[The following article is presented to help seniors
who have had a recent vision loss to understand that there are individuals who
can assist them to maintain an independent life style. For local information contact: Kyle Parrish at
(360) 683-5301 or at novision52@yahoo.com]
New Approaches to
Consider:
Suggestions for
Individuals with Recent Vision Loss
by
Ramona Walhof
How
much will life change? It is not
necessary for a person who has low vision to be helpless or dependent. With proper training, encouragement, and
opportunities, that person can be active, self-sufficient, and productive.
The
most important thing to do is to gather information about how to function
effectively using some new approaches.
This includes the use of daily living skills and work-related
skills. Most alternative methods that
people with low vision need are simple, common sense methods. Not much special equipment is required. Some simple tools will be helpful, and there
are expensive devices available also.
Most of the appliances, tools, and equipment you have been using will
still be what you need.
For
example, some women whose vision has deteriorated have expressed concern about
using their good dishes. You will learn
to take reasonable precautions with breakable objects as you gain
experience. You should guard against
trying to do everything visually. If,
for instance, you wish to place a serving dish in the middle of the dining room
table put it on the corner first. Then
use your hands to find a clear spot in the middle of the table. You may wish to fill the water glasses from a
pitcher after the people are seated, or let them pour their own water. If you are serving dessert, no one should
mind if you touch a shoulder in order to know exactly where to put the dessert
plate in front of the person.
Another
example would be lighting a match. You
can hear it ignite and feel through the match itself when it touches a candle
wick or hear the ‘poof’ when a gas stove burner is lit. An activity such as lighting a match may be
frightening at first, but will become easier with practice. We give this as an example of when it is not
desirable to get close to ‘see’ what you are doing. Most blind and visually impaired individuals
continue to use matches safely.
You
need to remember that you have a lifetime of experience to offer your family,
friends, and the rest of the world. Just
because you have lost some vision does not mean that you don’t still have a lot
to offer to other people. Some new techniques,
such as those discussed here, are required.
Learning to read and write Braille takes time and motivation. Using records and tapes instead of reading
with your eyes takes some getting used to.
Finding and learning to work with readers is a skill to be
developed. Budgeting money to pay
readers or finding volunteers is a new approach. Using public transportation and arranging for
drivers are also changes.
These
adjustments require an optimistic attitude, and this will make it possible to
continue a variety of activities. You
will come to understand that everyone has needs and that the needs of
people
with low vision are not necessarily greater than those of others. Most people find ways of giving to others, as
well as getting others to help them. You
will feel better about yourself with low vision when you realize that you still
have a lot to offer to others. It is
easy to become overwhelmed by your own needs and forget that the greatest need
of all is to continue giving.
How
can I read? When an individual begins to lose vision, the
first thought is often to get a magnifying glass. Enlarging print is one way to read for a
person with low vision. There are
literally hundreds of different magnification devices on the market. Optometrists and ophthalmologists should know
of some local sources. It is desirable
to try magnifiers before purchasing, since personal preference will mean that
not everyone will wish to use the same sort of device. Lighting is also important. For example, you may wish to exchange 60 watt
bulbs for 100 watt bulbs. You will
probably wish to place reading material directly under a good light. Some large magnifiers come with lights attached. Others require you to arrange your own
lighting. It is generally desirable to
keep glare to a minimum, but you will need to experiment with lighting and
magnification.
CCTV. There are
several other ways to read and write with low vision. CCTV (closed circuit TV enlarger) includes a
moving platform on which
reading material can be placed and a screen (like a television
screen) on which words and numbers are displayed. As the platform underneath is moved side to
side and front to back, the reader is able to read the part of the page he or
she wishes to see on the screen. This
device magnifies the print many times its original size. It is rather expensive, but many people with
low vision use these machines very successfully.
These
devices are especially useful for reading mail and paying bills. Books, magazines, and newspapers are
generally available in other forms that will be preferable to most.
Many
public libraries have begun to include large-print books as a part of their
collections. Some also include a
collection of books recorded on cassettes or CDs. These collections are generally small, but
may be borrowed by anyone with a library card.
Regional Libraries. In this country, there are regional libraries
for the blind and physically handicapped.
The books for the blind program at the Library of Congress produces
books on tape and in Braille for distribution through this nationwide network
of libraries which circulate books recorded on cassette tapes to individuals
who are legally blind. They also lend a
cassette player to readers. It is
desirable to borrow this player from these libraries because the books they
provide are recorded on four tracks per cassette instead of two as commercial
cassettes are produced, and at a slower playing speed. This makes it possible to include much more
reading material on each cassette. Many
of these libraries also distribute large print books. Both recorded books and large print books may
be mailed free of postage from the libraries to the readers and back
again. Thus, this service is truly a
free library service.
Religious materials. If you are interested in material published by
your church, there may be quite a bit available on recorded tapes or in large
print. You will need to inquire through
your pastor or other church leaders. A
limited number of translations of the Bible have been recorded, but they are
available through your regional library and some other private providers. Many
denominations have special publications for the blind and visually
impaired.
Directory assistance. Directory assistance is the service offered
by the phone companies for those who cannot use standard phone books. 1-[area code]-555-1212 will get directory
assistance anywhere. There may be other
local numbers in various towns and cities. You will need to fill out a form to
become qualified to receive directory assistance without charge on your home
phone. This form is available though
your local phone company. This service
is available to the blind because we do not read the phone book. The National Federation of the Blind
demonstrated to the phone companies that the phone books are free to the
sighted, so directory assistance should be free for those who cannot read the
phone book.
NFB-NEWSLINE®. Newspapers may be read by
the blind by telephone. This service is
called NEWSLINE® and is described in the resource section of this booklet.
Any
individual who can no longer read print will need to depend on other people for
some reading. Often family members serve
as readers for mail and bill paying.
Sometimes it is possible to find a volunteer to help in this way. Some blind people hire readers to do a
variety of reading. When working with a
reader, it is helpful if the reader understands that he or she should be
responsive to the needs and wishes of the blind person. If you wish to find information in a bill or
magazine, it is not for your reader to tell you whether that is important or
not.
The
more you work with one individual, the better you work together. It is possible to have a reader describe
items in a catalog and fill out the order form.
It is possible to teach a reader to skim for you by telling him or her
to jump to the next paragraph or next page if you wish to do so. Most readers try to do as asked. Since you have been reading print all your
life, you can make intelligent guesses about what to tell your reader to look
for. At first, working with a reader may
seem awkward, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
It
is respectable to be blind. You may
choose to use the terms “low vision,” “visually impaired,” “sight impaired,”
“partially sighted,” or something else.
These are all appropriate terms.
So is “blind.” From time to time
it will be necessary to explain to friends and associates what you can and
cannot do, whatever language you use. Occasionally, people will think you are more
dependent than you are until you explain that they have not totally understood
your situation. Try to remember to smile
when this occurs. As you know, a smile
usually makes everyone more comfortable.
Whether
you are telling others that most blind people have a little usable vision or
that you have lost some sight, the end result is very similar. You still have the experience, knowledge,
interests, skills, and goals that you have always had. The changes you make as your vision worsens
are small changes. The more you are expecting to continue with your former
activities, the more you will find ways to do so.
Who
needs a white cane? A long white cane is a tool that a person with
poor vision or no vision can use to find obstacles, landmarks, and general
information about the sidewalk, corridors, and other areas where he or she is
walking. Getting information is an
important reason for carrying a white cane, but it is not the only one. The white cane helps to identify a person who
is legally blind. It may increase
courtesy and understanding of those who meet a blind person. It also may increase safety if drivers and
others realize the person with a cane in hand does not see everything others
see. If a person carrying a white cane
does not respond to a hand signal or a wave, others generally realize that this
person is not just ignoring those around him or her. Rather, we do not see them.
Where
can you learn the best methods for using the white cane? A small book entitled Care and Feeding of
the Long White Cane may be purchased in large print or on cassette from the
NFB Independence Market. This book goes into much more detail about techniques
for using the white cane. Most
rehabilitation agencies for the blind employ teachers who should be able to
teach cane travel techniques. It may
also be possible to enroll in a full-time residential program of training to
learn cane travel, Braille, use of computers with speech output, and much
more. Three excellent facilities of this
kind are operated by the National Federation of the Blind. For more information about them, contact your
state or local president of the NFB.
If
the cane is to be used for support, a white one still indicates poor
vision. If you do not need a cane for
support, you will probably choose a longer straight white cane. Long canes may be made of fiber glass, carbon
fiber, or metal. Most people who depend
on the cane prefer a rigid one, but folding canes are also
available.
Certain
techniques can be used to gather information.
The cane is swung from side to side in front of the person using
it. The width of the arc should be a
little wider than the person’s shoulders.
Generally, it is desirable to tap the cane on the floor or pavement at
the outside edge of each swing. It is
possible to drag the cane one way when looking for grass, a sidewalk going to
one side, a retaining wall, etc. There
are other techniques to be used for ascending and descending stairs.
A
person who still has some reliable vision may wish to vary the technique
slightly depending on lighting, the density of a crowd, the speed with which he
or she is walking, and other things. The
length of the cane may also vary depending on the height of the person, the
speed at which he or she travels, and personal preference. Some people feel more need for the white cane
at night or in bright sunlight. White
canes may be ordered from the NFB Independence Market and are listed in the
descriptive order list included in this material.
Who
can use a guide dog? Today it should be possible for anyone who
wishes to use a guide dog to do so. However, many seniors do not choose to get
a guide dog. Guide dogs are usually medium-sized
dogs, such as German Shepherds or Labrador Retrievers. Therefore, it is also a good idea for the
person using the dog to have enough strength to control the dog if discipline
is necessary. Although guide dogs are
associated with the blind, many people who have partial vision use them
successfully.
The
blind person is always in charge. The
dog can provide information about an approaching flight of steps, the location
of street crossings, and sometimes find an outside door. It is trained to go around obstacles. But perhaps the most important thing the dog
learns is to stop and wait until the person determines the reason for the stop
and instructs the dog to go forward. The
dog may memorize a route, such as where a friend lives or the way to work, but
the blind person may not always follow the same route, so the dog must take
instructions. The blind person listens
to traffic and decides when it is time to cross a street. The dog walks slightly in front of the blind
person who holds the handle of the harness in his or her left hand.
Guide
dogs are trained at special schools across the country. Any of these schools will provide information
to an individual who is considering the acquisition of a guide dog. The school will be able to describe the
training required by the person and the care required by the dog. Guide dogs are not pets, but there is
generally a very close relationship between the guide dog user and the dog. If you are considering a guide dog as a
travel assistant, the president of your state affiliate will be able to tell
you which schools are most commonly used by blind individuals in your
area. Guide dog schools are generally
financed with public funds, so there should be little or no charge for the dog
or training to use it. Of course, dog
food and veterinary care are the dog owner’s out-of-pocket expenses.
Who
can learn Braille? Braille is a system of dots to be read with
the fingertips. It is not more difficult
to learn than print, just different. A
child who learns to read using Braille picks it up at about the same rate of
speed as a child learning to read print.
When an adult loses vision, it is possible to learn Braille, but it may
take a little longer to acquire a rapid reading speed.
Standard
Braille is written with about 200 signs, but it is perfectly reasonable
to
write and read some Braille without these signs. The memory work is less if
you
simply learn the alphabet and the numbers.
This makes it possible to keep phone numbers, addresses, recipes and
other small notes in Braille. Braille is
a convenience for anyone who knows it.
If you are motivated to do so, the earlier you begin learning Braille,
the better you are likely to be at reading and writing. Some men and women who lose their vision late
in life do not learn Braille. Whether
this is desirable or not is a matter for debate. There is a card showing the Braille and print
alphabets included in the Low Vision Resource Kit.
When
reading Braille, an individual needs to keep his or her fingers light on the
dots. New Braille readers often feel as
though they need to push down to feel the Braille better. To the contrary, pushing
down makes it harder to feel the dots.
Brushing the fingers lightly across the lines makes the Braille much
clearer.
Braille
can be written with the Braille Writer, which is expensive. Or it can be written with a slate and stylus,
which consists of a frame as a guide and a punch which is used to push the dots
down through the paper.
Larger
Braille cells can be produced for people who really do have impaired touch in
their fingers. This is called Jumbo Braille. Some blind persons also keep notes on a
cassette tape recorder.
How
can I learn to use a computer? Your local
chapter or state affiliate of the NFB should be able to put you in touch with
someone who can help determine what hardware and software would be necessary to
do the things you wish to do. Your
rehabilitation agency may have staff who can provide
similar information. If you purchase a
program to enlarge the print on the screen, you may need some special
instruction to learn to use it. If you
purchase speech or Braille output, you may need to arrange for training from
another visually impaired person or a special instructor. You will need to use the entire keyboard to
operate a speech output program, and the commands are numerous. However, many, many blind and visually
impaired individuals are proficient computer users.
Color
Is Important. As you lose vision, you may
lose much of your ability to discern colors.
Still, you know which colors are attractive together, so you will wish
to keep track of the colors of your clothing and other items. Be sure you know what the colors of new
purchases are.
When
sorting clothing, pay attention to identifying characteristics such as buttons,
collars, pleats. This author likes to
knit. When I am purchasing yarn, I ask
that each color be placed in a separate bag.
If I cannot identify different colors by the feel of the skeins, I may
tie the top of one bag or tear off one label.
But I want to be able to keep these colors straight when there is no one
around who can see it. I am planning to
make a baby blanket of rainbow colors. I
will use rubber bands, safety pins, stitch holders and whatever it takes to
keep track of the seven colors plus white.
I do not like to rip out my work, and I certainly am not willing to have
the colors in the wrong order.
Therefore, I must be creative.
Can
I continue to sew and do handwork? In our Independence Market
we have self-threading needles and a needle threader
for sale. These items are also available
in local fabric stores. To use the
self-threading needle, hold the thread taut between your hands and pull it into
the end of the needle which is divided.
You will feel a small ‘pop’ when the thread goes in. Many individuals use self-threading needles
for mending, sewing on buttons, and hemming.
Some
blind and visually impaired individuals prefer to use the needle threader with a regular needle. You may find that large-eye needles are
easier to use. Place the wire loop of
the needle threader through the eye of the needle;
then drop the thread through the wire loop and pull it through the needle. This draws the thread through the eye of the
needle so you can tie it and proceed to sew.
Many
blind individuals continue to sew, both by hand and with the sewing
machine. It is possible to guide the
fabric on the sewing machine by touching a seam guide or the presser foot. It is also possible to cut around the edge of
a tissue paper pattern.
Many
women and some men like to knit, crochet, do latch
hook, and other handicrafts. Most of
these can be done by touch very well. We
recommend that you talk to other blind and visually impaired individuals if you
have questions or interest in any of these hobbies. The president of the National Federation of
the Blind in your state is listed on your state resource list and should be
able to refer you to people whose interests correspond to yours.
Labeling foods and medications. Cupboards and freezers may be organized in a
certain order. Labels may be made with
black markers or Braille and attached with rubber bands. Braille labels for cans may be purchased
also.
If
you take several medications and need to mark bottles to tell them apart, you
may use black markers or tactile markers.
You may wish to put tape on the lid of one bottle and on the bottom of
another. You could put a rubber band
around a third bottle. Different
locations may also be a way to know which bottle is which. Many seniors use containers divided into
seven compartments (one for each day of the week) to pre-sort their
medications. If necessary you may have
one divided container for mornings and a second for evenings. Develop your own
system, and stick to it.
Restaurants. When you go to a restaurant, relax and enjoy
yourself. If you need to have your
server read a menu or part of it, he or she should be glad to do so. Do not hesitate to ask if the restaurant has
large print or Braille menus. Some do. If they do not, this will bring to the
attention of the restaurant personnel that special menus would be used if
available. You may also wish to ask your server to tell
you when he or she places something in front of you. If drinks are placed in the middle of the
table, you may not always be aware when this occurs. We tip servers for service, but we cannot
expect them to know our needs if we do not say something.
Generally,
you will not need to have your food served in a special way. If you wish to have the lettuce cut up in
your salad, ask that this be done in the kitchen before it is served. Use your fork and knife to find the food on
your plate. You can practice at home
cutting meat and picking up vegetables with your fork without bright light. Most people with low vision find dimly
lighted restaurants difficult if they do not practice eating in dim light
anywhere else.
If
you wish to go through the salad bar line, ask if someone has time to help you
identify what is there.
How
do I know it is clean? It is easy to feel dust
on knick-knacks and furniture. You can
generally tell by touch when counters, sinks, tubs, etc. are clean. It may be desirable to have someone else
check for stains occasionally. Many
people with low vision like to vacuum the floor with bare feet to help check
for dust. Systematic parallel strokes
will help you know when you have covered the entire floor. You say you have cobwebs along the ceiling
from time to time? Using a white cane
and a cloth is a good way to knock them down.
Telephones. A touch-tone telephone is very easy to use by
touch. You can also purchase large
button phones. But you may find it less
stressful not to have to look at all.
Put three fingers across the top three buttons to push one, two, and
three. Move them down a row when you
wish to push four, five or six. Move down
another row to push seven, eight, and nine.
You may move down another row for zero or use your thumb. Those buttons are easy to feel. Be sure the phone is not at an angle when you
are dialing, and a little practice will be all you need.
Where
can I live? A blind or visually impaired person can live
comfortably and safely almost anywhere he or she chooses. Certainly, the same choices about living
quarters should be available to the blind and visually impaired as are
available to sighted individuals. Landlords are required by law not to
discriminate against tenants because of vision loss.
In
recent years thousands of older citizens have found it desirable to move into
senior citizens’ villages, apartment buildings, mobile home parks, or clusters
of houses reserved for retired people.
Some of these include group dining rooms and recreation facilities,
while others have very few special services.
Undoubtedly,
some people with low vision will find arrangements such as these
desirable. Some will not. Blind and visually impaired people have the
opportunity to live in these senior citizen villages along with everyone
else. Assuming there are no health
problems that make nursing home care necessary, elderly individuals with low
vision should be able to learn alternative skills to care for themselves and
live in whatever type of housing situation they prefer.
How
to get around without driving? Sooner or later loss of
vision makes it necessary to stop driving.
No one wants to be unsafe as a driver, but driving is a convenience that
may be hard to give up. Nevertheless, there are many other ways to go places,
and it may
actually
save money not to maintain a car.
Most
cities of 100,000 people or more have city buses and some smaller cities do
also. The quality and quantity of bus
service varies considerably from one city to the next. A person with poor vision or no vision can
learn to use these buses if motivated and if he or she does not have other
serious physical disabilities. A blind
person waiting at a bus stop may not be able to read the sign on the front of
the bus. Then, when the door opens, one
simply steps up to it and asks the driver the number or name of the bus. Drivers are required to announce stops. It may be helpful to tell the driver ahead of
time which stop you want to help insure that he or she does not forget to
announce it.
There
is an information number in most cities that can provide information about
where each route goes and on what schedule.
This information is also printed and can be mailed to interested
persons, but it may be more convenient to call the general bus information
number.
Bus
service is called fixed route service.
Most cities also provide dial-a-ride service. This is intended for persons who live on the
bus routes and cannot use the fixed route service. Many seniors can qualify. One must become certified for this service
and then order it ahead of time. Either the bus company or the mayor’s office
can tell you how to get in touch with this service. Many smaller towns and cities have only this
dial-a-ride service.
Taxis
are used by many blind and visually impaired people. They are more expensive than buses or
dial-a-ride services, but may not cost as much as maintaining a car, especially
if you do not need to use one too frequently.
Paying for a taxi once or twice a week is certainly a bargain compared
to owning and operating a car. In
addition, taxicabs generally operate 24 hours a day seven days a week. This is not true of city buses or dial-a-ride
systems. Some towns and cities provide a
subsidy for disabled people and seniors to use with taxis. This may be called scrips
or something else. You may learn about
this subsidy by calling the mayor’s office or services for the aging.
Many
blind people who can afford to do so own cars and get friends, family members
or employees to drive them when needed.
The insurance company will require you to name a primary driver, but
this does not prevent other people from driving your car. Some blind people find that this system is
more reliable than depending on other people’s cars which sometimes are not
available or may not always be in good repair.
Of course, much depends on personal resources and preferences.
Many
people with low vision ride bicycles, especially in good weather. It is
important to be honest with yourself about when this is safe and when it is
not. This depends on vision and traffic,
but it is a personal decision and is not regulated in most places by rules or
laws.
Of
course many people with low vision walk more than they did before losing
sight. The white cane can provide a
great deal of information both to the person using it and to those he or she
meets. Anyone who is legally blind is
entitled to carry a white cane. For more
information about how to use the cane, see the section, “Who needs a white
cane?”
There
are some special van services for seniors associated with senior activities and
with some senior residences. These may
be an important factor when choosing a place to live.
These
vans may provide transportation to doctors’ offices, shopping, recreational
activities, and other places a group of people wish to go.
Many
people with low vision also find it important to choose an apartment or house
located near a city bus route if bus travel is going to be used. Most individuals who do not drive find it
best to use several different kinds of transportation. Some live where they still have access to
Greyhound buses or trains. These are
also good transportation alternatives for those who do not drive. Airports and airlines provide escorts if
needed when going from gate to gate or from check-in to flight. These services should be offered, not
required. It is up to the blind person
or the person with low vision to decide which services are helpful to him or
her, but it is very helpful that the airlines offer special consideration.
Those
who live in rural areas may have fewer choices available when planning
transportation. It may be necessary to
rely on friends and neighbors for help in getting places that are too far from
home to walk. Most people who find
themselves in this situation learn to find things to do for those who help
them. One woman goes grocery shopping
with a neighbor and then treats the neighbor to lunch. Many hire high school or college students for
some help. Many people with low vision
are fortunate to have family members who are able to assist with transportation to doctors’
appointments or shopping, but it is best not to be totally dependent on friends
and family.
Sorting Money. Coins are easily sorted by touch. Dimes and quarters have rough edges, while
nickels and pennies have smooth edges.
Quarters are the largest; nickels somewhat smaller; and dimes and
pennies are the smallest.
Paper
money can be folded or sorted in separate compartments of the wallet. There is no wrong or right way to sort
money. Each person should decide what to
do and follow the same plan consistently.
This writer folds ones and fives in fourths and keeps them in different
compartments. Tens are folded lengthwise
first and end to end second. Twenties
are folded end to end first and then side to side. Anything larger than twenty is kept in a
remote section. This is only an example
of one approach, but each person will make variations.
You
will find a check-writing guide in the Low Vision Resource Kit. You may also use it as a signature
guide. Your handwriting will continue to
be as legible as previously. You merely
need a guide so that you write in the correct places. You may wish to keep your check register on a
computer or a separate notebook. Some
individuals with low vision use black markers for check registers. Some record this information on tape.
Many
people, both blind and sighted, like to shop with friends. If you do, your friend will be glad to tell
you prices and read other information about the products you are
considering. If you prefer to shop on
your own, sales clerks will, as they have time, read the same information. Of course, sales clerks also want to sell the
products so you can’t depend solely on them to decide what you need or
like.
You
may also need to ask directions to go from one department or store to
another. Strangers are often
uncomfortable giving a blind or visually impaired person
directions. This is because they
use visual landmarks to know where they are.
You may need to suggest other pieces of information. For instance, “You mean I should turn left at
the first aisle after the carpet ends?”
Or “So the escalator is this way (motion with your hand), and I should
go past it and turn right?” Thus, you
are confirming directions that may not have been quite clear. The person you are talking with can affirm
that you are correct or not. As with so
many other things, you develop skill in this area with experience.
Can
I get financial or medical assistance other than Social Security and Medicare? If you are sixty-five or older, you will not
receive any additional money from Social Security just because you are
blind. If you are under age sixty-five,
it is very important for the Social Security worker to know that you are
legally blind. If you are eligible for
Social Security Disability Insurance, you may continue to receive disability
benefits (which may be higher) until you are age 65, at which time your
payments will convert to Social Security Retirement based on the fact that you
have attained age sixty-five.
Medic are pays hospital and doctor expenses under certain
rules and limitations, but if your income is very low and/or you have some
large medical bills, you may be eligible for some other medical assistance
through your state or local programs.
Depending
on your financial circumstances, it may be possible to qualify for medical
assistance through your State Department of Social Services. Most states also have what is called a “spend
down program.” If you are found eligible
for this, you will pay a set amount of medical expenses for a six-month period
of time, and the Department of Social Services will pay anything above this
amount. Please check with your State
Department of Social Services for further details. In a few states, rehabilitation agencies for
the blind can provide financial assistance for medical treatments to prevent
blindness. This may include treatment of
diabetic retinopathy and wet macular degeneration.
There
are university hospitals in most states which are teaching hospitals for
medical students. They are often able to
provide medical services at a reduced rate.
Other hospitals which have been constructed with federal funds are
sometimes required, at least for a number of years, to provide some assistance
to low-income individuals. Please check
with hospitals in your area for this type of program.
If
you are a Medicare recipient, there are some doctors who will accept for
payment the amount that Medicare will pay.
Many hospitals have doctor referral services and can tell you which
doctors will accept Medicare patients.
If
you are sixty-five or older, a
at
no out-of-pocket expense for the doctor’s services. Eyeglasses, prescriptions, hospital services,
and other medical services are not covered under the program. Doctors accept insurance assignment as
payment in full.
It
is the responsibility of the agency on aging in your state to act as a referral
agency for older citizens. There is also
a state rehabilitation agency for the blind in your state which should be able
to give you information. There may be
other state or local services for which you may be eligible.