DOMINICA ASSOCIATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INC. (DAPD INC.)

THEME:  LIGHTING THE DARKNESS

• In our world, a person goes blind every five seconds, and a child goes blind every minute.  Do all you can to preserve your sight. Help to eliminate avoidable blindness.
• Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetic Retinopathy and Refractive errors are the main causes of blindness in Dominica: Preserve your sight. Visit your Ophthalmologist regularly.
• Persons with Impaired Vision have: a Right to a Livelihood, Right to Education, Right to equal and inclusive services and a Right to access the Physical Environment.  Don’t Discriminate!
• People with vision problems are not deaf. Identify yourself when extending a greeting. Address them by name if you can. Never walk away without telling them when you are leaving.
• When offering assistance to a person who is vision impaired, be direct. Simply ask “may I be of help?”
•  When guiding a person with an impaired vision, walk at a normal pace. Hesitate slightly before stepping up or down.
• When giving directions to someone with an impaired vision, don’t point or say “over there”. Use landmarks or identify streets by name. If you are not sure how much the person can see, simply ask!
• When communicating with someone who is visually impaired, do not hesitate to use words like “see”, “look” or “read”; blind or visually impaired persons will not be offended by your use of these words.
• Never grab a blind person’s hand. Permit him/her to take your arm around the elbow and say “Here is my left (or right) arm”.
• When assisting a person with impaired vision to a chair, simply place their hand at the back of the chair and allow them to find the seat.
• When assisting a person with an impaired vision to a vehicle, help them to find the handle. Never open the vehicle door for them; this can lead to injuries if they do not have hold of the door.
• Always keep doors at home or in the workplace shut or opened fully. Having doors ajar can cause   injuries to a person with an impaired vision.
• A white cane is used by many people who are blind or visually impaired. Its primary uses are as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others. It is also used to detect objects in the path of a user. Persons carrying the White cane should be afforded “The- Right of- way”.
• The white cane is commonly accepted as a “symbol of blindness, and by virtue of its colour, it also works as a means of identification.  Show respect to users of the White Cane.