Solent Visual Impairment Rehabilitation
Private Sector Support & Skills Training
Hello and welcome. I am Nicola Jones, a private sector and locum rehabilitation specialist for the visually impaired. I provide professional support and skills training for people across the community. I am based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, covering the island, mainland South coast and Hampshire in the UK.
Anyone can be affected by sight loss, at any stage of life, whether sudden or gradual. The impact when your vision changes is not to be underestimated. It can result in a loss of confidence, increased isolation, loss of social and work identity, disconnection with family and friends, not being able to do the things you used to be able to do, and can also be a cause of poor mental health.
The good news is there are effective skills and techniques that you can learn to help you adapt to life with a visual impairment, where your world can start to open up again, and your quality of life improves. If you would like to explore how rehabilitation can help you regain independence, I am here to support you.
I will work with you in a person centred way to ensure you are in control of any support you receive, and that the skills and techniques relate to your life, your needs and goals. I work with everyone as an individual with respect, empathy, confidentiality and professionalism, through active listening skills, my down to earth character and a dose of good humour. I will celebrate every step of progress you make and support you through the ebb and flow of adjusting to a visual impairment. When needed I will signpost you to other services and let you know of other organisations that are out there to support you.
Please contact me for more details and a no obligation quotation. The first step is to arrange an initial assessment which where possible is carried out in the home. Prices are charged per hour, payable in advance with a discount for Isle of Wight residents seeking rehabilitation support on the island. My contact details are at the bottom of this webpage.
Orientation & Mobility Training
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- Orientation & mobility assessments
- Indoor orientation skills
- Outdoor long cane techniques
- Outdoor long cane refresher
- New route training
- Route re-training
- Functional vision assessments
- Low vision strategies
- Confidence building
- Public transport
- Dusk & night travel
- Dealing with glare and sensitivity to light
Technology & Communication
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- Assistive technology training
- Accessible settings training
- Smart phones, landline phones and accessible phones
- Home computers, tablets and iPads
- Clocks and watches
- Apps to help e.g. GPS for orientation, Siri, Seeing AI, NaviLens
- Screen reader training e.g. Talkback and Voice Over
- Simple tasks e.g. using a digital timer for cooking
- Complex tasks e.g. using technology to plan a route via bus and train to a destination
Independent / Daily Living Skills
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- Cooking e.g. ovens, hobs, grills, microwaves, kettles, chopping, pouring
- Chores e.g. cleaning, washing clothes, labelling, organisation
- Personal care
- Lighting in the home
- Hobbies and leisure
- Assistive equipment e.g. high contrast
Who do I work with?
- Adults over 18 years of age.
- People who are partially sighted and people with no vision.
- Those new to sight loss, providing support and skills to help regain independence.
- Re-training, skills check and up-skilling for people with long term and deteriorating sight loss.
- Those with some hearing loss e.g. wear hearing aids. However people who are deaf/blind will need a specialist assessor accessed through your local authority.
What is Private Sector?
Private sector is when you chose to pay privately for services. Similar to paying privately for a dentist, when the NHS also provide part funded dental treatment. Or paying privately for a physiotherapist, when the NHS also provide a funded service. For people with a visual impairment, your local Sensory Team within the local authority are the statutory provider of funded rehabilitation support, offering a range of public sector services.
Many people chose to go privately, and this is where my services are on offer. The services I provide can be tailored uniquely to you, whether a one off session in the home to a long series of in-depth mobility training sessions. I offer a timely and flexible professional service on a pay as you go basis.