Guide Dogs Scotland calls for public to ‘keep two meters distance but don’t disappear’ – to help those trying to social distance without sight
- Just 22% of the public ‘completely comfortable’ offering to help someone with sight loss while social distancing is in place.
As lockdown starts to ease and Scotland anticipates fewer restrictions around travel and socialising, the charity Guide Dogs Scotland reports that lockdown being lifted doesn’t mean greater freedom for everyone.
Guide Dogs Scotland has highlighted a new set of challenges for people with sight loss to overcome – with social distancing measures limiting independence and increasing isolation.
Guide dog owner Jonathan Attenborough (above) from Perth explains: “Social distancing is the most challenging aspect for me in the whole Covid-19 situation. Not being able to socially distance is a major challenge to my independence and keeping myself safe.
“I’m less confident getting out and about than I was. Now that lockdown is lifting, other people are trying to get their life back to what it was, but it’s a whole new world for people with sight loss. It’s a lot for us to adjust to and it would really help if people have an awareness of how they can play their part.”
Research conducted by the charity in the first week of June found that just 22% of the UK general public would feel ‘completely comfortable’ offering to help someone with sight loss while social distancing measure were in place.
Reasons for a lack of comfort amongst this group included not knowing how to help from two meters away (50%) and being concerned about making physical contact (37%).
These concerns are valid – the support people with sight loss have previously relied on, such as sighted guiding which can involve taking someone’s elbow, is not compatible with social distancing. This has left people with sight loss concerned about accessing essential services such as supermarkets and public transport.
The research also found that although 78% of GB adults understood that those with sight loss would face additional challenges while social distancing, 65% hadn’t considered this prior to taking the survey.
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To help combat the increasing isolation felt by those with sight loss during lockdown, Guide Dogs is launching a campaign called ‘Be There’, which gives guidance to encourage the public to feel confident in their ability to offer support whilst maintaining social distancing:
1 – Keep your distance, but don’t disappear – People with sight loss may find it challenging to social distance, so if you see someone with a guide dog or a long cane then you can help them by making sure you keep 2m away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also offer your help.
East Dunbartonshire guide dog owner Deborah Roberston said when other people have said hello or offered support, it’s been helpful to her and guide dog Rye.
“I do feel more vulnerable going out with it being so much quieter around me, it can be disorientating and I am less confident getting out and about than I was,” said Deborah. “I’m a confident person but I feel more vulnerable out now – when I do hear footsteps I get worried that the person might be coming too close to me, or I might be going too near them.
“People in the neighbourhood who know me, know it’s okay if they let me know they are there and that they’re stepping out of the way.”
2 – Say hello and offer your help – Simply by letting someone with sight loss know you are nearby; you are giving them the opportunity to ask for any help if they need it. People often feel unsure about their ability to help someone with sight loss, but their request could be a simple as finding out where a shopping queue starts, or if there is a safer place to cross a road.
West-Lothian guide dog owner Monica McGill said social distancing measures is making the prospect of shopping a daunting one for her and guide dog Sadie.
“The thought of going out shopping is very challenging,” said Monica. “I’m told that every shop has put visual signs on the floor – I would have a very hard job following that and where I am in the shop in terms of finding specific things.
“If staff were on hand to provide verbal assistance, and feel confident in speaking to someone with sight loss, it would be a great help.”
3 – Describe the scene – We’ve all had to adapt to unusual sights during lockdown – people standing apart in long lines outside of supermarkets for example. But those with sight loss haven’t always witnessed this to the same extent, which can be isolating and confusing.
By describing what you can see to someone with sight loss, you can help them to understand the environment and navigate accordingly.
Guide dog owner Jonathan Attenborough explains: “I don’t always know there is a queue because my dog Sammy takes me to the door of the shop, not the end of the queue. Shops have introduced visual indicators and one-way systems and if you can’t see they’re a major challenge.”
As part of a separate survey, people with sight loss had previously told Guide Dogs that concerns about travelling once lockdown restrictions begin to be lifted included their ability to social distance whilst using transport (84%) and access to support whilst using transport (61%).
Guide Dogs Regional Head of Operation for Scotland, Wendy Rankin said: “Lockdown being lifted isn’t the start of greater freedoms for everyone. In the past couple of months, we have consistently heard that people with sight loss are concerned about social distancing – even the most confident are lacking confidence in the new environment.
They are concerned that people will avoid them and be less willing to help and have told us that not knowing what the new environment looks like is making even doing normal routes a stressful experience.
“In addition to informing the general public how they can help, we’re also asking the Scottish government, transport operators and business leaders to work with us and the wider sight loss community to ensure that the communities we’re creating in the “new normal” are inclusive communities for everyone, including people with sight loss.”
For support or further information, please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk.