Vision Loss Alliance of New Jersey recently added low vision occupational therapy to its services, offering one-on-one sessions at its Denville location to help adults losing their sight learn adaptive skills and optimize their remaining vision.
“Vision loss doesn’t mean life has to stop. People dealing with it have to adjust and adapt, learning to do things differently,” Vision Loss Alliance Program Director Elsa Zavoda said. “Through occupational therapy, adults can learn tools and strategies to engage in the activities they enjoy.”
Adding low vision occupational therapy is a natural extension of Vision Loss Alliance’s offerings, Zavoda said. For 75 years, the nonprofit has been empowering adults with vision loss through group classes that teach skills for independence and help participants improve their physical and emotional health.
“This service will help fill an unmet need for an underserved and growing population in New Jersey,” said Zavoda, one of only two occupational therapists in New Jersey certified in low vision by the American Occupational Therapy Association. More than 160,000 New Jersey residents are either blind or have severe vision loss, and that number is expected to increase as the population ages. Adults age 60 and over make up 20 percent of the state’s residents, but that percentage is projected to grow to 26 percent by 2030.
One of the program’s major goals is to teach people how to maximize the vision they still have, she said. Zavoda will assess participants’ current vision and life circumstances to help prioritize their goals for therapy. “It’s a very self-directed course, individualized to each person, she said.
Occupational therapy participants will attend hour-long sessions weekly or biweekly, Zavoda said. The program covers “anything in a person’s life that is affected by their vision loss,” Zavoda said. That includes home safety, cooking, grooming, medication management, paying bills, reading, appropriate lighting, watching television, and using the computer. Most participants will complete the therapy in four to six sessions, she said.
Low vision rehabilitation services are covered by Medicare and private insurances. Vision Loss Alliance helps those interested determine if their policy covers the service.