There are approximately 1 million legally blind adults living in the United States, according to the National Center for Policy Research for Women & Families. While societies have recognized the unique needs of blind people for centuries, each generation faces a unique set of challenges, particularly given the fact that the number of blind people in the U.S. will continue to increase as the adult life expectancy grows.
Activities of Daily Living and Aging
According to the 2004 study titled "Blind Adults in America: Their Lives and Challenges" published by the National Center for Policy Research for Women & Families, most blind adults younger than age 75 are able to perform most activities of daily living including dressing, bathing, eating, toileting and traveling in and out of the home. As a person ages, however, the ability to perform these activities decreases to the point where one-third of blind women and one-quarter of blind men are unable to perform personal care activities at all.
Succeeding with Specialized Services
Specialized services are a key part of enabling blind people to live productive and independent lives. Examples of specialized services include equipment and literature written in braille to allow the blind to read, and long canes or dog guides to guide people through public areas. While available, these items are costly, and public funds are often limited. Without these items, or the money to pay for them, a blind person's chances of success with regard to independent living are challenging.
Functioning in a High-tech World
Today's technology is highly reliant on touch screens. Consider cell phones, microwave ovens, and even GPS navigation systems. All require sight to be able to operate correctly using a screen. A blind person must come up with alternatives such as screen readers which describe the action occurring on the screen, or using screen shortcut buttons on a PC because the mouse is useless. Many times, according to a 2008 article appearing in "Computer World," there is no solution that is fool-proof for all blind people, rendering much of touch screen and computer technology useless.
