In the summer of 2016, after I had only been producing the Life After Blindness podcast for about six months, I was asked to appear on the popular RNIB Connect radio show – Tech Talk. Hosted by Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, RNIB Tech Talk is a radio show and podcast where blind people come together to discuss technology.

I was familiar with Steven and the show, having listen to it for quite some time. Shaun Preece and I already knew each other as well. We had previously met on the social media app Vorail where he had helped me with some of the technical side of setting up my podcast.

On the Life After Blindness podcast, I did a review of the audio described content that had been added to Amazon Prime Video. Steven heard this review and asked Shaun if he thought I would come on Tech Talk to have a conversation about it. Without even asking me first, Shaun told Steven that I would definitely come on the show!

Shaun was right.

What started off as a 20 minute guest appearance that transitioned into a fill-in guest host role, turned into an amazing journey! A journey that lasted around 100 episodes and spanned almost 2 years. A journey that, for the most part, has come to an end.

On the February 26, 2019 episode of RNIB Tech Talk, Shaun and I announced that it would be our final regular appearance on the show. Steven will carry on without us, bringing in fresh new voices. I am very eager to see what the talented people from RNIB will bring to the new show!

To leave the show is definitely bittersweet. In time, we are both hoping to return for the occasional guest appearance. I know that I can speak for Shaun when I say that we have both greatly enjoyed our time spent on the show!

But don’t think that you will be rid of Shaun and I that easily! I, of course, will still be hosting the Life After Blindness podcast and both of us will still guest host on the AMI Audio radio show, Double Tap Canada along with Steven Scott. Double Tap will become our primary focus as an outlet for us to continue our love of tech, our banter and most importantly, our friendship.

Steven and Shaun have definitely become two of my very best friends! I’m so glad to of had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from each of them. But I am also very excited about what the future holds for us with all of our other endeavors.

I am also greatly appreciative of the many listeners that have supported us during the wild ride that was Tech Talk. Outside of my very own listeners to the Life After Blindness podcast, ‘Tech Talkers’ are some of the best and kindest people that you will find!

So with that I say thank you to the RNIB and thank you to Steven Scott and Shaun Preece! And thanks to all of the brilliant Tech Talk listeners for making my virtual travels to the United Kingdom something very special!

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the new year! Unfortunately, I’ve spent most of the last few months rushing between doctor visits, medical tests and hospital stays. Thankfully, there has been plenty of love and holiday cheer sprinkled in from my family, friends and those of you who follow my work to keep me positive and strong!

As regular listeners to the podcast know, 2018 was a very difficult year for me and my health. That combined with health issues suffered by my family as well as other personal situations, I am very glad to put 2018 behind me! I am really looking forward to making a fresh start in 2019!

As always, my blog and podcast are still dedicated to the exploration of an enabled life with blindness. The blind and visually impaired community is truly a global community. Because of this, I feel it is more important than ever to talk about blindness. Not just to each other but also talk about each other. I want the whole world to know that with a little effort and education, we can enable ourselves to do great things!

In this new year, I will continue to discuss the best in accessible hardware, apps, games and anything else that I think would be helpful. I will also continue to interview people who have a positive impact within the blind and visually impaired community. Along the way, I will share with you stories from my own experiences as well as tips that may be useful.

I also appear each week as a co-host on the blindness technology show, Double Tap Canada. Hosted by Steven Scott and Co-hosted by Shaun Preece, Double Tap airs every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern time on AMI Audio. It is also released as a podcast. You can find out more by visiting the Double Tap website.

Please come back to Life After Blindness each and every week for new written content in addition to the weekly podcast. And remember, you can find Life After Blindness where ever you listen to podcasts. If you want to contact me with comments or questions, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

So please join me in this new year as we continue our journey together to find that there truly can be a Life After Blindness.

My name is Jackie Waters. I am a mother of four beautiful and energetic boys. I live with my family on our three-acre hobby farm in Oregon. My goal is to feed our family as much fresh and home-grown food as possible, focusing on sustainability and simplicity.

Recently, my sister-in-law (who has a visual impairment) came to live with us. Before she moved in, we carefully assessed our home and its setup to determine how to make it more accessible for her. She was concerned about being thought of as a burden, but I assured her that this was not the case. The burden would be living in a home that is difficult to navigate through! So she agreed that I was onto something–and we went to work.
Once she was on board, I picked her brain for the best way to organize and declutter the house to make her life easier. Of course, this totally appealed to the organizing fanatic in me!
For people with a visual impairment, consistency and strict organization are crucial. People with low vision or blindness often rely on their memory to navigate through their home, find personal care items, kitchen utensils, and anything else they may need. A home that is cluttered and disorganized makes daily life unnecessarily difficult. Here are a few home organization tips that will help you foster a more functional lifestyle for a loved one with a visual impairment.

Use Storage Baskets and labels
Store loose items in easily accessible storage baskets, crates, or totes and label containers to indicate their contents, making it easier for a person with a visual impairment to locate everyday objects. For instance, you might use Braille labels to mark storage containers that hold keys, wallets, and purses, DVDs, and personal care items such as face wash or shower gel. If a loved one has low vision, but is not completely blind, standard labels with large fonts may be adequate for enabling them to locate the items they need.
This is especially true in the kitchen, as it is one of the most frequently used spaces in the home. Baskets or crates are a great way to organize a variety of tools, utensils, and appliances.

Keep Everything in a Designated Location
Placing items like keys and important paperwork in inconsistent locations makes it difficult for everyone to find items needed throughout the day. This can be especially difficult for those with low vision or blindness. Imagine trying to find your wallet without being able to visually look around the kitchen–especially when you are in a hurry to be somewhere.
Choose a convenient location for such items. For example, set up a basket placed near the door. Keeping the things you need on a daily basis in a convenient and consistent location will save you and your loved ones a great deal of time and frustration.

Organize Closets Strategically
Getting dressed can be a challenge for people with low vision, blindness, or color blindness if their bedrooms are not well organized. With a bit of savvy closet organization, you can help your loved one overcome these difficulties.
Some people simply rely on others to help them coordinate matching outfits. Because this may not always be possible, color-coded closet organization is a helpful strategy.
You may also consider organizing the closet by pre-coordinated outfits. Do this by grouping pants, shirts, socks and the like together in matched groups. You can categorize clothing sets further by occasion such as work outfits, dinner outfits, and so forth. This makes it easier to get dressed, whether in the morning before work or on your way out for an evening of fun.

Prevent Slips and Falls
People who are visually impaired may be at an increased risk of slipping and falling, because they are unable to see to navigate through dimly lit areas or avoid tripping hazards that aren’t visible in their walking path. You can greatly reduce the risk of accidents by maintaining a clean, clutter-free home, removing hazards such as throw rugs and electrical cords from areas most frequently used as a pass-thru for walking.
Flooring itself can pose a risk of trips and falls, particularly if your home has slick, shiny surfaces like glossy hardwood floors, tile, or laminate flooring. Strategically place non-skid rugs (secured to the floor or lined with non-slip grips) to prevent sliding on smooth surfaces and, if necessary, replace slippery flooring with a matte or less-slick flooring for better traction. This can do wonders to improve safety.

A few simple organizational strategies can dramatically improve functional living for a loved one with a visual impairment. From the kitchen to the closet, to the general living area, some thoughtful actions can go a long way in helping your loved one maintain greater independence.
My sister-in-law has lived with us for about five months now and things seem to be running smoothly. Not only is my home super organized (hooray!) but my sister-in-law appears to be comfortable and happy! She knows where everything is—and so do we! I would say it’s a win-win for everyone.

*****
Jackie Waters is a contributing author to Life After Blindness. You can find out more about her by visiting her website Hyper Tidy.