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ABLE to Do It

 

10.31.07: Public Service Announcement by the Department of Rehabilitation Services To open the video in Windows Media Player, click here.



“ABLE to Do It”  video transcript:

Announcer: Vision loss can steal your independence, your confidence and your dignity – if you let it. But you don’t have to live like that. YOU have a choice.

Stacy Anderson – Client, El Reno: "After coming through the ABLE program, I think it’s the most awesome experience."

Mickey Dowling – Client, Moore: "I’m going home with my life really improved.

Stacy Anderson – Client, El Reno: "They understand your feelings. Your nervousness. Your fears. Your desires to get back out into life as normal as possible."

Mickey Dowling – Client, Moore: "The friendliness of the staff we’ve worked with. The way they had everything outlined.

Announcer: The program they’re talking about is Adult Blind Living Evaluation – or ABLE for short.  The ABLE program offers evaluation and customized training to help each participant adjust to severe visual impairments. ABLE can help you learn and practice skills so you can function more independently.

“ABLE to Do It” – presented by Visual Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Jane Nelson, Visual Services Administrator: "Our main goal is to help adults who have either been blind all their lives or who have recently become blind to remain independent and to be able to do things they’ve always done in the past and want to continue to do."

Marilyn Sanders, ABLE Communications Instructor: "It also gives them the opportunity to regain that independence and that feeling that I can do for myself. I may not see as well, but I can do."

Announcer: ABLE training lets you spend time with other people who have similar vision problems including ABLE teachers who deal successfully with their own vision loss. Everybody needs to learn different skills. So Visual Services teachers evaluate you personally and develop a program with hands-on instruction, guidance and counseling that meet your individual needs.

ABLE focuses on ten training areas:

One – Use of Remaining Vision.
ABLE teachers will help you use the vision you’ve got in the most efficient manner. That could mean adjusting lighting, reducing glare or contrasting different colors to get the job done.

Two – Indoor Mobility.
Learn how to get around safely in your home and the right way to train sighted people to guide you.

Three - Communication.
We help you use simple devices and new techniques to tell time, sign your name, take phone messages, make your own address book and more.

Four – Meal Preparation.
Safety is the key – as you learn how to use kitchen appliances, prepare food and cook meals.

Five - Leisure Time Activities.
All work and no play is no fun. That’s why ABLE helps you learn new hobbies or figure out how to do the old ones again.

Six - Personal Management.
You’ll learn tricks for matching clothes, labeling medications, identifying money, writing checks and more.

Seven – Home Management. It’s time to clean house -- and get tips on minor home repair and home safety.

Eight – Assistive Technology.

What’s the best way to use a computer, get your email, or surf the web? We’ll show you!

Nine - Self-Advocacy Skills.
Learning to speak up for yourself and explaining how others can help you -- that’s another part of ABLE training.

Ten – Resources.
From talking books to employment services, there’s a lot more information out there. ABLE will teach you how to find it.

You’ve just heard the top ten reasons to give ABLE training a try. What else do you need to know?

Pamela LaViolette – Client, OKC: "The instructors are really nice. You know whatever they ask you to do, even if you haven’t done it before, I feel like I could do it."

Elaine Boykin – ABLE Coordinator and Instructor: "We give them some tools in order for them to start searching inside themselves for that confidence. Just giving that extra little confidence is enough to get them started and to assist them to take that home with them and hopefully keep on going when they get home.

Pamela LaViolette – Client, OKC: "I was sitting at home, hoping someone would come along and help me. I don’t have to do that. Now I can get up and do it myself."

Announcer: You can jump-start your journey to independence and recharge your confidence. Talk to your Visual Services counselor about ABLE today. Or call 800-487-4042 toll free and follow recorded instructions to reach the nearest Visual Services office.

ABLE can help you reach your goals. All you need is the desire to learn. Then you’ll be ABLE to do it too!

This video is presented by Visual Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Copyright 2007