-home care agency can recommend assistive devices and coordinate a few simple lighting and household adaptations to help a senior with low vision continue to enjoy favorite activities and hobbies.

For those with low vision who wish to maintain their independence, consider home care as an option to help them adapt and continue performing activities of daily living. If you are unsure of the extent of modifications needed in the home, Continuum will provide a free home safety evaluation and suggest simple home modifications that will allow your loved one to be safer at home. Call (314) 863-9912 for more information!