Summer has begun and this means that there will be many social gatherings coming up and this will continue through the end of the year. I recently came across an episode of a podcast by The Hadley School for the Blind where the topic of social gatherings was discussed and tips were given on how to best manage these gatherings when you have low vision. I do not want to speak for every person who is visually impaired but as someone who has low vision I do struggle with several aspects of attending social gatherings. Here are some things I struggle with while attending social gatherings.
Dealing with unfamiliar places
One of the first things that was discussed in the episode was attending a social gathering in an unfamiliar place. I have limited vision in my left eye and am completely blind in my right eye so it takes me some extra time to become familiar with the layout of a place.
I usually attend more gatherings during the summer and they take place in yards. I have found that this makes it more difficult for me to navigate as it is an open concept. I also have trouble in restaurants because I have trouble seeing in dim lighting.
The guest for this episode gave a good tip which is to be as prepared as possible with information. She suggested to call ahead and gather information about the layout and what people should wear and things like that.
Recognizing family and friends
Another topic that came up was on recognizing family and friends at the gathering. All of the gatherings I attend are family gatherings and something I struggle with is being able to approach everyone to greet them as I do not know where they are. I do not struggle with recognizing them when they come up to me but I have trouble finding them if they are not speaking.
The tips given for this situation is to just be honest about having low vision and do not try to hide it.I want to get better at using my white cane in these situations.
Small gatherings vs large gatherings
Another topic discussed was how smaller gatherings such as those with less than 10 people are preferred more than large gatherings. I agree with this as well. I prefer to be seated at a table with a few people rather than being at a large party.
I have trouble navigating buffet lines so I usually have to ask for assistance in these situations. I rather ask for help than make a mess. The guest suggested to have a buddy at the event that can help when it is needed and I agree with this.
Some extra thoughts
I hope that this gave you a better idea of the challenges a visually impaired person faces when attending social gatherings. I do not speak for every person with low vision because everyone is different but there are challenges. I think the main point is that I should not be afraid to get out there and I should not be afraid to ask for help when I need it. I am not a big fan of social gatherings but I should be more open to them.
I hope that you found this post interesting, leave any comments or tips you have when attending social gatherings as a visually impaired person below.
A Flower in the Field of Life 