Comments on: New Policies for the Blind or Visually Impaired http://actlocallysf.org/blog/topic/2007/04/05/sf-needs-new-policies-for-the-blind-or-visually-impaired/ Join the Debate! Read and comment on articles posted on actlocallysf.org. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:49:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Pamela Jane Fitzgerald http://actlocallysf.org/blog/topic/2007/04/05/sf-needs-new-policies-for-the-blind-or-visually-impaired/#comment-402 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:36:41 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/topic/2007/04/05/sf-needs-new-policies-for-the-blind-or-visually-impaired/#comment-402 It is essential and vital that San Francisco be a leader in helping the visually impaired person. Many of our clients ask me in our First Friday Support group, "why isn't more being done?" There is definitely a need for improved and accessible transportation for seniors and the disabled. The system, while great for people who don't have any disablities, does not reflect that it serves the disabled. Inclusion of the visually impaired and others that are disabled, in all areas is of the greatest importance considering that many people are now approaching their senior years. It is deplorable that the housing shortage is so bad for seniors and disabled individuals. Many of them have to resort to living in dangerous conditions. Visual Impairments affect many people, not just seniors. Yes, we will have an influx of baby boomers who will be approaching a 'coming of age' so to speak and they will need to be educated as to how to live with a visual impairment. Just giving them a white cane is not the answer. These people are NOT BLIND by any definition of the word but have usable sight. They can be educated to use the sight that they have. Accessiblity for the visually impaired individual is vital for his or her quality of life. Just because one is visually limited does not mean they have to just walk around with a white cane all their life. Most of the visually limited do not need a white cane but need the correct visual aid! Visually impaired people do not like to be grouped in with the blind either! They want their independence! Not to get on a tirade but there are many areas that can be improved upon by the City and County of San Francisco. We were innovators with regards to disabilities and need to continue to be at the forefront when it comes to persons with disablities. One area that concerns me personally is the treatment of those that live in assisted living facilities and the lack of correct reporting of incidents. Many individuals are taken advantage of and despite mandated reporting it continues. We all need to be watchdogs for the disabled community! It is also unfortunate that the definition of legal blindness eliminates many people suffering from visual impairments. One should not have to be legally blind to recieve help, or maybe the definition will need to change. What will happen when the 65 million baby boomers start to experience problems like macular degeneration, but are not 'legally blind' and find they cannot get any help financially? It is a situation that will bring on many problems. We often have people who come to National Association for Visually Handicapped that cannot get any government help because they are not 'legally blind' by the governments definition but they are visually limited and need help! Employment is another problem and employers need to sit up and take notice of the person that is visually impaired but can still do the job! Transportation needs to be addressed and many of our clients tell me that they have a terrible time getting around...this is something that cannot continue and there needs to be a usable system set in motion! San Franciscans' need to support better transpertation that will be inclusive of all citizens of San Francisco! Here's to Mayor's Council on Disabilities and to the hard effort that they make to serve the population of people that have disabilities here in San Francisco! Pamela Fitzgerald, MSCP, MSCJA Associate Director National Association for Visually Handicapped 507 Polk Street, Suite 420 San Francisco, CA 94102 415.775.NAVH (6284) Email: Pamela@navh.org www.navh.org<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 7</li> </ul> It is essential and vital that San Francisco be a leader in helping the visually impaired person. Many of our clients ask me in our First Friday Support group, “why isn’t more being done?” There is definitely a need for improved and accessible transportation for seniors and the disabled. The system, while great for people who don’t have any disablities, does not reflect that it serves the disabled.

Inclusion of the visually impaired and others that are disabled, in all areas is of the greatest importance considering that many people are now approaching their senior years. It is deplorable that the housing shortage is so bad for seniors and disabled individuals. Many of them have to resort to living in dangerous conditions.

Visual Impairments affect many people, not just seniors. Yes, we will have an influx of baby boomers who will be approaching a ‘coming of age’ so to speak and they will need to be educated as to how to live with a visual impairment. Just giving them a white cane is not the answer. These people are NOT BLIND by any definition of the word but have usable sight. They can be educated to use the sight that they have. Accessiblity for the visually impaired individual is vital for his or her quality of life. Just because one is visually limited does not mean they have to just walk around with a white cane all their life. Most of the visually limited do not need a white cane but need the correct visual aid! Visually impaired people do not like to be grouped in with the blind either! They want their independence!

Not to get on a tirade but there are many areas that can be improved upon by the City and County of San Francisco. We were innovators with regards to disabilities and need to continue to be at the forefront when it comes to persons with disablities.

One area that concerns me personally is the treatment of those that live in assisted living facilities and the lack of correct reporting of incidents. Many individuals are taken advantage of and despite mandated reporting it continues. We all need to be watchdogs for the disabled community!

It is also unfortunate that the definition of legal blindness eliminates many people suffering from visual impairments. One should not have to be legally blind to recieve help, or maybe the definition will need to change. What will happen when the 65 million baby boomers start to experience problems like macular degeneration, but are not ‘legally blind’ and find they cannot get any help financially? It is a situation that will bring on many problems. We often have people who come to National Association for Visually Handicapped that cannot get any government help because they are not ‘legally blind’ by the governments definition but they are visually limited and need help!

Employment is another problem and employers need to sit up and take notice of the person that is visually impaired but can still do the job!

Transportation needs to be addressed and many of our clients tell me that they have a terrible time getting around…this is something that cannot continue and there needs to be a usable system set in motion! San Franciscans’ need to support better transpertation that will be inclusive of all citizens of San Francisco!

Here’s to Mayor’s Council on Disabilities and to the hard effort that they make to serve the population of people that have disabilities here in San Francisco!

Pamela Fitzgerald, MSCP, MSCJA
Associate Director National Association for Visually Handicapped
507 Polk Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.775.NAVH (6284)

Email: Pamela@navh.org
www.navh.org

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]]> by: lik roper http://actlocallysf.org/blog/topic/2007/04/05/sf-needs-new-policies-for-the-blind-or-visually-impaired/#comment-401 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:58:43 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/topic/2007/04/05/sf-needs-new-policies-for-the-blind-or-visually-impaired/#comment-401 when you make a community safer for the blind and hearing impaired, it has a tendency to make that same community safer for everybody - www.likroper.com<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 10</li> </ul> when you make a community safer for the blind and hearing impaired, it has a tendency to make that same community safer for everybody - www.likroper.com
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