Warkworth Low Vision Support Group Monday 18 February 1.30pm

For the past four years the Low Vision Support group has met each month at Summerset Retirement Village.

This is a support group for people with low vision, and people who have eye conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, who may in the future be living with reduced sight. Our group has come together through shared challenges and losses, and celebrated successes when someone has embraced new technology and found solutions which are very helpful.

Blind Low Vision New Zealand are moving away from their physical audio players to Alexa Smart Speakers, and several people now find these devices very useful on a daily basis. Smart phone apps are helpful to read mail aloud.

While some of this technology is hugely helpful, there are still many everyday challenges to overcome when you don’t see well. One recent shared frustration discussed was the three pin plug. Many in this group find doing this very tricky. This is an appeal to anyone out there with a problem solving bent; how can we design a solution for this?!

Three pin plug, can you solve the problem?

We meet the 3rd Monday of each month, 1.30pm. Please join us if you or someone in your family is struggling with low vision.

At our next meeting, Monday 19 Feburary, we are meeting at Summerset Falls. We will be joined by Helena Easton from Blind and Low Vision NZ. She is a great link to all the resources and support on offer. Please join us, all welcome.

Warkworth Low Vision Support Group Monday 19 September 1.30pm

For the past three years the Low Vision Support group has met each month at Summerset Retirement Village.

This is a support group for people with low vision, and people who have eye conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, who may in the future be living with reduced sight. Although this community has come together through shared challenges and losses, there have been many highlights. Some of the group has mastered new technology and found solutions which are very helpful.

Blind Low Vision New Zealand are moving away from their physical audio players to Alexa Smart Speakers, and several people now find these devices very useful on a daily basis.

One of our group, Brian Holmes, has had great success with a Reveal 16 electronic magnifier. This is similar to one now set up in the Warkworth Library. It has a moveable table making it very user friendly for reading books, or magazines.

Brian Holmes and Pam Poole

Brian’s main joy with the Magnifier has been his stamp collecting passion. The magnification goes up to 45X and the unit helps him see coloured detail on his stamps.

We meet the 3rd Monday of each month, 1.30pm. Please join us if you or someone in your family is struggling with low vision.

At our next meeting, Monday 19 September, we are visiting the Warkworth Library and will be joined by Sarah Parsons from Bolinda Borrow Box - suppliers of much of the library’s collection of digital audio. Please join us and learn more about how to access the library collection of audiobooks. You are welcome even if you can see well. Bring your smart phone and library card, and Sarah will show us tips to make enjoying audio books easier.

Read more about using Alexa - here is a review from a 97 year old crime fiction fan.

Magnifier - Use Your Phone!

Here is a handy tip about your phone - you can use it as a magnifier.

After a year of scanning the Covid QR code we are used to having our phones at the ready. So next time you are at the supermarket without your glasses, trying to read the fine print on a label give it a go.

For people with good vision, enlarging things is not a vital need. But knowing how to access a simple tool can be handy to share with people who may be struggling. Many of the excellent digital devices available to help people with Low Vision can be tricky to master if and when you actually can’t see well. Using Siri on your phone is another example of helpful technology. Setting up to call family members on a verbal instruction can be helpful if you struggle to see the number on a phone. For an older person who is not familiar with using a smart phone mastering the technology to begin with can be a barrier.

So there’s no time like the present to give it a try. Look under Settings in the Accessories folder to install the magnifier.

Low Vision Support Group

For the past year the Low Vision Support group has met at Summerset Retirement Village. At our last meeting Brian Holmes brought his Reveal 16 electronic magnifier to show us. This has a X-Y table making it very user friendly for reading books, or magazines. There were lots of envious comments when we saw it in action.

Brian Holmes and Pam Poole

Brian’s main joy with the Reveal 16 is he can resume his stamp collecting passion. The magnification goes up to 45X. He showed us the level of detail on his Red Boy and Blue Boy 1931 New Zealand Health stamps. The unit has also helped him see coloured detail on his stamps.

We meet the 3rd Monday of each month, 1.30pm. Please join us if you or someone in your family is struggling with low vision.

At our next meeting, Monday 27 July, we will be joined by Diana Morse from Blind and Low Vision NZ. Diana will demonstrate the Alexa and the Blind Foundation Skill. This user friendly technology enables access to audio books and magazines

Read more about using Alexa - here is a review from a 97 year old crime fiction fan.

Low Vision Support Group Meeting Monday 4 November

If you are struggling with your vision join our Low Vision Support Group. Meetings are at Summerset Village (Mansell Drive, Warkworth). If you, or a friend or family member, are struggling with vision please come along. People with glaucoma and macular degeneration are also welcome.

Our next meeting is 1.30pm Monday 4 November. We will have a demonstration of electronic magnifiers by Nashish from Humanware. These powerful magnifiers solve some of the frustrations of traditional magnifying lenses. Usually there is a trade off between the enlargement and the field of view - when the print is large enough to read you can only see one word at time. Electronic magnifiers solve this and many people love both the portable devices, as well as the larger screen magnifiers.

For more information you can call us, or just come along.

Blind + Low Vision NZ - a new name

From October 2019, the Blind Foundation takes on a new name: Blind & Low Vision NZ. The name change comes after 18 months of research, and the organisation hopes this will create increased relevance to those who could benefit from their services and support.

Blind & Low Vision NZ gives people who are blind or have low vision practical and emotional support to do the things they need and want to do, with self-reliance and confidence. As well as supporting individuals, the organisation advocates for inclusive communities and optimal eye care services for all New Zealanders.

John Mulka, Blind & Low Vision NZ Chief Executive, said that while the name Blind Foundation was widely known, many people did not know that the organisation’s services are relevant to people who have significant sight loss that can be described as low vision.

“By including the term ‘low vision’, our new name better represents the diversity of sight loss that people experience. We hope it helps people struggling with their vision without treatment options, to understand this is a place they can connect with for practical and emotional support.”