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"To empower people with vision loss to realize their full potential, and to shape the community's vision of that potential.”
Our programs and services are designed to empower our clients to move beyond limitations.
CVS Pharmacy Accessibility Pilot Program
Learn about participating in a CVS Pharmacy Accessibility Pilot Program
Fact
Seven out of every 10 people who come to Cleveland Sight Center are senior citizens, age 55 or older. Whatever your age, the help you will receive from Cleveland Sight Center will be specifically for you.
For more information on Services for Seniors, call 216-791-8118, ext. 4674. Email Senior Services Department
Statewide Resources for Seniors
Vision Resources and Services for Older Ohioans brochure (PDF)
The Vision Resources brochure on this page is in PDF and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you are having difficulty viewing the PDFs on this page, please click on the Adobe Acrobat Reader link below to download this software for free.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is necessary to view and print PDFs. All PDFs on Cleveland Sight Center's website are fully accessible.
SENIOR SERVICES
Depression and Vision Loss
Every day, we help people deal with the physical loss of sight (low vision and blindness), and – most importantly – with the emotional feelings related to vision loss. Isolation, fear, depression, anxiety, helplessness, and loneliness are often feelings that seniors who are losing their vision experience. Sometimes people feel shame and guilt as well. If you are in the process of losing your sight or have recently lost your vision, your family members and your friends may be sympathetic, but they are often unable to fully understand how you feel and how vision loss is affecting your life. Our professional staff and our trained volunteers do, and we can help!
Share the Vision
We have many senior volunteers with vision loss who are more than willing to talk with you one-on-one on the phone. These are the men and women who volunteer for our Share the Vision program. These are clients who have become volunteers and talk on the phone with others – like you – who may have recently lost their sight or felt their already failing vision deteriorate. Their only purpose is to provide you support and information about services that might interest you. They will not invade your privacy or ask anything of you, but they will quickly prove themselves to be someone who understands what you are going through.
Transitional Life Counseling
Transitional Life Counseling is a therapy group for seniors who are experiencing vision loss/blindness. We know that seniors face unique emotional issues that involve more than the loss of their vision, including other physical health issues. Through TLC meetings, which practice frank and open discussions, helpful suggestions, and education, seniors are often able to work through these challenging emotional issues and realize how much they have to offer to their family, friends, community, and themselves. You can learn more about TLC or any of our support services from your social worker.
Independent Living
The vast majority of seniors served at Cleveland Sight Center continue to live in their own homes - independently - because of the rehabilitation and mobility skills they have learned from our professional rehab teachers and instructors. Your social worker will come to your home during their initial visit and assist you in identifying services that will help you regain and maintain your independence. They will listen to your needs and make recommendations for additional services. They will also link you to immediate help, such as free directory assistance and newspaper reading services.
Your social worker may then arrange for a visit by a rehabilitation and/or mobility instructor from our Community Rehabilitation program. These professionals may work with you in a small community based group setting or one-on-one in your home. They will work with you so that you can once again cook, clean, get dressed, engage in pleasurable hobbies and activities, and get around safely in and outside of your own home - independently!
Envision Independence Rehabilitation Program In Lakewood
Cleveland Sight Center launched its first community-based, vision rehabilitation and technology training program, EnVision Independence, in Lakewood. Learn more about EnVision Independence Rehabilitation Program.
Prevention & Education
Our staff nurses and volunteers provide free adult glaucoma screenings at area health fairs, community events, senior centers, and at the Cleveland Sight Center facility on the second Thursday of each month from 9 am to 3 pm. For information on these free screenings, as well as educational programs, please call 216-791-8118, ext. 8741.
Low Vision Self-Help Support Groups
Our licensed social workers can assist you in finding, starting and/or running community based low vision self-help support groups. These groups are run by clients, volunteers, and/or professionals. They are a place to come together to share your experiences, insights and allow you to spend time with others who share the challenge of vision loss. Low vision self-help groups exist in senior living buildings, libraries, churches, temples, senior centers or any place where seniors gather. Our social workers will help you find a group and/or give you tools to help get a group started.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration usually does not cause one to become totally blind. Primarily, the central vision is affected. The macula is a small area of the retina about the size of the letter “o” in newspaper size print type. Its atrophy, or degeneration, results in what appears to be a cloud in the center of one's vision; peripheral vision is not affected.
Today, more than 15 million people across the USA have macular degeneration. There are treatments available and new treatments being developed. Training can be provided, and assistive aids and appliances can be recommended to improve your ability to read, write, watch TV and generally enjoy life.
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