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Celebrating 95 Years of Service
New Hampshire Association for the Blind
To advance the independence of persons who are blind or visually impaired
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Feature Story
Raymond Eyles: Loving Life Despite Blindness
When you meet Ray Eyles it is immediately evident that he is a special individual. Upbeat, warm, personable and with a marvelous sense of humor, he talks about his family, pets (5 cats and 3 birds), and career, heart surgery followed by a major stroke, and yes, his vision loss after heart surgery four years ago. But he is also realistic, and is eager to mention that the rehabilitation services he has received from the New Hampshire Association for the Blind have helped make all the difference in managing his independence. Ray is a survivor who has learned to make the most of what he has and truly appreciates even the smallest things in life. The services provided by the Association have equipped him to maintain meaningful daily tasks.
A little more than a year ago, without warning, Ray experienced a sudden and dramatic increase in vision loss. With his indomitable spirit, once again he bounced back. A former carpenter and appliance repairman, Ray's secret may be that he always takes the time to obtain the proper tools needed to accomplish an important goal.
Thanks to the Association's professional services staff, Ray is able to travel safely outside his home with a white cane. Learning to negotiate stairs without having much remaining peripheral vision was a significant accomplishment for him. Using the training acquired in his Orientation & Mobility lessons with Glenn Gunn, Ray is able to do the grocery shopping again! The daily living skills he learned from Sarah Dorsch in Rehabilitation Teaching have enabled Ray to continue doing the cooking, laundry, and management of the family finances. Marking the household appliances was a simple but vital step in renewing Ray's independence.
Sarah recommended many practical devices for working in the kitchen and around the home, and provided training in their application. Ray has been ingenious in adapting them to his greatest advantage. A talking calculator, blood pressure machine, and scale are just some of the new tools he has learned to master. Magnifiers and adaptive computer software are also on the list.
The support Ray receives from his wife, Donna, as well as his children and grandchildren, ranging in age from 5 months to 19 years old, is also a critical element in his ongoing success. They are a close-knit family and stay in touch regularly. They enjoy camping together. Ray is always ready to share amusing and poignant family anecdotes and stories, and it is clear that family is the center of his life. In many ways it's a partnership. For example, Donna mows the lawn, but Ray has planted the grass seed and wields the garden hose.
Despite his vision loss Ray has a remarkable insight into life and facing its challenges, shaped by his own difficulties. At the end of our visit, Ray commented that you have to "accept life as it comes to you. Even though you have troubles and you're blind, life goes on and it's all what you make of it." In addition to the new skills he's acquired, Ray has embraced this philosophy and lives it every day.
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This past year, the New Hampshire Association for the Blind made a difference in the lives of over 1500 people who are blind or visually impaired.
As our population ages, the number of people needing our services is dramatically increasing.
Your financial support will help ensure the continuation of our important services and help hundreds of individuals maintain their independence.
How Do I Make Contact with a Blind Person?
When approaching a blind person, initiate the greeting using a normal tone of voice. Identify yourself and then inquire if your assistance is desired. If so, touch your hand to the back of their hand as a signal for them to take your arm. Introduce the person to anyone else with you and be sure to include the children.
