Tag: RNIB

People at risk of losing sight due to fear of hospital during coronavirus pandemic

Up to 50 per cent of people with acute or urgent eye conditions may not have been attending scheduled eye-healthcare appointments because of concerns over coronavirus.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland is urging people to continue treatment which, in some cases, may be vital to prevent permanent sight loss.

According to the UK Ophthalmology Alliance, ophthalmic professionals across the UK have found that up to 30 to 50 per cent of people with acute or urgent eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of sight loss, have missed appointments during the peak of lockdown.

James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “It is very concerning if people are not attending appointments or seeking advice for any sudden changes in their vision. Some treatments being missed can stabilise conditions and keep people from losing their sight unnecessarily.

“The precautions currently put in place by NHS Scotland are there to help patients and medical staff keep safe during the ongoing pandemic. We strongly advise people to attend their appointments or to discuss any concerns they have with hospital eyecare staff.”

RNIB Scotland is highlighting the provisions in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Some of the precautions include having fewer people attending at one time in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines, reducing the amount of time patients and consultants spend together, and reducing waiting times.

Andrew Ferguson, chair of Eye Health Scotland and a consultant ophthalmologist in NHS Forth Valley, said: “Hospital Eye Services in Scotland are re-starting clinical work, albeit in a limited way due to distancing and safety requirements in order to keep the risk of Covid transmission at very low levels.

“Where possible we are using alternative methods of communicating remotely, but in many cases a face-to face visit to the eye clinic remains essential to avoid sight loss; and in that regard I would empathise the importance of attending if a hospital appointment is offered.

“However, I want to reassure patients that eye units are taking every possible precaution and the risk of catching Covid-19 in an hospital eye clinic is extremely low.”

For more information on what to do if you have concerns about your sight during the coronavirus pandemic, call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.

Letter: Social distancing difficulties

 

Dear Editor

With social distancing now part of everyday life it is important to highlight that not everyone can maintain the required distance as easily as others.

People who are blind and partially sighted can struggle to know when they are getting closer to someone, or if someone is approaching them. And guide dogs, of course, aren’t trained to help in this regard.

There have been occasions when individuals have been aggressively berated for coming in to too close proximity to others, when the reality is they simply weren’t aware of it.

In such uncertain times, tensions over distancing can rise. But we would ask that if you feel someone seems to be ignoring the restrictions, consider for a moment whether that person, rather than being careless, might not be able to fully see you.

Thousands of people in Scotland are living with a degree of sight loss. Please be aware that some people do need just a little extra thought.

James Adams

Director

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland

12-14 Hillside Crescent, Edinburgh

Three in four people blind and partially sighted people concerned about getting access to food

Difficulties in social distancing are adding to the stress many blind and partially sighted people are experiencing in getting access to basic shopping, a survey by the charity RNIB has found.

“This first nationwide survey of how people with sight loss are coping during the current lockdown situation suggests it might be impacting particularly severely on them,” James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, has warned.

“Three in four respondents to our survey reported being very or quite concerned about getting access to food. Uncertainty and confusion over access to shopping and information – compounded by isolation and the barriers to being guided because of social distancing – all add to the stress many people are feeling.

“We are working with supermarkets to ensure those who can’t leave the house, or who can’t see to easily social distance themselves from other shoppers, do have access to basic food supplies.”

People with sight loss can struggle to maintain social distance as they can’t always see other shoppers approaching them, pointed out Mr Adams.

Eighty per cent of people replying to the RNIB survey said that the way they do shopping has changed since lockdown.

Before, 28 per cent said they had done their own shopping. Now, half that proportion do. And while only 18 per cent had previously relied on someone to shop for them, now 49 per cent do. 25 per cent said there was no one in their household who could guide them around a shop.

Shopping online has also proved a problem. 67 per cent of respondents had experienced difficulty finding a supermarket delivery slot, while 26 per cent said they couldn’t access the supermarket booking web-page. RNIB has pressed government and supermarkets to add blind and partially sighted people to the priority delivery list.

The survey has also revealed that the isolation imposed by lockdown has hit blind and partially sighted people particularly hard.

78 per cent said they had less contact with ‘the people who matter to me’; one in five people reported that they now rarely speak to people either over the phone, on video calls or in person since lockdown; while five per cent did not know how to contact many of the people they would normally be in touch with at least once a week.

Accessible information was another worry. One in four respondents had struggled to get written information in a format that they could understand.

“We have urged government and public bodies to ensure that often vital  information is available in formats such as audio and braille,” said Mr Adams.

“While social distancing is an important health measure, the consequences for those who are less able to comply can be difficult, especially if other people wrongly assume they are just being lackadaisical. We need to give more thought to how we ensure people with sight loss don’t end up becoming prisoners of lockdown.

“Our RNIB Helpline is available to help and support all blind and partially sighted people and their families and carers on 0303 123 9999. We want people with sight loss to know they are not alone and that help is available”

Case study – Kirin Saeed from Edinburgh:

One in five respondents to the RNIB survey said they have had to ration food during the current lockdown period:

Kirin Saeed from Edinburgh is registered blind. “I’ve found myself limiting the food I eat as I’m never that sure when my next food delivery will be,” she says. “I have a paid carer who lives some distance away and I’m conscious I don’t want to burden her with too much shopping. Also, as I’m in the black and minority ethnic group and possibly more vulnerable to the coronavirus virus, I need to limit contact with others.

“If I went to a shop myself social distancing would be a massive problem. Touching things to ascertain what they are would, too. Blind people live in a world where touching things is important – but how long does the virus stay on things we touch?

“I don’t think this situation is going to change anytime soon. Everyone’s scrambling through the here and now –  but what about the here and after? There will still be social distancing.

“The hope I have is that shops and supermarkets agree a standardised policy for customers with sight loss, so that we know how to safely get around shops and so do staff. That would be the best way forward for everybody.”

Sight loss choir sings the coronavirus blues away

A choir of blind and partially sighted people that first got together at the start of the year in Edinburgh is now harmonising over the phone-line.

Launched by sight loss charity RNIB Scotland in January, its members continue to sing defiance to the coronavirus blues.

Hazel Kelly (76) from Corstorphine, has experienced two degenerative corneal eye conditions which significantly affected her sight.

“I haven’t sung in a choir since I was a teenager in my church choir,” she said, “but I really fancied getting involved in some way and when I heard about this one I thought I would give it a go!

“It was originally held at the RNIB Scotland offices at Hillside Crescent in Edinburgh every second Tuesday with just four of us and a piano to start with. The numbers attending gradually increased and we all suggested a song we could potentially work on, which has included ‘Will ye go Lassie Go (The Wild Mountain Thyme)’, ‘Wind in the Willows’ and ‘Mull of Kintyre’.

“Of course, everybody has to memorise the words as, having sight loss, we can’t always read them, which is fine for the chorus but not so easy with a lot of verses! Our organiser Mike makes us work hard, including special singing warm-ups, and we had started to harmonise a bit, although this is more difficult now we’re all at home.

“We tried to all get together with Zoom while not particularly ideal , Mike is still working on the best solution for us. However, the good news is, that with the lockdown, more people have joined from other parts of Scotland, and I am now chatting and singing with a lady from Glasgow and another from Stirling among others.

“I don’t think we are quite ready to perform anywhere yet, but never say never is my motto! And it is good fun to find yourself at home singing the songs in the bathroom and while pottering around the house.”

The choir’s organiser Mike Holroyd, a community co-ordinator with RNIB Scotland, is a guide-dog user himself.

“I used to lead a choir of blind and partially sighted people for about 17 years when I lived in Bristol,” said Mike. “One or two people had been asking about starting a connect singing group in Scotland so we did.

“We started face-to-face in January, but when lockdown started folk were keen to continue – and in fact instead of every two weeks, we now get together every week.

“The emphasis at the moment is not so much on the sound we produce but on the learning and the fun of getting together. I’ve started encouraging people to sing solo verses – this helps to reinforce learning, but also works much better on the phone, and assists with building confidence.”

The RNIB Helpline is available to help blind and partially sighted people and their families and carers on 0303 123 9999.

Izzy, wizzy, let’s get quizzy!

Sooty hosts RNIB quiz for children across the nation

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is encouraging children across the UK to beat boredom by joining a Facebook Live quiz on 07 May hosted by the nation’s favourite magic bear.

The virtual event, which will begin at 2pm and last half an hour, will be hosted by Sooty and The Sooty Show’s TV presenter Richard Cadell. It has been designed to help alleviate the boredom which children may be feeling due to coronavirus restrictions.

During the quiz Sooty and Richard will ask fun questions aimed at children aged 6-11 years old, although younger children are also welcome to join in. Sooty and Richard will also interact with the audience through the comments on the broadcast.

The event is free for anyone to take part, with an option to make a donation to Sooty’s longstanding charity partner, RNIB, which has worked with The Sooty Show since the 1960s.

Richard Cadell said: “Sooty and I are really looking forward to hosting the quiz and are hoping to see as many children as possible from across the UK take part – the more the merrier.

“We encourage children to bring their parents or invite their friends to take part through the Facebook Live link. Izzy, wizzy, let’s get quizzy!”

Becca McRow-Brewer, RNIB Senior Manager, Community Giving said: “We are delighted to work with Sooty and Richard to deliver what is sure to be a really fun event.

“We’re hoping to see children from all across the UK, and we have designed the quiz without picture rounds, so it will be accessible for children with sight loss.

“The quiz is free, but donations will support RNIB’s work to support the over two million people living with sight loss across the UK during this particularly challenging time.”

Join the quiz on 07 May at: rnib.in/sooty

Donations can be made online at rnib.org.uk/sooty-quiz-donate or by texting Sooty to 70007 to donate £3 to RNIB.

Lockdown is for the birds!

It seems lockdown really is for the birds! As the number of vehicles on the roads decreases, it’s much easier to hear the songs, twitters and warbling of our feathered friends. For some city-dwellers it might even be the first time they’ve noticed their varied sounds.

Now a unique radio station has had the idea of inviting its listeners to share the sounds they can hear from their window, garden or outdoor space.

RNIB Connect Radio is a station with a difference. It is run by the leading sight loss charity RNIB. Based in Glasgow, the multi-award-winning station broadcasts news and entertainment aimed at listeners who are blind and partially sighted across the UK.

“It’s probably fair to say our audience is especially tuned to sound,” says station manager Yvonne Milne. “Indeed, they can often be more aware of the possibilities and nuances of how sound can convey moods, emotions and information – but anyone can listen to RNIB Connect Radio.

“I think listening to the birds is a wonderful idea, and not just for ornithologists. It could be very relaxing and stress-relieving, especially at such a fraught time when people are house-bound.

“And it’s a chance for many of us who live in towns and cities to appreciate a dimension of sound that has always been with us, just lost under the cacophony of everyday urban life.”

RNIB Connect Radio is inviting people to share the sounds they are hearing, and is offering a few tips for recording on your phone:

Hold your phone carefully, as movements can be picked up by the mic.

Put your phone into ‘airplane’ mode and mute your notifications. 

Record a minute at most on the recorder on your phone and then email it to lynne.morgan@rnib.org.uk.

“We’d love to hear sounds of different birds from different parts of the UK,” says Yvonne.

“We’re backing this up with interviews about how to identify different birds and are hearing from blind bird lovers. We’ve also had Iolo Williams from BBC’s ‘Winter Watch’ talk to us about birds and give us some tips.”

RNIB Connect Radio – a mix of news, chat, music, sport and audio-book readings – broadcasts in the Glasgow area on 101FM, and is available across the UK on Freeview 730 and online at  www.rnibconnectradio.org.uk.

* For advice and support for blind and partially sighted people, the free RNIB’s helpline on 0303 123 9999 is open 8am till 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

Charity responds to coronavirus with specialist support for people with sight loss

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland is offering support to people affected by sight loss in Scotland after unprecedented changes to everyday life take their toll.

The current social distancing and self-isolation measures can be particularly difficult for registered as blind or partially sighted people in Edinburgh.

In response, RNIB has ramped up telephone and online access to its Sight Loss Advice Service – which offers emotional support and practical advice to blind and partially sighted people and their families.

The service is providing information on a range of issues affecting people with sight loss during this national health crisis.

RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service is available to anyone concerned on 0303 123 9999 between 8am and 8pm on weekdays, and between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays.

Advice is also being updated online at https://www.sightadvicefaq.org.uk/independent-living/Covid-19

RNIB Scotland’s Eye Health Liaison Officer service, which is normally based in the Princess Alexandria Eye Pavilion, is also available over the phone to offer practical advice on living with sight loss and emotional support.

During these challenging times, information is vital. In response, we are ramping up our support and services to ensure blind and partially sighted people get the help they need.

We urge anyone in our community who needs us to call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk.

 

North and Leith candidates do ‘blindfold walk’ to get better idea of sight loss issues

Four Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency took a stroll along Leith Walk wearing spectacles that simulate sight loss conditions yesterday. 

Gordon Munro (Labour and Co-operative Party), Iain McGill (Scottish Conservatives) and Heather Jane Astbury (Renew) were joined by Alan Dudley and guide-dog Gemma, with Deirdre Brock (SNP) doing the walk later with Alan Simpson.

All four candidates were aiming to gain a better idea of the everyday hazards faced by blind and partially sighted people.

Catriona Burness, campaigns manager for RNIB Scotland, said: “We know streets can’t always be free of clutter. But we can do more to make them accessible. That’s why we are urging elected MPs to help ensure that blind and partially sighted people are able to get out and about independently.

“Shared space developments, for example – which remove separations between cycleways, roads and pavements – are hazardous for blind and partially sighted pedestrians. We want MPs to act on growing concerns about these and deliver on the recommendations on accessible street design set out in Westminster’s  Women and Equalities Committee Report, ‘Building for Equality: Disability and the Built Environment’.”