Rehabilitation, Vocational and Recreational Services

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Different services exist for:

• the totally blind
• the partially blind
• the newly blind
• the congenitally blind
• blind persons requiring vocational training
• blind persons requiring leisure time training

Rehabilitation Services of the Blind and Visually Impaired Lions clubs around the world donate their time and financial resources to rehabilitation and vocational training centers for the blind and visually impaired. These facilities provide training in basic living skills such as: dressing, bathing, cooking, eating, exchanging money, telling time, etc. Aids for the Blind and Visually Impaired Many new products have been recently developed to aid the blind and visually impaired. Many of these products are computerized.

To improve independent mobility, many blind and visually impaired people use a white cane. Schools for the blind provide training in the use of white canes. Both basic white canes and folding white canes are available from the Official Lions Club Supplies Catalog. Other types of white canes including telescoping canes, laser canes, and sensor canes are also available. Guide dogs provide another option for increased mobility. Lions support numerous guide dog training schools around the world.

Vocational Services
Computers can aid the blind and visually impaired as well as provide opportunities for employment. With modifications to a standard computer, blind and visually impaired people can find employment in computer-related careers.

In 1990, the Lions Club of Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, created an Assistive Technology Center for use by the blind and visually impaired. Installed in a local library, the center is used at least 20 hours per week by the community's 65 to 70 visually impaired residents. Features of the Assistive Technology Center include: Braille software, voice recognition software, and special laser printers for the blind or visually impaired.

As an additional service to the community, the Lions have used the center's scanners to convert documents into large print and Braille. Included in this process have been legal documents from area lawyers, voting ballots from the county clerk's office, and restaurant menus.

Recreational Services
Adaptive devices enable blind and visually impaired people to participate in a variety of activities including: baseball, bowling, basketball, surfboarding, ice skating, golfing, bicycling, hiking, and track and field. In other instances, such as swimming, proper coaching can enable a blind or visually impaired person to enjoy the sport. Skiing is another example. Every year since 1982, the Lions of Illinois' District 1-J (USA) have organized a Ski for Sight weekend. The Lions invite all of the residents of the rehabilitation centers in Illinois, eastern Iowa, and southern Wisconsin to attend. In 2000, 94 blind and visually impaired skiers joined the Lions.

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Copyright 2002 Lafayette Lions Club