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Top Tips from Deafblind people

Our members and experts have compiled practical tips to help you understand and manage your daily life living with deafblindness. 

You can use the contents below to navigate to specific sections which may be useful:

Members and staff smiling outside the deafblind scotland learning and development centre.

The Importance of Touch

One thing often agreed on is the importance of touch for deafblind people, in helping to navigate, receive information, and communicate with others. 

As Issy McGrath, our chairperson describes, ‘I step outside the door and I smell the dampness in the air, I almost taste the freshly cut grass, the almost wet grass, and feel the rain trickle down the back of my neck, and it’s only then that I realise what is going to be like for that day. Neither my vision or my hearing picked up on this, and neither one compensated for the other’.

Our chairperson Issy describes perfectly how deafblindness is a unique condition. The use of touch is crucial for communication and information gathering in a way unique to deafblind individuals.

To the right is a video of Issy who shares her personal experiences of making coffee and how her sense of touch is vital in making this happen.

Shopping and Cooking Tips for Low Vision

Often, the best experts you’ll ever meet are other people who are on the same journey. Here, our members share some of their tips for shopping and cooking.

Shopping Tips

  • Plan ahead before shopping, making grocery lists or even menus for a week at a time.

  • Ask grocery clerks to help in choosing products or ask the butcher to cut meats at the counter, saving on preparation time at home.

  • When choosing produce, use other senses such as touch and smell. For example, feel the skin of oranges for thinness.

  • Find precut options for fresh produce, such as pineapple, strawberries, broccoli and bagged salad greens. Some vegetables such as onions also may be available frozen and diced.

  • Try online shopping or ask about other services, such as personal shoppers or ordering groceries by phone.

Cooking Tips

  • Limit glare in the kitchen or food prep areas. Use gooseneck lamps to provide more light and blinds over kitchen windows that may emit glare. Replace shiny appliances and surfaces.

  • Use contrasting colours when measuring or pouring. For example, measure dark brown sugar in a white measuring cup.

  • Wear oven mitts that cover up to the elbow. You can also use a cutting glove to protect your hands.

  • Try marking commonly used temperatures on oven and microwave settings with small dots of brightly coloured craft paint or bump on stickers.

  • When using a cutting board, use coloured boards that contrast with the food being cut. For example, cut a dark red apple on a white cutting board.

  • Use any adaptive tool that is found to be helpful. Each person will have preferences for different tools; one item may not be helpful for everybody.​

Adaptive Kitchen Tools for Low Vision

Specialised kitchen gadgets created for those with low vision are available online. Many of these products are specifically intended for those with low vision, and others are simply clever kitchen gadgets that might be helpful for anybody.

Examples of products that may be helpful for people with low vision:

  • “Talking” thermometers, liquid level indicators, kitchen scales or microwaves

  • Audible screen readers for more accessible recipes

  • Large-letter labels (for marking and identifying products)

  • Bold print, brightly coloured measuring cups and spoons

  • Cooking utensils or knives with brightly coloured handles

  • Food chopper or palm peeler

  • Brightly coloured cutting boards

Many of these items can be purchased through the RNIB website https://shop.rnib.org.uk

Healthier Processed Food Options

• Precut and packaged produce

• Frozen fruits and vegetables

• Low-sodium canned foods

• Nutritionally balanced frozen meals

• Frozen “steamable” vegetables or meals

Gardening Tips and Advice

Many of our members are gardening pros, and so thanks to their help we have made a long list of tips to ensure your garden is looking spic and span all year long!

Awareness of surroundings

  • If you are just starting to garden with sight loss, you might find it useful to get to know you garden better by walking around it at different times of day until you are familiar with it.

  • Always manage your part of the garden yourself. If you need some help, ask for it for that job, then carry on working alone.  This way, you’ll become a much more confident gardener.

  • Visually impaired people can sometimes find it difficult to find their way back to where they were in the garden. One idea is to use an RNIB sound beacon, or take a small radio with you and leave it on while you are working. 

  • A washing line can also provide a point of reference in the garden and you can use it as a guide to help you know where you are.

  • Think about the job you’re going to do and plan what will make it easier for you. It might be as simple as making sure you have a kneeler with you to save your knees, or a stool or seat to work from or take rests.

  • Get all the tools you’ll need together to save trips back and forth to the shed or garage. Try and keep your storage area tidy and you’ll be able to find your tools more easily.

Equipment and tools

  • If you have some vision, you’ll find your tools easier to spot if they have bright handles. Or you can paint the handles white.

  • Most visually impaired gardeners like to work close to the soil and often use short handled tools.  There is now a whole range of ‘multi-change’ tools with snap on interchangeable heads. Chose a handle length that’s right for you - 30cm (12 inch) is popular.

  • Make sure you choose the right tools for the job. Try out tools before you buy them and check for weight and comfort. Choose well balanced and lightweight tools to help prevent stresses and strains in your hands and arms.

  • If you have a weak grip, hand tools will be easier to hold if you slide some plumber’s insulating tubing over the handle, or there are specialist ranges with wide spongy grips.

  • Find the best way for you to carry your tools.  You could use a garden cart, wheelbarrow or bucket. A garden cart with an aluminium frame allows you to carry long tools and hand tools with smaller items in its tray. It also holds a refuse sack.

  • Hand tools can be carried in a tool belt, apron or bag – whatever you find easy.  Secateurs can be safely carried in a holster.

More gardening tips can be found here.

Using technology

With the growing use of technology in everyday life, it is important that it is made accessible for everyone with sensory losses. Below our members and staff have compiled many tips to ensure that everyone is included digitally.

Making zoom accessible

There are several steps to consider and available features that may make Zoom meetings more accessible for those who are Deafblind.

Share Meeting Materials Ahead of Meeting

  • Share meeting materials/presentations in advance to allow participants to review before the meeting. This is especially important for those who may experience barriers to communication. Those attending the meeting to provide communication support would also benefit from receiving materials in advance to allow them to prepare for the meeting.

 

Be Respectful of other Participants

  • As with face to face meetings, be mindful that only one person should speak at a time. This will allow participants and those providing communication support to focus on the active speaker. Make sure facial expressions and lip patterns can also be viewed clearly.

 

Screen Readers

  • Zoom supports common screen readers such as NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, and Android Talkback. Additionally, visual interfaces are designed with adequate colour contrast, size, and use of colour to ensure clarity for users with various vision needs.

  • Content shared through Zoom's 'Share Screen' function is shown to meeting participants as a live stream and is therefore not readable by screen readers. In order to make the contents of the screen share accessible to those who use screen readers, it is recommended that the presenter share the relevant files/information in advance to ensure that the document's full content is preserved and made accessible to screen reader users.

 

Remote Control

  • Zoom's remote control feature allows participants to control the screen sharer's screen reader. The host computer must first enable "Share Computer Sound" to stream the screen reader speech output to the participant computer. Within the 'Share Screen' window, at the bottom left corner click 'Share Computer Sound'. Once the participant has gained remote control, the common screen reader keystrokes will be registered on the host computer.

Zoom support for Larger Font Settings

  • The Zoom application on Mac and Windows only supports the display scaling options provided by your computer. If using a Smartphone or tablet you can enlarge the screen by either double tapping or pinching the screen.

 

Closed Captions

  • The Zoom desktop application also allows participants to adjust the font size of the Closed Captions. This can be found on the Zoom application home page within Settings – Accessibility. The Closed Captions function allows the host, participant or Electronic Notetaker assigned by the host, to provide closed captions during a meeting. When enabled, these can be typed directly on to the Zoom platform or can be provided via a third party closed captioning source. Participants are alerted that closed captions are available and can choose whether they wish to 'view/hide subtitles'.

 

'High-Contrast' and 'Dark Mode' Settings

  • The Zoom application supports High Contrast settings on Windows, iOS, or Android devices. The Zoom application for Mac supports Dark Mode.

 

Repeat Questions/Provide Clarification

  • Be aware that in larger meetings not all participants are visible on screen at the same time. It may not be easy for participants to identify who is asking a question.

  • Participants can also choose to ask questions via the 'Chat' facility. If facilitating a meeting by stating the name of who asked the question and by repeating the question this can provide clarification for others.

 

'Chat'

  • The Chat function can be used by the host and participants to communicate separately within the meeting. Messages can be sent privately or publicly using the Chat facility to the host or to other participants to ask questions, raise comments or seek clarification. Files can also be shared/uploaded within the Chat facility.

Guide to using Alexa devices

At Deafblind Scotland, many of our members with sight loss have found Alexa devices to be incredibly helpful in their daily lives. From managing reminders to controlling smart home devices, Alexa offers a range of features that enhance independence and accessibility.

For a comprehensive guide on how to set up and make the most of your Alexa device, including tips specifically beneficial for individuals with sight loss, check out our detailed document here.

Low Vision Rehabilitation

Looking after your eyes is crucial, especially if you’re starting to notice changes in your vision. At Deafblind Scotland, we offer low vision rehabilitation services to help you stay independent.

Starting rehab while you still have some residual vision can make a real difference. If your eyesight is deteriorating, it might be time to consider learning how to use a long cane or receiving technology training to enhance your daily life. Our low vision specialists, Julie and Amber, are here to guide you, offering practical skills and support as you adapt, check out our Low Vision Rehabilitation page here.

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