Where to find other sighted spouses of people with visual impairment?
March 27, 2022 6:32 PM Subscribe
Where does one find the niche community of other sighted spouses of people with visual impairment/who are legally blind? (Either virtual or in-person, in/near NYC preferably.) I am looking to connect with others to understand how they navigated challenging life decisions but am having trouble finding others in this situation. More below.
For a couple years now, I have been looking unsuccessfully for a community (either virtual or in-person) of sighted spouses of visually impaired/legally blind individuals. Most of my research has led me to spouses of people who have lost vision later in life but our situation is different in that my wife has had a visual impairment her entire life. I would like to connect with other people in a similar situation to learn how they navigated some challenging situations. Most importantly, we are now debating where to put down roots (within the metro New York area) balancing accessibility, cost and our preferences. We are currently in NYC which is great for accessibility/mobility (she can take our infant most anywhere) but we are both used to having some of our own private quiet and green space.
I have looked at the federation for the blind, local/state visual impairment programs, and a few websites but no luck thus far. Welcome any knowledge or suggestions of areas to find other such people. Or advice if you have any of your own. Does not need to be New York specific. Thanks!
For a couple years now, I have been looking unsuccessfully for a community (either virtual or in-person) of sighted spouses of visually impaired/legally blind individuals. Most of my research has led me to spouses of people who have lost vision later in life but our situation is different in that my wife has had a visual impairment her entire life. I would like to connect with other people in a similar situation to learn how they navigated some challenging situations. Most importantly, we are now debating where to put down roots (within the metro New York area) balancing accessibility, cost and our preferences. We are currently in NYC which is great for accessibility/mobility (she can take our infant most anywhere) but we are both used to having some of our own private quiet and green space.
I have looked at the federation for the blind, local/state visual impairment programs, and a few websites but no luck thus far. Welcome any knowledge or suggestions of areas to find other such people. Or advice if you have any of your own. Does not need to be New York specific. Thanks!
Best answer: For a couple years now, I have been looking unsuccessfully for a community (either virtual or in-person) of sighted spouses of visually impaired/legally blind individuals.
I've been the sighted spouse/partner of a blind person for going on twenty-odd years now. In all that time, I've not encountered such a community.
As a couple, we've had to make lots of decisions around accessibility, what a good life for both of us looks like, and why we live where we do . That has, in large part but not exclusively, informed the reasons we live in a large city that's getting more expensive to live in as time goes on. There's a whole bunch of non-negotiable downsides to living somewhere smaller that has figured into our decisions.
All of which is to say I probably get where you're coming from.
I'm very happy to chat. Feel free to MeMail me!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:52 PM on March 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've been the sighted spouse/partner of a blind person for going on twenty-odd years now. In all that time, I've not encountered such a community.
As a couple, we've had to make lots of decisions around accessibility, what a good life for both of us looks like, and why we live where we do . That has, in large part but not exclusively, informed the reasons we live in a large city that's getting more expensive to live in as time goes on. There's a whole bunch of non-negotiable downsides to living somewhere smaller that has figured into our decisions.
All of which is to say I probably get where you're coming from.
I'm very happy to chat. Feel free to MeMail me!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:52 PM on March 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
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