Coping Mechanisms for the Blind
Uploaded by CaseyP on Nov 04, 2018
Abstract
The loss of vision has significant impacts on the lives of the individuals, families, acquaintances, and the society at large. This paper focuses on a population segment consisting of adults who have been confirmed legally blind for less than one year with the condition and enrolled at the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP). It aims to reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social isolation for adults recently diagnosed with legal blindness in the past one year. Adults who lost their eyesight less than a year ago are highly likely to be depressed due to the effects of visual impairment on their careers, social support systems, and mobility. With the increasing number of the visual impaired population in the U.S., there is a need for a theoretical and institutional response to reduce the negative effects caused by depression. More focus is needed for young adults who are in a transitional stage where the majority are concentrating on join post-high school institution, getting the first dream job, and starting serious relationship as well as the elderly who have lost the social ties duet to age and visual impairment.
Coping Mechanisms for the Visually Impaired
The loss of vision has significant impacts on the lives of the individuals, families, acquaintances, and the society at large. According to Welp, Woodbury, McCoy, Teutsch & National Academies (2016), adults who completely lose their eyesight get frightened and overwhelmed. They are left to wonder about their ability to remain independent, cater for the needed medical costs, keep their places at work, and fend for themselves as well as their families. The health consequences coming with the untimely loss of eyesight is beyond eye and visual system. It affects the quality of life, leading to other effects such as injuries due to falls, mental problems, and general deterioration in social and economic aspects. In the United States, there are organizations which help the blind to cope. This paper focuses on a population segment consisting of adults who have been confirmed legally blind for less than one year with the condition and enrolled at the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP). The group recognizes that adults undergo depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Therefore, this group takes the initiative to design mechanisms to assist the newly blind adults to cope in the society.
Statement of Purpose
According to the latest statistics by the World Health Organization (2018),...