57-year-old Jeff has been blind since birth due to underdeveloped optic nerves. He shares, “When I was in school, it was a nightmare doing my homework. I used recorders and Braille books and such to assist me with my blindness.”
Jeff has also been a client of our GuildCare program in Albany for 22 years — attending twice a week. He says, “I pretty much needed the program for socialization purposes. Otherwise, I would only be sitting at home. Being blind makes it difficult for one to get a job and other stuff. You need something just for socialization and a purpose to get out and talk to people.”
GuildCare Services
Jeff says that GuildCare “[has] been great. We have counseling, social workers, and health education, and we are informed about a lot of different [things],” He continues, “I receive therapy services, nursing services, and social work services. I also received physical and mobility services earlier on until they decided that I would be better served by participating in the group sessions.
“Some of [the] skills I have learned and gotten better at [are] being able to talk to other people, my mobility has improved and being able to get around, and I have gotten a lot better at just being a friend and someone that people like,” Jeff says.
GuildCare Activities
Jeff says he likesthe sports and cooking groups, “I enjoy these groups mostly because [they involve] teamwork, and we are all working together. You have one person doing one thing and another doing something else, [which] helps the project along the way.” He continues, “The cooking group is good because they show you how to use different cooking utensils [and] different marks on the stove and other things. We make baked goods, like brownies, soups, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” His favorite food to prepare is shake-and-bake pork chops, “because you only have to shake it and bake it. It’s easy.”
One of the activities he enjoys is a football bean bag toss game. He says, “Since I cannot see the holes, the other participants clap their hands to help me know which direction to toss the bean bag. I have a fanny pack pouch around my waist, and I always try to line up the beanie bag pouch with the sound so I know where to throw the bag. And sometimes I do win at the competition.”
GuildCare Albany Director Nancy Smith says, “Jeff participates in all activities here and does not allow his [inability] to see to restrict him at all. And he does a great job. Jeff constantly surprises me with [many] things he can do independently and [what] he has learned throughout the years. And how unafraid of the world that he is. He has no fear.”
Jeff says of Nancy and the GuildCare staff, “I love Nancy, the Director, she’s a nice lady. They have nice personalities, they are bubbly, outgoing, and they love doing lots of different things.”
Jeff says he loves listening to country music and baseball, especially the New York Yankees. He also likes trivia and hearing all the latest updates about celebrities. Jeff shares, “I have been to the Yankees game a load of times, but when you are blind, it’s hard. I love it when John Sterling announces the play-by-play because every time someone hits a home run, he comes up with a great phrase or jingle or something.”
Friendships
Jeff shares that he looks forward to coming to the program, talking and hanging out with everybody, and getting a good meal. He says, “We have a lot of good lunches here.”
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Kelly Reed says, “Jeff is a really good friend and always welcoming to the new people that come in [to the program]. He asks people [many] questions about themselves, and he is very patient. [Jeff] is also very patient with new staff when they come on board. He’s one of the first clients willing to show other people the ropes. He likes to meet and talk to new people. I have worked with Jeff for about ten years now, and he is always willing to try new things. He has been fantastic. Jeff is constantly talking about trivia and is up on current events and the latest news on celebrities. He has a wealth of information, and he wins at Jeopardy most of the time because he is on top of the current events. Having Jeff here is great for the staff because we learn new things from our clients every day. One thing I admire most about Jeff is that he has no fear.”
Jeff shares, “Kelly, the Vision Rehab Therapist, is a nice person, and I always look forward to seeing and interacting with her.”
“I have met a lot of good friends here [who] are really nice,” Jeff says. “I sit next to [another GuildCare client], and we talk quite a bit about different things like all the different organizations for people who are blind and such. We talk about Magic 590 a lot. He and I both love that radio station and we like the people on there too. It’s a very nice music station.”
Why GuildCare?
When asked why others should consider the GuildCare program, Jeff says, “It’s a really good idea because they have a lot of great activities such as exercise and sports programs, they have arts and crafts, cooking groups, and they have Bingo once a month, which is everyone’s favorite, and you get to win prizes like stuffed animals, things people need around the house, and other things.”
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Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals.