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April 25, 2008
Working to Return to Work
Today we welcome Michelle Clark, guest facilitator. JRH
Vision loss as a working professional comes differently. As in my situation, it came after putting in 25 years of work. Although I had sufficient time and title to retire, I simply believe, "I am too young not to be working."
After floundering several years with diagnosis and rehabilitation, I believe I am now on a track in which the destination point is marked "Return to Employment".
Here is the path I found that is working for me:
- Determine if you really want to return to work. Full, part time or other variations may fulfill your needs.
- Obtain a small portable tape recorder and use it until better skills emerge.
- Join and become active in area and national blindness disability organizations.
- Volunteer your services in some manner when possible.
- Contact city and state rehabilitation departments to assist with needs assessments, training, and adaptive equipment.
- Seek to learn at least uncontracted Braille reading and writing. This will help with taking short notes, managing labeling of items and food.
- Reach out to community activities who service blind and visually impaired persons. Local libraries can be good resources.
- Some manner of rehabilitation is a must if one wants to return to an office situation or do work such as on a computer and take notes. Mobility is also encouraged as to maintain independence in work life.
- In all, as skills are being acquired, it is good to maintain a schedule similar to that of the type of job one is looking toward.
- Maintaining daily practice regiments will help speed the journey and sharpen skills as time progresses.
- NETWORK. NETWORK. NETWORK.
After acquiring your visual impairment, what steps worked best for you in your efforts in preparing to return to work?
Add your comments to this posting
Posted by Michelle Clark at April 25, 2008 05:44 PM
Comments
Hi, Michelle:
I find your list very helpful, even though I don't (yet) face your situation. It's a realistic path especially for baby boomers who acquire a visual impairment for the first time and choose to continue their careers.
That also applies to retirees who acquire a visual impairment but want to work in a "retirement job."
"Retirement job," by the way, is one of the newest Google search terms. I think it shows the word "retirement" itself is going to be quite meaningless in a few years.
Two of your points really stand out for me: Learning braille and networking.
It's surprising how strong the correlation is between those two factors and eventual re-employment in a continuation of a career or in a retirement job.
Jim
Jim
Posted by: Jim Hasse at April 27, 2008 01:09 PM
I don't have a vision related disability. What I found most important in your post was your message about maintaining what some of called a work ordered schedule.
When I am not working in a regular job with a schedule etc, I revert to my personal preference toward staying up very very late at night. I can actually be quite productive late at night.
I am currently between jobs, getting ready for a school program. Maintaining a schedule, and therefore a sense of self esteem, is difficult.
Posted by: FST at April 29, 2008 09:08 PM
Hi Michelle. I sort of have to take issue with your point about rehabilitation. I live in Illinois, and our VR services are pitiful. At least for those of us with a vision impairment this is the case. Earlier this week I was interviewed for a position rolling silverware at a nearby restaurant. I can walk to and from the restaurant practically on my own, but there is one busy street which I have to cross. Thus far someone sighted has been with me but if and when I do get hired for this position, I will most probably have to be totally independent in getting to and from the restaurant. I think one problem which absolutely needs a solution, is that it is at times virtually unclear what jobs VR people will support. For instance, why can't they support someone if that person is making below minimum wage at a job? I really don't mean to sound whiny, but there has absolutely got to be some way of VR personnel communicating better with the people whom they claim to serve. Not only that, but I think some sort of agreement needs to be hashed out between VR agencies and, say, employers who just want to give their potential employees trial work periods prior to actually hiring us.
Posted by: Jake Joehl at May 17, 2008 01:30 PM