Creating a holistic support service for people with vision impairment

摘要

The diagnosis of visual impairment is life changing for patients as it has huge impacts on activities and tasks of daily living, self-identity, and mental wellbeing. In order to adapt to living with visual impairment, a multidimensional, holistic service is required in terms of practical, social, and emotional support and rehabilitation in order to empower people to become independent.1The mental health needs of people with visual impairment, and in fact chronic diseases in general, are an important aspect that needs to be addressed as part of a holistic service. The Living Better Project,2 a Scottish Government-funded initiative in 2008, identified five key types of support that patients with chronic diseases desired: The above themes are the same for patients with visual impairment and many of these findings have been reflected in research specific to visual impairment. Specifically, patients with visual impairment have expressed a need for more emotional support and counselling, to gain skills …