Join our Braille Institute free open house May 4
Most Coachella Valley residents know someone who is affected by vision loss. Sometimes a reduction in vision can occur so gradually that you may not immediately recognize some of the more common signs and symptoms. These can include reduced visual acuity, blurred vision, eye misalignment, poor judgment of depth, glare sensitivity, confusion when performing visual tasks, difficulty reading, double vision, headaches, dizziness, abnormal body posture and balance problems. While vision loss can occur at any age, it occurs most often among mature adults.
A reduction in vision can be emotionally and physically challenging, but fortunately, there are many free and helpful services that the Braille Institute Coachella Valley provides every day to help people adjust to their new condition. To help educate the community about these free services, Braille Institute Coachella Valley will hold a free community open house Thursday, May 4 from 3-7 p.m. at our new Palm Desert facility, located at 74-245 Highway 111.
At this open house event, we will offer tours of our new facility and provide demonstrations in English and Spanish of our many free services. We’ll also provide demonstrations of some of the core Braille Institute services including:
Low vision (specialists will demonstrate various hand-held, digital and desktop magnifiers and task lighting that help maximize one’s remaining sight)
Independent living skills (with demonstrations of tools and techniques for everyday tasks around the home that give one the ability to remain independent)
Orientation and mobility (which provides communication and travel skills to help students understand their environments and move safely from place to place)
Library services (including demonstrations of audiobooks, Braille readers, and how to apply for the free service)
Assistive and adaptive technology education provided by the Connection Pointe Center (that offers classes on how to use the latest mainstream and accessible technology like iPhones, iPads and Androids, as well as demonstrations of Braille Institute’s TEAMS platform that enables students to attend free workshops and classes remotely from their home)
Child development (resources and services for young children with visual impairment and their families)
There are no limits to what people living with diminished vision can learn to do with whatever vision they have.
The open house May 4 will demonstrate that there are no limits to what people living with diminished vision can learn to do with the remaining vision they have. Hear from a current student who will share his journey and experience. Braille Institute offers free services with a strong emphasis on programs created for Spanish-speaking students. At the open house, learn how people with diminished vision can live independently regardless of their vision capability, their age, the language they speak or their immigration status.
Loss of vision does not mean loss of mobility or lifestyle.
Our free classes are offered all year long and help educate the community that people with diminished eyesight are still able to experience the world and do the things they love. Please let your friends and family know about this free open house and learn what Braille Institute Coachella Valley can offer. There is no cost to attend this event, but people are requested to RSVP by calling (760)321-1111 or emailing ajsand@brailleinstitute.org.
Amy Sand is the regional manager for Braille Institute Coachella Valley.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Join our Braille Institute free open house May 4
