Did you know that if you are over age 60, you might be one of the one in eight people that will experience some degree of vision loss? It could be cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration or glaucoma. And other health problems, such as stroke, may impact vision as well.
Hearing the news that you may lose your signt completely isn't easy. In fact, knowing that you may lose your sight can bring on a level of depression that could impact you significantly. About 30 percent of the people who have vision loss suffer symptoms of depression, directly impacting their quality of life.
Project REBUILD is an outreach service of the University of Rochester, Flaum Eye Institute and the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, that provides people 60+ with support, vision education services and tools to help you adjust to and cope with your new reality, and help you get back on track to living independently.
One aspect of Project REBUILD that makes it so successful is the six personal, in-home, one-on-one sessions between the visually impaired person and a resilience-building coach. Working in the home helps the individual feel more comfortable and able to problem solve within a familiar environment.
Learn more about Project REBUILD.
Listen to ENABLED where host Nancy Zimmer tells us more about Project REBUILD.