Need help?

There are times when I feel that I need some help in getting around as it can be difficult when in unfamiliar places or in crowded shops and the obstacles in the street  such as placards and posts  that are difficult to see or should I say that I don’t  always see. I know where obstacles in familiar places are but not so in unfamiliar places and that is when I feel that I need help. During my mobility training, I was shown some techniques that I found to be very helpful and you may find the techniques interesting and helpful should you be a sighted person and with someone who may be a relative or a friend that have some vision loss.

First of all, I will admit that I hate it when someone grabs hold of my arm and insists on looking after me because they do not realise how difficult and uncomfortable it is for the person with a loss of vision to relax and be in control of their movements when others are holding on to their arm in an uncomfortable manner or as if their lives depend on it though I realise that some people with sight loss may prefer it that way; we are not all the same.  Most of my family and friends just tell me that their arm is there should I need it so when I do need help I just ask them to let me hold on to their arm and then I place my hand just above the elbow. I tend to hold on to their arm when we are walking together then we can talk at the same time and then I do not tend to leave them behind because I am walking faster or going in a different direction!

 If you are helping a friend or relative or even see someone who seems to be having some difficulty and you want to help, approach them slowly, introduce yourself and ask if they need any help. If your offer is accepted, ask where they want to go and if they would like to hold your arm. Stand by their side and let them hold your arms just above the elbow then start walking and they will follow slightly behind you. If you are crossing a road, make sure that you tell them if the kerb is a step up or step down and pause slightly before stepping up or down. After you have crossed the road and if you are parting company, just explain to them where they are before you leave.

 When you are going in to a shop, make sure that you explain if the door opens towards or away from you, and to the right or left. Open the door with your guiding arm and as you walk through, the person you’re guiding should hold it open, before following you through the door. There may be times when it has been necessary to walk in a single file, the person who is guiding should straighten their guiding arm and move it to the middle of their back then the person who is being guided will move in behind them while holding their hand.

Imagine that you have come to some steps, what do you do now? First, you must tell the person whom you are guiding if the steps go up or down. The person’s free hand should be on the handrail, allow them to find the bottom step and when they are ready  go up the steps with the person following you one step behind. Don’t forget to let them know when you have reached the top or they may trip over nothing. Before going down, make sure the person you’re guiding has located the handrail and the edge of the top step, let them find the first step down with their foot before moving off. Walk one step ahead, and say when you reach the bottom.

I had a problem with some steps the other day when I was out shopping with my daughter and grandsons. We had to go down some steps and because I have a loss of side vision and have to be very careful when going down some steps especially when  not familiar with them. There are steps that are either plain or they are edged in white and this helps me to see where the edge of the steps is. The steps that we came across had a black inlay; this would have been fine if it was on the edge of each step and I completely misjudged it. I lost my balance and would have fallen down the steps but my daughter quickly grabbed hold of me. After asking my daughter what had happened, she informed me that the inlay was an inch from the edge of the step; basically I received the wrong information as I failed to see the edge of the steps. They may look very attractive to fully sighted people but to someone who has sight problems they could be difficult to access even when there is a rail. I have been again to practice on these steps and I am confident now that it will not happen again.
 It would be great if you were able to help someone who had some vision loss in the proper manner and I am certain that the person with the vision loss would appreciate your help very much.

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