LightHouse will be closed on Monday, May 27 for the Memorial Day holiday.
May 7
Introduction to Mind/Body Meditation at Earle Baum Center (online)
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May 6
Meditation truly is a way to nurture oneself. It provides a sacred time to pause, destress and realign oneself with one’s true inner dialogue. There is no wrong or right way to meditate and it is very simple! Meditation stimulates the brains parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and reset” system in our body. In pausing together we can find abundance in our stillness, and relaxation in the permission to let go.
Meditation class at EBC is presented by Patricia Jefferson, Vision Rehabilitation Instructor, who has a lifelong passion for meditation along with emerging meditation coach, Mini Sage.
Meditation class at EBC is presented by Patricia Jefferson, Vision Rehabilitation Instructor, who has a lifelong passion for meditation along with emerging meditation coach, Mini Sage. For more information, contact Patricia Jefferson at jefferson@earlebaum.org or 707-479-832,
Access Day at the de Young Museum: Irving Penn (in-person)
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May 6
Get complimentary admission by appointment for people with disabilities and their guests to visit the Irving Penn exhibition at the de Young museum.
For more information, visit the website, email us at accessday@famsf.org, or call at 415-750-7678
About the Exhibition
Irving Penn celebrates the approximately seven-decade career of one of the twentieth century’s most talented and preeminent photographers, known for his pared-down aesthetic, extraordinary technical skill, and artistic experimentation with the medium. A superb photographer of style, Penn revolutionized fashion photography in the postwar period, using neutral backgrounds to emphasize models’ characters through their gestures and expressions.
RSVP by April 29 for the Irving Penn Access Day. For more information, visit the website, email us at accessday@famsf.org, or call at 415-750-7678
The Business of Blindness: Coffee with Mike (online)
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May 6
What does it mean to be blind or low vision? Mike Cole, a veteran of all things blindness, leads this call-in forum to discuss the day-to-day ins and outs of blindness—from daily living in your home environment to navigating the vast expanse of bureaucracies.
RSVP for The Business of Blindness online or contact Andrew Martinez at AMartinez@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7642.
Low Vision Skills: Putting It All Together (hybrid) **Registration Closed***
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May 6
The Low Vision Skills: Putting It All Together course is composed of essential topics recommended for all participants who are new to low vision.
Adults 55 and older, in addition to adult clients being served by the California Department of Rehabilitation, are invited to participate in a virtual course geared towards learning about their changes in vision. Participants will learn practical ways to maximize successful, independent living skills in work, school, and daily living environments.
The virtual portion of the course is six classes over three weeks: a 2.5-hour introductory class with a Low Vision Optometrist, Social Worker, and two Certified Low Vision Therapists, followed by five, 2.5-hour classes which will include practical skills taught by the Certified Low Vision Therapists. Included in the course: a pre-course assessment one week prior to the start of the course, ongoing support during the course, one in-person half-day group lesson, and one individualized lesson for a total of 8 lessons.
It is a comprehensive skills training course introducing participants to foundational low vision concepts, skills, and current technologies for maximizing successful, independent daily living skills. After the 6 virtual classes, participants can expect to feel more confident in using their vision and making changes in their environment for independent daily living skills. Class 7 is a half-day, in-person Group Adaptive Devices and Strategies Demonstration at the San Francisco LightHouse Headquarters. Thereafter, participants are eligible for Class 8, an individualized Low Vision Therapy lesson.
The six virtual classes will be taught via Zoom Video Conferencing (independent Zoom video skills required for all virtual classes), best viewed on a large screen tablet, laptop, or computer (phone is not recommended for participation in this course due to small screen size for viewing class materials and resource options) at the following dates and times (Pacific Standard Time):
Week of April 29: Course Introduction and Pre-Course Assessment by Zoom video call
Six online classes Mondays & Wednesdays: May 6, 8, 13, 15, 20 & 22, from 9:45 am to 12:15 pm
In-person class Wednesday, June 5 at LightHouse Headquarters in San Francisco from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm: Group Adaptive Devices and Strategies Demonstration. There will be a hour break for provided lunch and further peer interaction.
By June 26: In-person individualized follow-up low vision skills lesson tailored to the unique needs of each participant
If you are not with the California Department of Rehabilitation, and if you are age 55 and older, living in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity, there may be partial scholarship funding for training and course materials. For adults working with the California Department of Rehabilitation, please contact your Rehabilitation Counselor directly to discuss participation and referral.
The registration for this course is currently closed. All interested parties need to have a Low Vision Evaluation completed within one year prior to the start of any low vision course. Please contact Esmerelda Soto at 415-694-7323 or by email at ESoto@lighthouse-sf.org for any questions and planning for a LightHouse Services Orientation and Assessment day. Any appropriate Low Vision course referrals will then be placed on our waitlist for the next available class (dates TBA).
Vision, Peer-led Support Group (online)
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May 6
Vision runs on a 12-week cycle of topics based on Hannah Fairbairn’s 2019 book, When You Can't Believe Your Eyes: Vision Loss and Personal Recovery. We discuss different topics and share experiences, thoughts, and knowledge. We are people with similar experiences who genuinely want to support one another in all aspects of living independently with our changing vision. Each week the topics are independent, so you can join the group at any week. Reading is not required. However, if you would like topic details beyond our discussions, please refer to the book which is available on Braille and Audio Reading Download (DBC11619).
May 6: Chapter 4 delves into the emotional challenges of grief, anger, fear, and denial experienced by individuals coping with vision loss, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and seeking support to facilitate healing and adaptation.
May 20: Chapter 5 guides individuals through accepting and adapting to vision loss, emphasizing the importance of vision rehabilitation training for regaining independence. It covers timing for training, available options, and essential skills such as communication, home management, orientation and mobility, and social interactions.
The events for the upcoming week are read aloud on our event hotline every Friday, which can be accessed by calling 415-694-7325. For more information about visiting the Adaptations Store, head to our shop page.
The LightHouse is scent-free. Please abstain from wearing colognes, perfumes, or other scented products. Additionally, coffee must be securely lidded at all times and citrus should not be peeled on the premises. Thanks for supporting our efforts to respect chemical sensitivities!
