There are many job opportunities for the blind and visually handicapped. Doctor, lawyer, musician, artist, teacher, entrepreneur... the limits are only on the person's imagination.
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 {1} lists the compliance in workplace. Not just compliance, but sets the framework for building a better, more diverse workforce. Inclusion of people with different abilities into any workforce is beneficial for the whole of the economic system.{2} Allowing anyone to have access to a job allows them to have power over their own lives.
Giving access to assistive technology is of the utmost importance to individuals that have either visual or hearing impairment, just as much as railing and wheelchair accessible entries. This can be a huge cost in the beginning, but the benefits are greater employment opportunities and diversity among employees. To not deny rights to all people, or in other words, non-discrimination is vital to our economy.
Between 2000 and 2010 the poverty level went up by .14% for those with disabilities {3}. That rate might not seem much in the scheme of things, but that rise means that that many more are on assistance of some sort.
In the end, we all pay in the form of taxes. Shouldn't that money be spent in a better form, such as fitting existing business with aids to employee disabled?{4} To me, and this is just my opinion, it would be better in the long run to help employ as many people as possible, no matter which section of the workforce it happens to be. Just the ability to work raises the level of self confidence {5} and in doing so, helps the whole well being of an individual {6}...
So, this all is great, but how does it affect the individual? I can tell you from my own experiences that being able to work really does help my mental and physical well being. Before, when I first started out needing to work, after the death of my husband, I was terrified. I had no money, I had virtually no experience...
I was already having more and more disruption in my vision... Not knowing where to turn and what is offered to people who are visually impaired is frightening. I didn't have a clue what to do, I needed help, but I didn't know where to turn.
I was just lucky enough to know a person that worked for the local college who knew someone that needed a floral arrangement. The person knew that I had been a florist, way back... and she recommended me. That led to a job with the college teaching Floral Design. I was tremendously lucky. It was of nothing but luck that I got that job. I couldn't function in a floral shop, I couldn't drive everyday, It was sheer luck that I got hired...
There was one more break. My vision was so bad that I had to go to the doctor after only a few months of getting new contacts. I just couldn't see at night. I couldn't drive at all at night, and driving in the daytime was chancy at best. The doctor said that the cataracts had grown so much in the three months since my last checkup that I needed to have them out. I couldn't afford surgery, I could barely feed myself and my son... even with the job at the college. I was only on part time, there was no insurance coverage, I had no means of having surgery... so the doctor referred me to the Division of Blind Services{6}
call that a break? ... I go blind so I get sent to a government agency? But, it was something that helped me tremendously. I was able to have the surgery on my eyes with their help through the Vocational Rehabilitation Program{7}, and they did try to find me a job that was more stable... but I have to say, they didn't really assist me otherwise. I wasn't told that they had a support group that meets each week, they didn't tell me that I could get a lot of help that I could have... I had to hunt all that up on my own.
I did find the National Library Services which helped so much. I wrote about it before on this blog, it is the only way that I can read, which I took for granted before... but after being unable to read for years, I was hungry for knowledge, any book would do.
All in all, the surgery and the subsequent surgeries that I had to have were well worth the effort, and I have no room for complaints from the agency, but as usual, I do complain. I was rendered unable to work at all after the problem with the retina and the subsequent problems with the cornea... I didn't get picked back up from the agency since this is "unrelated" to the original cataract surgery... so I am on my own now. I have gained a lot of insight from writing this blog, things that I never knew and places I didn't know existed... like the schools that are available to learn not only braille, but that teach you how to cope with the disability{9}, that teach you to be able to work, communicate and live with the abilities you have.
By the way, since going legally blind, I have learned how to make jewelry, work with metal, and how to run a business. The road has been very bumpy and I still balk at asking for help, but the rewards are uncountable. Letting people into my world has been hard for me. I still try to hide the fact that I am legally blind. I still try to act like there are no hindrances for me.... which is utterly silly, but it is not as uncommon as you would suppose. Franklin D. Roosevelt hid the fact that he was bound to a wheelchair{10}.
I am extremely thankful for every bit of vision I have left, and hope that it lasts for a while. I am lucky. I have the chance to learn and grow into what some people are born into. I still can't wrap my mind around what it is to be totally blind. There is no way to know for anyone unless you are totally blind. I admire so many people that function day to day with any impairment. It's tough, and you have to be tremendously brave and strong just to live day to day, accepting help when needed and learning to cope on your own when you can.
Thank you for joining along on this 31 days of exploring, it has been fun as well as educational for me... and a bit trying... Please visit the 31 Days site and visit the other blogs, there are some that are amazing!
1...US Department of Labor. Rehabilitation Act of 1973. http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/factsheets/Sec_503_508c.pdf
2...Christopher Button. Reauthorized Rehabilitation Act Increases Access To Assistive Technology. http://www.resnaprojects.org/nattap/library/atq/rehbact.htm
3... Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, Jessica C. Smith.US Census Bureau. September 2012. http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-rehab.htm
4... Tuttle, D.W. (1984). Self-esteem and adjusting with blindness: The process of responding to life’s demands. Springfield, IL: C. Thomas. http://books.google.com/books?id=Rs3_N0M0VdoC&pg=PA169&lpg=PA169&dq=Tuttle,+D.W.+%281984%29.+Self-esteem+and+adjusting+with+blindness:+The+process+of+responding+to+life%E2%80%99s+demands.+Springfield,+IL:+C.+Thomas&source=bl&ots=E9Fk8wa2sP&sig=-xUu_ZroFlUBRPbs1XH_7NDdhc4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kexTVIH5L8SjyAS20oHYCw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Tuttle%2C%20D.W.%20%281984%29.%20Self-esteem%20and%20adjusting%20with%20blindness%3A%20The%20process%20of%20responding%20to%20life%E2%80%99s%20demands.%20Springfield%2C%20IL%3A%20C.%20Thomas&f=false
5...http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/connect.htm
6... Louisiana Center for the Blind. http://www.louisianacenter.org/philosophyandmethodology/
76...Texas Department of Assitive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dbs/index.shtml
8...Texas Department of Assitive and Rehabilitative Services. Individual Plan for Employment. http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dbs/DevelopIPE.pdf
9... Hadley School for the Blind. http://www.hadley.edu/downloads/pdf/Summary_of_Long-Range_Plan-2013-2018.pdf
10...Ability Magazine. http://www.abilitymagazine.com/FDR_story.html
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 {1} lists the compliance in workplace. Not just compliance, but sets the framework for building a better, more diverse workforce. Inclusion of people with different abilities into any workforce is beneficial for the whole of the economic system.{2} Allowing anyone to have access to a job allows them to have power over their own lives.
Giving access to assistive technology is of the utmost importance to individuals that have either visual or hearing impairment, just as much as railing and wheelchair accessible entries. This can be a huge cost in the beginning, but the benefits are greater employment opportunities and diversity among employees. To not deny rights to all people, or in other words, non-discrimination is vital to our economy.
Between 2000 and 2010 the poverty level went up by .14% for those with disabilities {3}. That rate might not seem much in the scheme of things, but that rise means that that many more are on assistance of some sort.
In the end, we all pay in the form of taxes. Shouldn't that money be spent in a better form, such as fitting existing business with aids to employee disabled?{4} To me, and this is just my opinion, it would be better in the long run to help employ as many people as possible, no matter which section of the workforce it happens to be. Just the ability to work raises the level of self confidence {5} and in doing so, helps the whole well being of an individual {6}...
So, this all is great, but how does it affect the individual? I can tell you from my own experiences that being able to work really does help my mental and physical well being. Before, when I first started out needing to work, after the death of my husband, I was terrified. I had no money, I had virtually no experience...
I was already having more and more disruption in my vision... Not knowing where to turn and what is offered to people who are visually impaired is frightening. I didn't have a clue what to do, I needed help, but I didn't know where to turn.
I was just lucky enough to know a person that worked for the local college who knew someone that needed a floral arrangement. The person knew that I had been a florist, way back... and she recommended me. That led to a job with the college teaching Floral Design. I was tremendously lucky. It was of nothing but luck that I got that job. I couldn't function in a floral shop, I couldn't drive everyday, It was sheer luck that I got hired...
There was one more break. My vision was so bad that I had to go to the doctor after only a few months of getting new contacts. I just couldn't see at night. I couldn't drive at all at night, and driving in the daytime was chancy at best. The doctor said that the cataracts had grown so much in the three months since my last checkup that I needed to have them out. I couldn't afford surgery, I could barely feed myself and my son... even with the job at the college. I was only on part time, there was no insurance coverage, I had no means of having surgery... so the doctor referred me to the Division of Blind Services{6}
call that a break? ... I go blind so I get sent to a government agency? But, it was something that helped me tremendously. I was able to have the surgery on my eyes with their help through the Vocational Rehabilitation Program{7}, and they did try to find me a job that was more stable... but I have to say, they didn't really assist me otherwise. I wasn't told that they had a support group that meets each week, they didn't tell me that I could get a lot of help that I could have... I had to hunt all that up on my own.
I did find the National Library Services which helped so much. I wrote about it before on this blog, it is the only way that I can read, which I took for granted before... but after being unable to read for years, I was hungry for knowledge, any book would do.
All in all, the surgery and the subsequent surgeries that I had to have were well worth the effort, and I have no room for complaints from the agency, but as usual, I do complain. I was rendered unable to work at all after the problem with the retina and the subsequent problems with the cornea... I didn't get picked back up from the agency since this is "unrelated" to the original cataract surgery... so I am on my own now. I have gained a lot of insight from writing this blog, things that I never knew and places I didn't know existed... like the schools that are available to learn not only braille, but that teach you how to cope with the disability{9}, that teach you to be able to work, communicate and live with the abilities you have.
By the way, since going legally blind, I have learned how to make jewelry, work with metal, and how to run a business. The road has been very bumpy and I still balk at asking for help, but the rewards are uncountable. Letting people into my world has been hard for me. I still try to hide the fact that I am legally blind. I still try to act like there are no hindrances for me.... which is utterly silly, but it is not as uncommon as you would suppose. Franklin D. Roosevelt hid the fact that he was bound to a wheelchair{10}.
I am extremely thankful for every bit of vision I have left, and hope that it lasts for a while. I am lucky. I have the chance to learn and grow into what some people are born into. I still can't wrap my mind around what it is to be totally blind. There is no way to know for anyone unless you are totally blind. I admire so many people that function day to day with any impairment. It's tough, and you have to be tremendously brave and strong just to live day to day, accepting help when needed and learning to cope on your own when you can.
Thank you for joining along on this 31 days of exploring, it has been fun as well as educational for me... and a bit trying... Please visit the 31 Days site and visit the other blogs, there are some that are amazing!
1...US Department of Labor. Rehabilitation Act of 1973. http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/factsheets/Sec_503_508c.pdf
2...Christopher Button. Reauthorized Rehabilitation Act Increases Access To Assistive Technology. http://www.resnaprojects.org/nattap/library/atq/rehbact.htm
3... Carmen DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette D. Proctor, Jessica C. Smith.US Census Bureau. September 2012. http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-rehab.htm
4... Tuttle, D.W. (1984). Self-esteem and adjusting with blindness: The process of responding to life’s demands. Springfield, IL: C. Thomas. http://books.google.com/books?id=Rs3_N0M0VdoC&pg=PA169&lpg=PA169&dq=Tuttle,+D.W.+%281984%29.+Self-esteem+and+adjusting+with+blindness:+The+process+of+responding+to+life%E2%80%99s+demands.+Springfield,+IL:+C.+Thomas&source=bl&ots=E9Fk8wa2sP&sig=-xUu_ZroFlUBRPbs1XH_7NDdhc4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kexTVIH5L8SjyAS20oHYCw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Tuttle%2C%20D.W.%20%281984%29.%20Self-esteem%20and%20adjusting%20with%20blindness%3A%20The%20process%20of%20responding%20to%20life%E2%80%99s%20demands.%20Springfield%2C%20IL%3A%20C.%20Thomas&f=false
5...http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/connect.htm
6... Louisiana Center for the Blind. http://www.louisianacenter.org/philosophyandmethodology/
76...Texas Department of Assitive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dbs/index.shtml
8...Texas Department of Assitive and Rehabilitative Services. Individual Plan for Employment. http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dbs/DevelopIPE.pdf
9... Hadley School for the Blind. http://www.hadley.edu/downloads/pdf/Summary_of_Long-Range_Plan-2013-2018.pdf
10...Ability Magazine. http://www.abilitymagazine.com/FDR_story.html
