Dad Losing Sight - Any advice?

[HopefulElle]

Hi everyone,

My Dad (late 70s) has been diagnosed with a degenerative disorder and is losing his sight. The more I think about it the sadder I feel for him, as really unsure how he’ll fill his days.
He currently spends a lot of time reading books or on his iPad - reading the news, watching YouTube and just generally browsing. I’d love any ideas for what could replace this as his sight deteriorates? Anything I could be helping him to get to grips with now? Current thinking was maybe an Alexa or something like it, to read out news and possibly podcasts (don’t have one myself so not actually sure how good this would be).

Any recommendations very gratefully received x

I met a lady with partial sight who works for RNIB. She helps newly diagnosed blind and partially sighted people to find the right aids to help them cope. She visited my neighbour a few times as she was gradually losing her sight (she was late 70s too). It seemed that there were a lot of gadgets and aids to enable my neighbour to live independently (which she did until she died aged 90+). I know she used to enjoy audibooks and newspapers.

I have a parent in the same position.

Audio books and e-readers that can read aloud/text to speech technologies.

In my area the council has a Visual Impairment Team that will visit and help people try different things out. Google your area to see what's out there.

Dm is vi . She has magnifying software on her pc, you can change colours and contrast settings too if it helps. You can use dictation and reading software too like Cortana or Siri. Fire tablet reads Kindle books via Alexa. Good lighting is important, ideally from behind. Most areas have sight related clinics and advisors who can help with trying gadgets.

How bad is his sight now?

His local ophthalmology department will probably have someone who helps with aids for low vision. If not, the RNIB also runs Low Vision Clinics.

There are also a lot of local charities that do the same sort of thing, helping you try out different tech and see what works for you.

If you google 'Low Vision near me' you hopefully will find your local services.

DH's eyesight has stabilised so he currently manages with lots of different pairs of glasses for different things, computer magnified, a personalised keyboard (this took forever but he now has different zones of the keyboard in different colours, the keyboard lit, raised letters on each key) and an obsession with standard lamps everywhere.

But we did look at adaptive tech and basically there is masses out there.

Can I ask what condition he has? If it’s Macular Degeneration I’d recommend him joining the Macular Society.

There are lots of things he can do. Can you set up his phone so that he can still read it and he can dictate texts and get the phone to read things out for him?

I am gradually losing my sight and I try to do as much of this kind of stuff now, whilst I still can see so that it’s not a huge adjustment once my sight gets too bad.

Audio books from your local library
He can get them delivered by the library if he is unable to drive

He should also claim attendance allowance which is not means tested

www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance

Correct link

https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance

Some areas do taking newspapers and local audio magazines. Podcasts might also interest him.

If he becomes registered blind he can apply for a disabled blue parking badge & someone can use this to drive him & park

Thanks so much everyone, really appreciate all of your responses, lots to consider here - baby is teething I suspect, so was hard to think straight/know where to start.
@BunnyRuddington yes it’s macular anemia degeneration so will look up the society, thank you. Hadn’t heard of it. He doesn’t have a mobile phone (I know!!), was initially reluctant to adopt the iPad but now loves it. Reading aloud could be the future though, may need to get him some headphones (another first) so as not to drive my mum mad!

@AnnaMagnani @LIZS @PermanentTemporary @HundredPercentUnsure it’s not awful but fading pretty quickly, struggles to focus now. He’s also very stubborn/a bit in denial, so I’m not sure whether local services haven’t been shared with him or if he’s trying to pretend they’re irrelevant. I will take a look on his behalf, thanks.
Will also check out what’s possible on his iPad (contrast settings and read aloud etc), and will look for wider area support too.

@Deerinthepark thankfully there is a lot in his local area, including library 5 mins walk away - I will march him down to check this out,thanks!

It’s difficult if he’s not willing to adopt new technology. It would be so much easier for him to do this before he loses anymore sight, perhaps you’ll have to spell this out to him? I understand though how frightening it must be for him.

Has he had an OT referral? They might be able to help him with suggestions of things to try that will help him around the house.

You can get guides online for making some practical adaptations in the home. For example I use a dark coloured chopping board as the contrast helps me see the food better.

The FB group Macular Matters I’ve also found helpful.

And the Macular Society have a helpline, it’s fine for you to call them and talk to them about what might help your DF

Forgot to add that if you google the County your DF lives in along with vision loss you’ll probably find details of a local support group

Get him bonephones. That way he will still be able to hear what is around him while he listens to his device. It's both less isolating for your mum and safer for him.

Bonephones? Is that a make or something that Fred Flinstone would use?

Please also check to see if he is eligible for blind persons allowance for tax purposes.

Bonephones

Ah thanks for that! Had never heard of them before

Thank you all so much, so helpful.

Also @BunnyRuddington I'm not sure how the word “anemia” made its way into my reply, ignore that bit!

I thought it was just a type of MD that I hadn’t heard of before

Bloody emojis still aren’t working. There was supposed to be a grin at alter rjd if that post.

My mum has the same condition. She is no longer able to watch TV so she listens to audiobooks and gardens a bit. She does find life very limited now but she goes to WI and meets up with friends (dad drives her). She can do emails and texts but it takes her ages.

She got help from the macular society and rnib who really helped her with her mindset about it all.

It is shit though, I really feel for her. She used to love reading.

I love reading too. It’s probably my favourite hobby. I’m really going to miss it when I can’t do it anymore.

Can your Mum use Siri for texts? I’ve lost the vision in one eye for part of today and have been using Siri for texts.