Learn to live independently.

Lighthouse Guild’s Marilyn and Francine Gruder Independent Living Skills Program helps you build the confidence and motivation you need to function at your best. Our services include:

  • A home visit to evaluate your environment, including techniques and strategies to improve your safety and meet your specific needs.
  • Vision assessment to evaluate and measure your visual functioning.
  • Counseling to help you adjust to vision loss.
  • Group and one-on-one instruction in daily living activities.
  • Indoor and outdoor mobility instruction to help you move safely in various environments.
  • Rehabilitation therapy to increase your mobility and strength.

Our instructors provide training to promote self-confidence and independence. You can develop skills such as:

  • Self care, such as bathing, showering, and dressing.
  • Communication, such as using the phone and accessible apps, accessing print documents, and signing documents and letters.
  • Organization, including use of accessible timepieces and learning to use a calendar.
  • Home management, such as operating cleaning appliances.
  • Financial management, including identifying bills and writing checks.

Who I am today is not who I was before I lost my vision. And that’s entirely thanks to the hard work of everyone at Lighthouse Guild.

Shanell, client
Shanell, client

Adjusting to a new lifestyle

Learning to live independently can be scary. Our social workers provide support to help you transition to the life you want, helping you to adjust to vision loss emotionally and find and maintain sources of social support. We also help you to:

  • Learn strategies to attain your educational and career goals.
  • Build self-confidence and advocate for yourself.
  • Identify behaviors and challenges that may impact your return to work.
  • Find resources to assist with your adjustment to vision loss, such as entitlements, health care, and community services.