Adapt & Thrive Division

Blind & Low Vision Services for Older Adults

Vision changes later in life can affect everyday activities such as reading mail, preparing meals, managing medications, using a phone, handling finances, traveling safely, communicating with family, and participating in the community.

The NEW Adapt & Thrive, a division of VisionLink Solutions, provides specialized services for older adults who are blind, have low vision, or are experiencing significant vision loss.

Our focus is helping older adults develop practical skills, adaptive strategies, and confidence so they can remain as independent, safe, connected, and active as possible. Whether vision loss is recent or has progressed over time, learning new ways to complete everyday tasks can make a meaningful difference.

Who We Serve

Adapt & Thrive is specifically designed to support older adults experiencing blindness or significant vision loss.

Services may be appropriate for:

Older Adults with Recent Vision Loss to develop new techniques as vision changes over time.

Older Adults Who Are Blind to strengthen independent living, communication, technology, mobility, and daily living skills.

Older Adults with Low Vision to learn to combine remaining vision with magnification, contrast, lighting, technology, and adaptive techniques.

Family Members & Caregivers to learn how to support safety and independence while encouraging the older adult to remain actively involved in daily activities.

How Adapt & Thrive Works

Using a Personalized approach, we discuss, and you decide what independence means to you!

Independence does not mean doing every task completely alone.

It means having choices.

For one person, independence may mean preparing breakfast without assistance. For another, it may mean using a smartphone to call grandchildren. For someone else, it may mean being able to identify medications, listen to books, manage appointments, travel to church, or organize personal belongings.

Adapt & Thrive begins by asking:

What would you like to be able to do?

We then identify techniques, tools, technology, and training that can help you move toward that goal.

Our Promises to you and your family are:

Why Choose Adapt & Thrive?

Adapt & Thrive focuses on the needs of older adults experiencing blindness and low vision.

Our services bring together expertise in:

• Vision rehabilitation
• Adaptive daily living skills
• Assistive technology
• Low-vision technology
• Accessibility
• Orientation and Mobility
• Communication
• Independent Living

Most importantly, services are centered on the individual. We do not measure success by how many skills are taught. We measure success by whether those skills help someone live more safely, independently, confidently, and meaningfully.

Supporting Independence After Vision Loss

Losing vision later in life can make familiar activities feel unfamiliar.

Tasks that once seemed simple may suddenly require additional time, different tools, or an entirely new approach. This can affect a person’s ability to manage a household, communicate with others, access information, participate in hobbies, travel safely, and maintain independence.

ADAPT & THRIVE HELPS OLDER ADULTS IDENTIFY PRACTICAL WAYS TO ADJUST.

Our services focus on what each person wants and needs to continue doing what is important to them.

That may mean learning how to:

• Identify medications safely
• Use a smartphone with accessibility features
• Prepare simple meals

• Organize clothing and household items

• Read printed information using technology
• Manage appointments
• Use accessible labeling systems
• Handle money
• Communicate by phone, text, or emails
• Use household appliances safely
• Access books, news, and entertainment
• Travel more confidently
• Maintain hobbies and social connections
• Develop routines that support independence

The goal is not to change who you are.

The goal is to help you discover different ways to continue doing the things that matter to you.

Services for Older Adults Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Finding the Right Tools for Your needs

There are many devices and technologies marketed to people with vision loss. Not every product is appropriate for every person.

An assessment helps identify both low and high tech options on the individual’s actual needs, abilities, comfort level, and goals.

Assessments may consider:

• Current Vision
• Hearing
• Familiarity with technology
• Hand coordination
• Preferred learning methods
• Everyday tasks
• Communication needs
• Reading needs
• Home environment
• Safety
• Personal goals

Recommendations may include:

• Bump dots, puffy paint, or other labeling techniques
• low tech options
• Electronic magnifiers
• Accessible smartphones
• Tablets
• Screen magnification
• Screen readers
• Voice assistants
• OCR technology
• Accessible clocks
• Labeling devices
• Audio products
• Computer accessibility tools
• and other adaptive equipment

Technology should make life easier, not more complicated. Our goal is to recommend solutions that are practical and appropriate for the individual.

Adjustment to Vision Loss

Learning a Different Way Does Not Mean Losing Independence

Vision loss can affect far more than eyesight. It may change routines, roles, confidence, relationships, transportation options, hobbies, and the way a person approaches everyday activities.

Adapt & Thrive provides practical rehabilitation services that help older adults focus on what they can continue to do and what they can learn to do differently. Progress may begin with a simple goal:

“I want to make my own coffee again.”

or:

“I want to use my phone without asking someone else.”

Or:

“I want to manage my own medications.”

Or:

“I want to read my mail”

Or:

“I want to feel comfortable being home by myself.”

Whatever your goal…IT MATTERS.

Adapt & Thrive begins there!

Independent Living Skills

Practical Strategies for Everyday Life

Vision loss can change how everyday activities are completed, but many tasks can still be performed safely and independently with the right techniques.

Adapt & Thrive provides individualized instruction in adaptive daily living skills for older adults with vision loss.

Training may include:

• Personal organization
• Clothing identification and organization
• Grooming strategies
• Household organization
• Labeling and identification systems
• Money indeptification and management
• Medication organization strategies
• Meal preparation
• Kitchen safety
• Measuring and pouring
• Household cleaning techniques
• Laundry strategies
• Calendar and appointment management
• Telephone use
• Communication
• Mail orgaization
• Accessible household equipment
• Daily routines

Instruction is based on the person’s individual needs, home environment, current abilities, and personal goals.

Reading & Accessing Printed Information

New Ways to Access the Information You Need

Reading mail, medication instructions, bills, recipes, books, labels, and other printed materials can become difficult as vision changes.

Adapt & Thrive helps older adults learn alternative ways to access printed information.

Strategies may include:

• Magnification
• Large print
• Electronic magnifiers
• Smartphone cameras
• OCR applications
• Text-to-speech technology
• Audio materials
• Accessible labeling
• Digital documents
• Voice assistants

Older adults can also learn how to access recreational reading through:

• Audiobooks
• Accessible library services
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Digital reading devices

Maintaining access to information is an important part of maintaining independence.

Communication & Staying Connected

Vision Loss Does Not Have to Mean Isolation

Being able to communicate with family, friends, healthcare providers, businesses, and community organizations is an essential part of independence.

Adapt & Thrive can help older adults learn accessible ways to:

• Make phone calls
• Answer calls
• Manage contacts
• Send and receive text messages
• Use voicemail
• Access email
• Make video calls
• Use voice assistants
• Manage appointments
• Access community information
• Participate in virtual meetings
• Stay connected with family and friends

Technology instruction is provided at an appropriate pace and can focus only on features useful to the individual. You do not have to learn everything your device can do. You only need to learn what helps you.

Technology for Everyday Independence

Smartphone Accessibility

Learn how to use accessibility features on an iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or tablet.

Skills may include:

• Making and answering calls
• Sending text messages
• Using voice commands
• Reading messages aloud
• Managing contacts
• Checking voicemail
• Setting alarms and reminders
• Using the calendar
• Accessing weather information
• Listening to audiobooks
• Reading news
• Using transportation applications
• Video calling family and friends
• Accessing entertainment
• Using accessibility settings

Computer Accessibility

For older adults who want or need to use a computer, training may include:

• Basic keyboard use
• Screen magnification
• Screen-reading technology
• Email
• Internet access
• Accessible documents
• Online services
• Video calling
• Basic file management

Training is paced according to the learner’s comfort and experience.

Low-Vision Technology

Make Better Use of Remaining Vision

For individuals with usable vision, changes in lighting, contrast, magnification, and technology can sometimes make everyday activities easier.

Adapt & Thrive can help older adults explore tools and strategies such as:

• Electronic magnification
• Computer magnification
• Screen enlargement
• Increased contrasts
• Larger text
• Speech output
• Accessible display settings
• Lighting strategies
• OCR technology
• Digital reading tools
• Smartphone magnification
• Tablet accessibility
• Large-print options

Our focus is not simply on making things larger.

We help individuals determine which combination of vision, hearing, touch, speech, technology, and adaptive techniques works best for the activity they want to complete.

Services for Families & Caregivers

Supporting Independence Without Taking Over

When an older adult experiences vision loss, family members often want to help. Sometimes, however, helping can unintentionally become doing everything for the person.

Adapt & Thrive can help family members understand how rehabilitation, adaptive techniques, organization, and technology can support continued independence. Family consultation may include:

• Understanding vision loss
• Setting realistic expectations
• Creating an accessible home environment
• Supporting new skills
• Encouraging independence
• Organizing household items
• Identifying helpful technology
• Improving communication
• Learning safe guiding techniques
• Locating community resources

A person with vision loss may need to do something differently. That does not always mean someone else needs to do it for them.