Introduction

This curriculum is designed to provide Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and other vision rehabilitation professionals the information they need to work effectively with older persons with visual impairments to achieve their employment goals.  Both the counselor and the instructor can play crucial roles in empowering the older consumer to retain or regain self-esteem, self-confidence, and independent living and other skills necessary to return to work or to remain on the job. 

Very often older individuals who experience vision loss decide to retire upon the onset of vision loss and do not realize they can remain at work if they receive the vision rehabilitation and adapted devices they need.  Also, older persons with visual impairments may need additional income or a productive activity to maintain the quality of life they desire.  Again, remaining on the job or returning to the workplace, with support from vision rehabilitation professionals, can be viable options.

It is critical that vision rehabilitation professionals make sure that older consumers realize employment is an option.  They should encourage older consumers on their caseload to work and not dismiss their vocational potential due to age or disability.  To place older individuals successfully, vision rehabilitation professionals should build on the many strengths and life experiences older individuals with visual impairments possess.

These strengths include the following (Brady & Fortinsky, 1991):

* the value older consumers place on work

* a sense of accomplishment

* good relationships with co-workers

* solid work histories

· ability to embrace the mission of their companies or organizations

* interest in and ability to learn new things.

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Another strength is a deep motivation to work, reflected by (Brady & Fortinsky,1991) for the following reasons:

· desire to feel useful

· need for supplementary income

· benefits derived from meeting people

· desire for a challenge

· need to do something different

· desire for fringe benefits

· need for medical insurance

Older workers find reward in the act of work and in the work environment itself.  “Traditionally attention has focused on issues such as wages, insurance, and other fringe benefits, but older workers are also interested in other aspects of employment...non material benefits...those intimately connected with the experience of work itself.”  (Brady & Fortinsky,1991, p. 37).

As you can see, older individuals have a great potential for work and great motivation.  Often they need your support and interest to remain on the job once they have lost their vision or re-enter the workforce.  You are a key to their success.

How This Curriculum Can Help You

This curriculum is intended to give you the information and techniques you need to help older consumers with visual impairments remain on the job or return to work.  They will need your assistance and support, in most cases, to overcome self-imposed and societal-imposed barriers.

The curriculum is divided into 7 modules, each dealing with a different aspect of placement and employment of the older consumer.  The manual begins with a pre-test of your knowledge of visual impairment. You will have a chance to take a post-test to find out how much information you have learned.

Each lesson contains the following information:

· Learner’s Goal

· Learner Objective(s)

· Lesson Content

· Learning Activities

· Key Points

· Self-Check (test of knowledge of material)

Now, please take a moment to complete the following pretest before starting the lessons. 

Link here for the Pre-Test.

Good luck!  The key to the pre-test is in Appendix A.