Tips and Tricks At Home

Managing at home can be one of the biggest challenges when diagnosed with sight loss. Everyday tasks can sometimes seem insurmountable, there are many simple tips and tricks that can make a difference.

  • Managing at home tags
This image shows some gadgets for use in the home including some bumpons (raised stick on labels) added to a boiler to help with settings. There are some pairs of socks sorted by colour and held together with safety pins. The image also shows some talking weighing scales.

 

Our clients tell us that adapting and managing at home can be one of the biggest challenges when diagnosed with sight loss.   Everyday tasks can sometimes seem insurmountable. Yet there are many simple tips and tricks that can make a difference.

Here are a few tips and tricks people have shared with us

        1. Make it easy to locate plugs, switches and dials through colour contrast. You can use a coloured border around a switch or bump-ons on a dial.
        2. Move furniture out of the busy areas where you regularly walk through in your home. Keep chairs pushed in.
        3. You can create your own system for identifying clothes in your wardrobe.  For example, you can use a different number of safety pins to signify either a colour or style of clothing. You can also use a free colour detection App or purchase a colour detector.
        4. If you don’t already have a railing on your stairs, consider adding one. Then place a bump-on near the top and bottom so that you know the stairs are ending soon.
        5. When walking downstairs, use the heel of your foot to ensure you know  where the steps are.
        6. Choose a colourful ironing board cover to provide contrast against clothing. Follow the cable to find the iron safely, you can also purchase  an iron guard.
        7. If you have lost something small on the floor such as a coin, place a thin  sock over your hoover attachment. This should locate the object for you and present it at the end of the attachment.
        8. Most utility providers or retailers can now send bills and receipts either in large print, Braille, audio or by email. This makes managing household bills much easier.
        9. Consider pairing your socks with a safety pin as soon as you take them off, this will keep them together while being washed. You can also pair your shoes with a peg.
        10. Registered blind or visually impaired people receive a 50% discount on their TV licence.

If you would like more information on any of these tips and tricks, our Community Sight Loss Advisors are always happy to help.

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