Grief and Vision Loss
/
clouds and sky at sunset with blue box and text “grief and vision loss: how to cope and how you can help a loved one by world services for the blind
Grief and Vision Loss: How to cope and how to help a loved one
With vision loss comes a lot of grief. At WSB we work with many clients who have lost their vision later in life. Whether they’ve lost it in the past few years or have had vision loss for years, it is still an extremely difficult process of grieving the loss of your vision. Today on the blog we wanted to bring you some tips on how to cope with vision loss and how to help those who may be grieving the loss of their vision and how you can help.
How to cope with grief and vision loss
1. Be Patient
The grief process is different for everyone and can take as little or as long as you need. Be patient with yourself. Take things one day at a time.
2. Learn about your vision condition
It might be helpful in your grieving process to learn about your vision condition. This can help when you go to the doctor so you can ask any relevant questions.
3. Don’t isolate yourself. Talk with someone you trust
Isolation is one of the biggest detriments to those who have lost their vision. We covered the effects isolation can have on the blind and visually impaired back in March with the pandemic, but social isolation is a big problem for the blind and visually impaired community during normal times. Reach out to someone you trust and let them know how you are feeling.
4. Seek professional help
There is no shame in seeking professional help. Counselors can help provide tools and ways to process grief.
5. Know you are not alone. Connect with peers.
There are so many different groups you can connect with. Whether it is an in-person group or online, there are many different ways to connect with others who are going through the same thing. There are so many Facebook groups you can join or you can read books by people who have gone through something similar.
6. Start small
When you are dealing with grieving your vision loss you don’t need to do everything at once! Start with small tasks like learning to make a simple meal for yourself. During this time, it is especially important to be nice to yourself.
What you can do to help those with vision loss
1. Listen
One of the most important things you can do is listen. While you may not be able to give any concrete advice, providing a listening ear can be one of the most helpful things you can for someone who has lost their vision.
2. If they are new to vision loss, help them find resources to help
The person experiencing vision loss may be feeling overwhelmed, lost, and scared. Reaching out and helping them find resources to help (when they are ready) is another great option to help those grieving their vision loss. Vocational Rehabilitation can be a great resource to help someone get back to work, or even attending a program at WSB! We even have a wide variety of social work services available to clients who are grieving their vision loss.
3. Be Patient
The grief process is different for everyone. Be patient with those who have lost their vision. It may take them weeks or months to adjust to a new way of living. Give them the grace and time to process what they are going through.
4. Ask Directly how you can help
The person experiencing vision loss may not know what to ask for or want to ask for help. By asking directly if they need a ride or need help going to the grocery store, you are giving them concrete things you can help them with.