A.V.R.E. InSight
Spring 2004, Volume 29 Number 2
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.

Our mission: "To assist people who have a vision disability enhance life quality through attaining or maintaining personal and economic independence, and help remove obstacles imposed by vision disabilities."

Old Friends, Old Memories, New Celebrations.

These three things all came together on March 13, 2004, as we gathered together for our 17th annual Awards and Recognition Banquet. It was an extra special event this year, as we continue our year-long anniversary celebration of 75 Years of Quality Employment Opportunities for people with a vision impairment. In our last issue, we told you about our proud past and of our exciting plans for continuing into the future.

We were extremely honored to have a number of special guests with us, including some of our retired employees, a number of our agency business partners, and our volunteers. About 150 people enjoyed an evening of good company, good food and good entertainment.

Dr. Charles Rubin, the Association Board Chair, and Beverly Majka, the Foundation Board Chair, gave welcoming remarks and President & CEO Robert Hanye proceeded with the program. The keynote speaker, Mr. Tom Robertson, Associate Commissioner of the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), commended A.V.R.E. on the quality of its services and its vision for the future of quality employment for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Three special awards given. The Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year Award was presented to Mr. Jude Lynch. Please see the article about Jude later in this newsletter.

Mr. David Harding was presented with the Amy J. Lateer Citizen of the Year Award. David has worked at A.V.R.E. since 1977, in our building and grounds Custodial department. He was cited for his caring thoughtfulness and concern for his fellow employees, his friends, and his family. This award was renamed this year in honor of Amy, who was our receptionist from 2000 until her passing in December of 2003.

This year's Outstanding Community Service Award went to the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), in appreciation of the many years of partnership in assisting people with vision disabilities. Mr. Tom Robertson, Associate Commissioner, accepted the award on behalf of the Commission.

The evening ended with dancing to music provided by The 3tles (pronounced "Threetles"), a local group that plays music of the 60s and 70s. Everyone had a great time celebrating the past 75 years! End of article. Photo of Jude Lynch listening as Robert Hanye presents his award at the banquet.

The President's Corner.

Did you know that A.V.R.E., unlike many other non-profit organizations, receives no direct government financial support? We do have performance contracts like other government contractors, but if we do not meet the contract goals, we do not get paid. However, government relations are very important to us as many decisions made in Binghamton, Albany, or Washington, D.C. directly affect us, our employees and the people we serve.

This past February, three A.V.R.E. employees attended the first ever "Washington, D.C. Fly-In" conference of National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the National Association for the Employment of People who are Blind (NAEPB). NIB is the national organization that sends us our Federal contracts. NAEPB is a group of agencies from across the country that are similar to A.V.R.E., although we are one of the smaller members. Vincent Howell, a production department employee, Ken Fernald, vice President of Operations, and I attended. Vinnie and Ken are both legally blind.

The first day of the conference was spent learning how to talk with members of Congress (Senator or Representative) or members of their staffs. We also learned more about the key issues we would discuss in our meetings. The second day was spent "on the hill" visiting key members of our delegation in Washington.

On this page is a picture of your A.V.R.E. delegation meeting with Wendy Darwell, Chief of Staff for Congressman Maurice Hinchey. Wendy and the Congressman have been very supportive of A.V.R.E. and we thank them. We also met with a staff member from the Office of Senator Charles Schumer and a staff member from Congressman Amo Houghton's office. A.V.R.E. and its issues were somewhat new to Senator Schumer and Congressman Houghton. We were received gracefully and left with statements of support. A.V.R.E. now serves both Chemung and Schuyler counties, which are in Mr. Houghton's district.

Our issues were simple and straightforward: 1. People who are blind should be guaranteed at least the minimum wage. Yes, U.S. Labor law does allow for people whose only disability is blindness to be paid less than minimum wage under special circumstances. 2. Vision Rehabilitation Services (our type of services) should be paid for under Medicare. Many services for people with disabilities other than blindness are covered. Also, our services have been proven to save a lot of Medicaid dollars by keeping people independent and out of nursing homes. 3. Our jobs are good jobs! One Federal agency continues to discriminate against jobs for people who are blind if those jobs are on our payroll. Both Vinnie and Ken, whose jobs "do not count," are not especially happy with this determination.

Ken and Vinnie were outstanding! They articulated our positions well and ably represented our community. I was pleased and honored to work with them on this project. The Conference was a resounding success and our national organizations plan to make it an annual event. Robert K. Hanye, President and CEO. End of article. Photo of Mr. Hanye; photo of Wendy Darwell, Ken Fernald, Vincent Howell, Robert Hanye, and Vinnie's guide dog Vern in Maurice Hinchey's Washington, D.C. office.

Binghamton University and A.V.R.E.: Working Together.

By Robert K. Hanye, President and CEO

Binghamton University is one of the four stars in the New York State University system. A.V.R.E. thinks it is the brightest star in the sky! The University has proven to be an incredible resource for A.V.R.E., and we like to think that the University is also benefiting from a number of partnerships with A.V.R.E. Let us count the ways!

The School of Management made a group of upper class students available to conduct a marketing/community image study for A.V.R.E. The study looked at what people in our community know about us, what people think of our services, how the public views us as an organization and many other questions. The results were extremely useful in helping us decide where and how to tell our story.

The Decker School of Nursing and A.V.R.E. have signed an agreement where graduate nurse practitioner students can work with A.V.R.E. consumers and their families where chronic illnesses are present. This brings a whole new dynamic to our services. It will directly benefit the consumers who participate as well as our staff, who will become more knowledgeable.

The Watson School of Engineering conducted a benchmarking study of our operations. The study identified us as "working toward World Class" and helped us better understand where our performance is strong and where we need to improve. In addition, two Industrial Engineering students were placed at A.V.R.E. to assist us in establishing a cost analysis for a new product line.

The SPIR Program (Strategic Performance in Industrial Relations) has made a graduate engineering student of the Watson School of Engineering available to the A.V.R.E. manufacturing program. This experienced student is giving us detailed information and recommendations about material flow, manufacturing processes and ideal equipment set up. All of this will make us more efficient, increase our plant safety and enhance our employment opportunities for people who are blind.

An Undergraduate Accounting Student is providing superb assistance to our Finance Department, by performing real and important work for our organization.

The University C3 Program is allowing A.V.R.E. staff members to participate. This program is looking at many of the issues that impact residents of the downtown Binghamton area. Many of the issues are health related, and a high percent of the residents are older or have limited income. Because vision disability is related to both age and income, it is logical for us to be part of this project.

All of these programs directly benefit A.V.R.E., our consumers, and our employees. They benefit the community by improving services and expanding knowledge. And we feel that the University, its students and programs benefit by having real life experiences. We are extremely grateful to Binghamton University, its leadership, its faculty, and of course, to its students who make it happen. End of article.

Advocacy Issues: Medicare and Vision Rehab Services.

Two years ago, we asked for your help in encouraging our Federal legislators to pass two important bills that would allow vision rehabilitation services to be covered by Medicare. These bills would help to create the greatest possible access for older people to low vision rehab services.

It's been a long process, and while we have not yet achieved the hoped for results, significant progress has been made! Two ground-breaking initiatives have recently been passed: a 1-year policy study was included in the Medicare Prescription Drug bill that was passed by Congress in December 2003, and a 5-year demonstration project was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (the Omnibus bill) that was passed in January 2004.

What does this two-pronged victory mean for coverage of vision rehab services and the work performed by vision rehab professionals? CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) is able to spend up to $2 million in 2004 to implement national coverage of vision rehab services; CMS will be examining problems and issues that have been stumbling blocks; CMS must consult with specific agencies and organizations that provide vision rehab; Once the 1-year study is completed, the 5-year demonstration project will continue while we seek Congressional approval to adopt final statutory language to establish this coverage on a permanent basis.

These successes are exciting because they have created several milestones in our field: for the first time in history, vision rehab professionals (orientation and mobility specialists, rehabilitation teachers and low vision therapists) are specifically named in a Medicare statute; the study and the demonstration project establish the services we provide as being valuable to Medicare beneficiaries; they provide us with an outstanding opportunity to gain our full goal of permanent Medicare coverage for these services. End of article.

Our Employee of the Year.

Jude Lynch is a quiet man who always has a smile on his face. He is friendly, caring, and supportive of his colleagues, and is always ready to offer some kind words to someone who needs a little pick up.

Jude was born with a vision impairment. He began working for A.V.R.E. in our on-site Manufacturing department in June of 1999, and has enjoyed it so much that he wishes he had begun working here years ago. His primary job has been packaging and palletizing manila file folders for our Federal customers, but he is a very flexible worker who has performed many other tasks as needed. His attendance record is exemplary.

Several years ago, Jude lost his elderly father and his brother, with whom he lived. The Program Services staff of A.V.R.E. stepped in to assist Jude with his daily living skills and Jude now lives alone and independently. Although he uses the para-transit system (the B.C. Lift), he often walks around the community or rides his bicycle.

Jude is exactly the kind of person any employer would seek. He is reliable, dependable, quality focused, productive, and a positive influence on the workplace. He was nominated by his fellow employees and selected by the Association Board as winner of the Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year Award for 2004! Congratulations, Jude! End of article. Photo of Jude placing cartons of file folders onto a pallet.

Meeting New Needs

There is a segment of our population that is generally not known about, is unpaid, often has no special training, and sometimes receives little or no thanks. Who are these people? They are the millions of households that are involved in caring for an aging family member or friend. They are "Caregivers."

Nearly one-fourth of all households in America have someone who is a Caregiver. Of these, 72% are women, 64% additionally work outside the home, 41% have at least one child under 18 living in the household, 22% care for someone with Alzheimer's or other dementia, and 18% provide care at least 40 hours per week. There are about 5.5 million elderly individuals who are experiencing age-related vision loss, and many of them are being helped by family caregivers.

Family caregiving is nothing new, but the profile of care recipients is changing. The need for unpaid caregivers has increased 3-fold during the past 10 years and is still growing. This is happening for several reasons: the continuing advances in modern medicine have increased the average life expectancy, chronic illnesses have replaced acute disease as the primary cause of death, and many older adults are choosing to live at home as long as they can.

To complicate matters, the profile of the caregivers is also changing. Today's families tend to be smaller and live farther apart. Women are often trying to juggle caregiving with raising children and working an outside job. Providing care to a family member can be a positive and rewarding experience, but it can also be very intense, stressful and often overwhelming, both physically and emotionally.

A.V.R.E. Program Services staff are always available to offer support and assistance to people who are providing care for senior family members who are experiencing vision loss. Whether the need is for counseling and advice, teaching, or adaptive equipment, we are happy to be able to assist. Contact Director of Program Services Laura Henry, at 607-724-2428, for more information.

The Broome County Office for Aging also has programs available to assist caregivers. They offer occasional Caregivers' Chats or Retreats, as well as counseling on issues such as insurance programs. They also sponsor the Caregiver Council, which is a group of professionals from various agencies and community groups who are working with caregivers. This group is open to anyone who is working with caregivers or caregiver issues. For more information, please call the Broome County Office for Aging's Caregiver Services at 607-778-2411. Statistics provided by the Broome County Office for Aging. End of article.

Enhancing Vision With Contrast.

By Ann Estabrook, A.V.R.E. Rehabilitation Teacher

Contrast, in the world of vision, equals "opposites." Think of black vs. white and dark vs. light. Think of checkerboards, salt and pepper, zebra stripes. Contrast, when you're dealing with limited vision, can be very helpful. In your environment, using the visual edges you make when you put dark colors next to light ones helps you with finding things. For example: light dishes on dark placemats, or vice versa; coffee levels in white cups; milk levels in dark cups; white outlets, when they're surrounded by dark brown wall plates; door frames or cupboard doors, when they're painted a color that stands out against their surroundings; the arms of furniture (or coffee tables), when they have doilies or runners that are highly visible; the edges of stairs, when the edges have been painted a contrasting color.

Use bold contrasting markings, i.e. lines, dots, letters (often done with the puff paint found in fabric or crafts stores that is used to decorate t-shirts, etc.) on your stove dial, on your microwave panel, on your furnace thermostat, on measuring cup graduations, and on laundry equipment dials.

Use bold line print (using various-sized black felt markers, based on the boldness of line needed) for telephone numbers and addresses, for large-print labels on medications, for maintaining an appointment calendar (ideally on a calendar with big, black numbers and room to write large-lettered entries), and for charts, instructions, birthday lists, etc.

Do you begin to see? Once you start to think of using bold contrast and large-print versions of things, some of the areas of your life that your vision changes have affected can be returned to you, and you can feel more in control of things again. If you are, or someone you know is, seriously visually impaired and in need our help in these areas, we are here to do just that. Give us a call at 607-724-2428. End of article.

Sponsors Wanted!

The 11^th Annual B.C. Bicycle Race For Sight is rapidly approaching! This fundraising event that is held for bicycle enthusiasts of all ages will be on Saturday, July 17, 2004. All proceeds earned from the race go toward A.V.R.E. vision rehabilitation and employment programs, as well as to Lions Club vision charities.

If you or your business would like to become a Race For Sight sponsor, please contact us for more details. You may call Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428 or email: jbucci@avreus.org. Go to our website, www.avreus.org and take the "Bike Race" link, to see photos and race results from the 2003 race.

And while you're at it… come on out to Windsor, New York and watch as we Race For Sight! End of article.

Our Wish List

After taking a break for a bit, our Wish List is back with some new items added. If you would like to make a cash donation toward any of these items, or if you have something you think we might be able to use, you may call Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428 or email jbucci@avreus.org. The dollar amount of your donation would be tax deductible, and you will receive a letter of receipt and thanks from us and a public thank you in our next newsletter.

Talking Glucometer. A number of the consumers we serve are diabetic and have vision disabilities typically associated with this condition. We would like to have a talking glucose monitor that could be made available for consumers to try out to see if it is helpful to them. The Accu-Check Voicemate costs $495.

Beginning Braille Series. Our Early Intervention and Youth Specialist is currently working with four visually impaired pre-school age children. It is very important to give these children a head start for school by teaching them their ABCs in Braille. We need a specialized courseware program, that will work on our SAL (Speech Assisted Learning) equipment, called the "Beginning Braille for Young Readers Series." The cost of the courseware is $257.

Miniguide. This is a little, but powerful, hand-held, electronic mobility aid that is used along with a white cane or a guide dog. It detects objects in the user's path using ultrasound, and is helpful to people who are blind or deaf and blind. The audio version emits a tone and the tactile version vibrates to alert the user when an object is detected. This device would be used by our Orientation & Mobility Instructors to assist in O & M training. The cost is $359. End of article.

Aids For Living: CCTV.

In our last issue of InSight we told you about various kinds of magnifiers. One of those was a high-end device called a Closed Circuit Television, or CCTV. This time we would like to tell you about the kinds of CCTVs that are available and what they can do. A CCTV can be used by anyone with low vision, who can no longer comfortably use glasses or special lenses to read regular size print.

One kind of CCTV sits on a desk or table and usually consists of a very small video camera and a display screen or monitor. Printed materials, such as books and magazines, or handwritten letters are placed on a flat tray that can be moved from side to side and back and forth. The small video camera is suspended above the tray and focuses on the printed page. The resulting image is magnified anywhere from 4.5X to 35X, and is displayed on the monitor screen, either in black and white, positive or negative, or in color. Prices of these CCTVs range from about $1800 to $3000.

Another type of CCTV is also a table model with a flat panel monitor. However, the camera is not mounted on the unit, but is a handheld device that can be manipulated to glide across the paper. This CCTV costs about $3200.

Small, portable, CCTVs that use rechargeable batteries are now available. These units are small enough to tuck into a purse or tote bag and take with you as you do your shopping and banking. Fold-down legs also allow you to use them as a table-top unit, and the magnification range is from 3X to 26X, depending on the model. These sell for about $800 to $2300.

Whatever your needs are, there is probably a CCTV that would suit them. As with the magnifiers, picking the right one can be confusing, but the A.V.R.E. Program Services staff is available to help. If you are interested in finding out more about a CCTV, call Laura Henry at 607-724-2428. If you would like to come in and try one out, we have several models available. End of article. Photo of A.V.R.E. Vice President of Operations Ken Fernald using a CCTV.

A.V.R.E. Employee Wins Trophy!

The Upstate New York Invitational Tournament for Blind Bowlers was recently held at Niagara Falls. A local Binghamton area team, the American Legion Post 80 Blind Bowlers, had 5 members of the team who traveled north to participate. Barbara Scott, Addie Butler, A.V.R.E. employee Tom Addley (all visually impaired bowlers), Glen Butler and A.V.R.E. employee Rick Irving (both sighted bowlers) all bowled in the event.

Tom Addley, who is our receptionist, won a first place trophy and cash prize in the "Partially Sighted" category, with a total score of 714 for 3 games. Although Tom has been on the team for only a year, he is an experienced bowler. Congratulations, Tom! Job well done! End of article.

Need A Little Culture?

By Diane McMillan, A.V.R.E. Early Intervention and Youth Specialist

Is your vision loss keeping you from going to the opera? Do you miss walking through museums? Is "The Sound of Music" calling to you, but you feel you can't go? Even though your vision may be less than it once was, you can still enjoy cultural events.

Theaters, opera companies and museums are becoming increasingly aware of people with special needs and are taking steps to make their programs more accessible. Many theaters offer headsets that provide auditory descriptions of the visual portions of a performance, such as costumes, sets and on-stage action. Some theaters and galleries offer programs in large print or on cassette. Some museums and galleries offer "hands-on" exhibits that can actually be touched. Some also provide auditory guided tours with enhanced descriptions of displays.

If there is an event or program that you would really like to attend, call ahead to the theater or museum and inquire about the availability of these special services. End of article.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

For a person with low or no vision, having visual hallucinations can be very frightening. Some people who experience this phenomenon become worried that they are having mental health problems, or may be developing Alzheimer's. Many are relieved to find out that this is not the case, but is attributed to Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS).

A Swiss philosopher named Charles Bonnet first wrote of this condition in 1760 when he observed his grandfather, who had developed cataracts, describing seeing birds and buildings which were not there. Even today, it is not known for certain why this syndrome occurs.

CBS affects people with vision disabilities, and usually only people who have once had sight, then lost it. It usually appears after a period of worsening sight, and can stop within a year to eighteen months. It is thought that perhaps the human brain begins presenting stored images once the eyes can no longer send them, much like watching a slide show. There seem to be two different kinds of images people see. Both kinds can be black and white or in color, can involve movement or stay still, and they can seem real (such as cows in a field) or unreal (such as pictures of dragons).

The first kind involves geometric patterns and lines, like brickwork, mosaics, or tiles. The second kind are more complicated pictures of people, animals, or places. Generally, the pictures are pleasant, although the effects can be confusing and can cause disorientation. People can be frightened by seeing "strangers" in their homes or yards.

There is no known cure or treatment for CBS; however, just knowing that it is poor vision and not mental illness often helps people to come to terms with it. Someone who is experiencing visual hallucinations should not be afraid to talk to a doctor about it. Talking it over can help find ways of adjusting to CBS. End of article.

Welcome Aboard!

We would like to extend a hearty welcome to our newest employee: Lisa Rugino works in our on-site manufacturing program. She has lived in the greater Binghamton area since 1969, and most recently worked as a Practical Nurse at Lourdes Hospital. Lisa is also in training as a back-up receptionist. End of article.

Correction.

In our last issue, we thanked three local businessmen for their donations of Thanksgiving turkeys to our employees. We offer our sincere apologies to Mr. Gary Beagell, of Gary's U-Pull-It, for misspelling his name! End of article.

The Kid's Corner.

By Diane McMillan, A.V.R.E. Early Intervention & Youth Specialist

For a teen-ager, leaving "the nest" to go to college is an exciting part of life. Many do not fully realize the kinds of life-style adjustments and new experiences that will be thrust upon them. For a teen with a vision impairment, there may be even more. One of the very basic skills needed is grocery shopping.

A Grocery Store Audio Tape. A grocery store audio tape can be a good tool in helping a visually impaired person be aware of the layout and arrangement of the store and its contents. This information can then be used to make logically organized shopping lists. Here's how to begin: 1. Select the store where the shopping will be done. 2. Contact the store manager to ask if sighted shopping assistance is available. Many Giant markets in our area are very helpful. 3. Visit the store and obtain a floor plan. Many of the larger stores have maps available.

Making The Tape. 1. Record the following information on the tape: note the name, address and phone number of the store, name of the store manager, location of service desk and manager's office, location of shopping carts, number of checkout lanes, location of express lanes, and anything else that may be useful. 2. Begin recording the location of items in the store, beginning at the front door and proceeding around the four outer walls. Assign a number to each wall, and describe the items found there. Then continue through the numbered inside aisles and list the items found there. Be sure to say whether the items are on the left or right of the aisle.

Making The Shopping List. When the tape is made, it can be used as a reference as the shopping list is created. Determine the items needed, listen to the tape and arrange the items on the list in the order they would be found in the aisles. Take the list to the store, obtain a sighted guide if needed, and move systematically through the store. It may be necessary to phone the store a day ahead to make an appointment with a shopping guide.

Some stores also have a shopping and delivery service. A phone call to place an order is all that is needed to have groceries delivered later. With a little advance work and planning, grocery shopping can be another of those new and fun life experiences! These tips are helpful even if you are not a college student. End of article.

Dialogue Magazine

"Dialogue" is a quarterly magazine that is written specifically for people who are blind or are experiencing vision loss. It is published by Blindskills, Inc., which is a non-profit information service based in Salem, Oregon.

Each issue of "Dialogue" contains writings, stories, and ideas for and about visually impaired people. Much of the material presented is written by visually impaired people and articles may be submitted for publication. Articles cover a wide range of subject matter and include such topics as: sports and recreation; cuisine; technology; family, student, health and independence issues; fiction and poetry. There is also a resource section of products, aids and services.

"Dialogue" is available in four formats: Braille, large print, talking book (4-track) tape, and IBM-compatible disk. The subscription amount is $28 per year for readers who are legally blind and $40 for those who are not. A sample issue is available free of charge. For more information, or to begin a subscription, call Blindskills toll-free at 800-860-4224, or email blindskl@teleport.com. You can also visit their website at www.blindskills.com. End of article.

Have a great summer!

Insight is published quarterly by the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (formerly Blind Work Association), 55 Washington St., Binghamton, NY, 13901. Telephone: 607-724-2428, FAX: 607-771-8045. Email: avreinfo@avreus.org. Website: www.avreus.org. Editor: Joyce Bucci.

A.V.R.E. is a local, private, non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors. We serve visually impaired individuals of all ages who live in the New York counties of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler, as well as the Pennsylvania counties of Bradford, Susquehanna, and Tioga.

A.V.R.E. is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. If you would like more information about A.V.R.E. or its services, please feel free to contact us.

Our vision is to be the first in choice and quality with respect to vision rehabilitation and employment services in the Twin Tiers, and to be a model for the broader community in understanding vision disability.

End of newsletter.