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Changing Vision Changing LIfe

“Changing Vision Changing Life” Changes Locations
LightHouse News

“Changing Vision Changing Life” Changes Locations

On June 4, LightHouse students were planning travel to Enchanted Hills Camp (EHC) in Napa for Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL), a week-long immersive program for people new to blindness, having low vision, or who’ve had a recent change in their vision.  
 
But on Friday, June 2, they got the news that there would be a last-minute change from Napa to San Francisco as CVCL relocated to the Student Residences at LightHouse San Francisco headquarters.
 
The LightHouse staff quickly adapted and assigned students to dorm rooms, reserved rooms at LightHouse for classes and adapted Orientation & Mobility lessons from the sloping paths of camp to sidewalks of San Francisco, that were sprinkled with construction barricades.
 
A few of the CVCL students were kind enough to share their thoughts on a week of learning new skills and connecting with other students with changing vision.
 
Joseph Keery
 
“I was disappointed that we couldn’t go to Napa. But then thinking about the intake I did with [LightHouse Rehabilitation Counselor] Debbie Bacon, I realized my primary goal was to meet other people who are on the same journey. I’ve had experience facilitating many small groups and I know getting people who are experiencing the same thing together can be very powerful. I have many friends and family, but they’re not visually impaired. They’re empathetic, but they’re not experiencing it. Getting together with others experiencing vision changes was my main goal.
 
“My secondary goal was to get some technology training because I don’t do much technology and I knew that I needed to upgrade my skills. I was not excited about the idea of being cooped up in a room on Market Street, but the [LightHouse] facility is absolutely amazing. Going through LightHouse and looking at the design and the artwork was wonderful.”
 
CVCL student Diane Nichols addressed an issue that people with changing vision often face, which is isolation from loved ones.
 
“I’ve been losing my vision for 22 years. One of the hardest things is that I feel like my friends and my family don’t understand and I think they are scared. It’s scary for me to think of how I’m going to take care of myself when I get older. I think some of my friends have pulled away because they’re afraid of me being dependent on them. I tried to tell them ‘I’ll figure things out.’
 
“Despite this, I’ve had a pretty positive attitude, but now that I’ve finished CVCL, I have a much more positive attitude. It was so wonderful to be around all these people who are being proactive and figuring out what they need to do to have a rich life and it’s just lifted me up so much.
 
“Now I can say to my family and friends “These are all the things I’ve learned, and these are the resources I have.”
 
Margaret “Meg” Gorman shared how LightHouse staff and attending CVCL gave her the tools to regain her independence and a community that she could talk to.
 
“A little more than a year ago, I went in for my third major abdominal surgery and when I came out, I was fundamentally blind. It was quite a shock. I was still driving; I was still teaching and having a very full life when suddenly everything came to a screeching halt.
 
“Well, I couldn’t pay my rent, so I had to move. I didn’t know how I was going to live as a blind person. Then I got the number to LightHouse and talked to [Social Worker] Jeff Carlson and he said, ‘We need to get you a Orientation & Mobility person right away.’ Then this man arrived at my door in the middle of my moving boxes being everywhere named Robert [Alminana]. He saw me through my move and taught me how to walk with a white cane. His kindness, warmth and support was like a lifeline to me.
 
“Then I started seeing Fernando [Macias-Larios] to work on technology and he really is patient with me. He said ‘You should go to CVCL,’ so I signed up.  Since I’ve been here, it’s been such a wonderful week. When we got the news that we were going to be at a dorm somewhere in San Francisco, I thought, ‘Well this is not so bad. They’re just being flexible.’ We get here and here I am in this fabulous building and I get a roommate to die for. It’s wonderful to be with other people who are also struggling with sight loss and know that you’re not alone.”
 
LightHouse will continue to offer CVCL both at EHC and LightHouse San Francisco several times a year. If you would like to learn more about this program, contact Debbie Bacon at DBacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 530-400-0355. 

New to Blindness? Learn essential skills with a virtual Edition of Changing Vision Changing Life
LightHouse News

New to Blindness? Learn essential skills with a virtual Edition of Changing Vision Changing Life

Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) is for those who are new to blindness or low vision and want to get a full overview of the essential training that will be beneficial for work, home, school and life. Students will be with a cohort of up to ten peers. CVCL starts with a day of thinking and grows into a week of learning, connecting and doing. This one-week course runs every day with all classes on Zoom.

In addition to the week of training, there will be an Orientation Session Friday, September 17 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and a follow-up meetup on Friday October 1, from 10:00 am to noon after the conclusion of the course. During the training week of September 20 to 24, there are three, two-hour learning sessions every day. Each day of training begins at 10:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm with breaks for lunch and dinner. The exception is Friday, September 24 which begins at 9:30 am and ends at 1:00 pm. Time for student discussion and other relevant topics will be facilitated Monday through Thursday after each afternoon class. Optional chair yoga will be available Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 9:45 am to get your day started

This week-long course is designed for adults who desire a deep introduction to independent living through travel (Orientation & Mobility), Access Technology, and Independent Living Skills. It’s also for those who want a venue to have rich discussion with peers and our professional staff about the opportunity and choices that are ahead. Everyone will receive a packet of materials to enhance learning throughout the week and we will end the week with a morning cooking session (in students’ own kitchens) and lunch together.

Because one of the main purposes of this course is to connect with others who are new to blindness or low vision, we request that all students make a commitment to participate in all sessions including the CVCL Orientation and CVCL Post-Course Meetup. Please note, you do not have to have a computer to participate via Zoom, but you must have a reliable speaker phone (smart phone or landline) to participate and call in. Our tech trainer will provide training before the course to make the Zoom experience smooth.

Cost

The fee to participate in this training is $825 and $140 for course materials that will be sent to you prior to September 20. There are options to pay for the course if you are a consumer of Vocational Rehabilitation or 55 or older.

If you are a consumer of Vocational Rehabilitation, in California or any other state, you will need an authorization from your Rehabilitation Counselor to participate in CVCL.

If you are not with Vocational Rehabilitation and you are age 55 and older, and living in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte or Trinity, there may be partial scholarship funding for training and course materials.

CVCL Full Schedule

CVCL Orientation Session: Friday, September 17 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
CVCL: Monday, September 20 through Thursday September 23 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Friday, September 24 from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm
CVCL Optional Morning Chair Yoga: Tuesday, September 21 through Thursday, September 23 from 9:00 am top 9:45 am
Post-CVCL Meetup: Friday October 1, from 10:00 am to noon

Registration is required and the deadline to register is Tuesday, September 14, 2021. To register, please contact Debbie Bacon at DBacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7357 or Janet Pomerantz (Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte residents) at JPomerantz@lighthouse-sf.org or 707-268-5646.

Learn Blindness Skills Together at Changing Vision Changing Life
LightHouse News

Learn Blindness Skills Together at Changing Vision Changing Life

By Kathy Abrahamson, Director of Rehabilitation Services
 
Here’s a heads-up: many great things will happen on February 22 this year. It’s World Thinking Day, Walking the Dog Day, National Wildlife Day, and you can add one more to your calendar: the week-long Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) virtual program kicks off that day. This is where you can put yourself first in 2021.
 
CVCL is for those of you who are new to blindness or having low vision and who want to get a full overview of the essential training you will find beneficial for work, home, school and life. You’ll learn with a cohort of up to ten peers. CVCL starts with a day of thinking and grows into a week of learning, connecting and doing. 
 
Classes run daily from February 22 through 26, all on the Zoom platform. We will take you through an orientation session Friday, February 19 and a post-CVCL meetup on Friday March 5. During the training week, there will be three, two-hour learning sessions daily, except Friday. Each day of training begins at 9:30 am and ends at 7:30 pm with breaks for lunch and dinner. For those of you who are truly morning people, there will be three mornings where you have the option to start your day even earlier with yoga class.  
 
This week-long course is designed for adults who desire a deep introduction to independent living through travel (Orientation & Mobility), Access Technology, and Independent Living Skills. It’s also for those who want to have rich discussion with peers and LightHouse professional staff about the opportunity and choices that are ahead. Everyone will receive a packet of materials to enhance learning throughout the week and we will end the week with a morning cooking session (in your own kitchen) and lunch together. During our December 2020 class Vincent, who was one of our students, noted that after the week of training, he felt “buoyant” and was ready to move forward in his learning and connecting with others.
 
If you are a Consumer of Vocational Rehabilitation, in California or any other state, you will need an authorization from your Rehabilitation Counselor as there is a fee for the course. If you are not with Vocational Rehabilitation and you are age 55 and older, living in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte or Trinity, there is no charge for instruction, however there is a materials fee of $40.  
 
To participate, all students must be able to make a commitment to all sessions (including the pre-CVCL orientation and the post-CVCL meetup.  You do not have to have a computer to participate via Zoom, but you must have a reliable speakerphone (smart phone or landline) to participate and call in.
 
What
Changing Vision Changing Life
 
When
February 19 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Orientation
February 22 through 26 from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm with lunch and dinner breaks – CVCL
March 5 from 10:00 am to noon – Post CVCL meetup
 
RSVP
Registration is required and the deadline to register is Tuesday, February 16, 2021. To register, please contact Debbie Bacon at DBacon@lighthouse-sf.org or Janet Pomerantz (Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte county residents) at JPomerantz@lighthouse-sf.org.

Changing Vision Changing Life, Celebrating 25 Years of Connection and Program Evolution, Goes Virtual This December
LightHouse News

Changing Vision Changing Life, Celebrating 25 Years of Connection and Program Evolution, Goes Virtual This December

By Kathy Abrahamson, Director of Rehabilitation Services

Twenty-five years ago, a program then called “Living With Vision Loss” was launched by the LightHouse Rehabilitation teaching staff.  At that time, adults of all ages would come to our previous headquarters, two or three days a week, for four weeks of learning. Students learned foundational blindness skills in the areas of independent living, access technology, orientation & mobility, self-advocacy and community resources.  The course was launched during the AIDS epidemic.  During this time, students and teachers supported each other through connection and compassion, through adjusting to blindness or having low vision and the desire to learn skills of independence.

After ten years, the course and the name needed refreshing, thus “Living With Vision Loss” became “Changing Vision Changing Life” (CVCL).  In June 2013, the course became even more immersive: morphing into a one-week intensive course at Enchanted Hills Camp. This meant people from all over the Bay Area and beyond could attend.

Over 400 students have participated in this evolving program, with over half of them having the opportunity to connect at Enchanted Hills Camp.

Now we morph again. While we miss our time at Enchanted Hills Camp, Changing Vision Changing Life is going virtual. Yes, it is a different experience and way of learning, but our same dynamic teaching staff will bring together a two-week training course on Zoom.

What: Changing Vision, Changing Life Goes Virtual

Who: Students 55 and over who are new to blindness or have low vision and desire a deep introduction to independent living through orientation & mobility, access technology, and independent living skills.

When: Weekdays, December 7 through December 18 with the following daily schedule:

  • Mondays: 9:30 am to 11:30 am & 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
  • Tuesdays: 9:30 am to 11:30 am, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
  • Wednesdays: 9:30 am to 11:30 am, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
  • Thursdays: 9:30 am to 11:30 am 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
  • Fridays: 9:30 am to 11:30 am & 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Cost: There is no instructional fee for this two-week course for those living in the counties of: San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity.  There is a material cost of $40 per person as each student will receive a box of equipment to learn with throughout the two weeks which they will then keep.

The evening sessions will be a time for discussion and deeper connection with peers.

This course is for you if you wish to make a commitment to learn more about developing skills and choices to move forward as you leap into 2021. Please note, that all students must be able to make a commitment to all sessions throughout the two weeks.  You do not have to have a computer to participate via Zoom, but you will need to have a reliable speaker phone (smart phone or landline) to participate and call in.

Registration is required by Monday, November 16 and limited to 12 students.

To register:

This Spring, CVCL Answers the Tough Questions for New Students
LightHouse News

This Spring, CVCL Answers the Tough Questions for New Students

“I’ve often thought about what I would do if I were to drop a sewing needle.” The instructor intones the answer in a gentle voice: “Listen for the direction and how far from you it has fallen.” Obvious? Not to me.”

When Eleanor Lew came to LightHouse in 2016, dropping a sewing needle or traveling through the dark were questions without obvious answers. These are just a couple of the hundreds of seemingly answerless riddles that we help people solve in our weeklong skills training, Changing Vision Changing Life.

Initially only held a few times a year, CVCL now happens every month. It trades locations between San Francisco and Napa to give students a holistic, two-part experience that builds confidence in all areas, introduces them to other individuals peers who motivate each other through peer learning, and gets them on the right track towards being happy, healthy people — regardless of level of eyesight.

“Introducing us to the scope of low-vision rehabilitation services so that we can live independently and maintain quality of life is the purported reason for the camp,” Eleanor writes. “But the healing power of connection is what surprises us.”

There are hundreds of stories like Eleanor’s that come out of CVCL each year. If you want to know more about her transformation, read about it in the New York Times and tell your friends with changing vision to get in touch with Debbie Bacon at dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org or by calling 415-694-7357.

Sign Up for our upcoming CVCL sessions:

CVCL II (San Francisco): March 20 – 24

CVCL I (Napa): April 3 – 7

CVCL II (San Francisco): May 8 – 12

CVCL I: (Napa): June 12 – 16

CVCL II (San Francisco): July 17 – 21

 

Know Someone With Changing Vision? Our Next Immersion Training Sessions are Coming Up
LightHouse News

Know Someone With Changing Vision? Our Next Immersion Training Sessions are Coming Up

Photo: Class Picture of the September CVCL Immersion Training Session 2 Class

Fall is a time for harvest and abundance. Over the past four years, 250 students have harvested their skills and received an abundance of support, opportunities to connect and a rich introduction to skills ranging from accessing print, learning about technology to organizing their households and traveling independently.

Holli Clark of Santa Cruz County has participated in both sessions and had this to say about her experience:

“Just a note to share my big thanks for the wonderful Immersion experience! One of my big reasons for wanting to go for Immersion training was because I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. I figured there were better ways of doing things than I had made up over the years. I was certainly correct in that, and am delighted to be learning many new skills. This translates to being more productive, efficient, confident, independent and safer. [The] week was packed with immeasurable value. I learned so much from each trainer and really appreciated your focus on scheduling us according to individual needs…Your staff are both exceptional trainers in their fields as well as wonderful, caring people.”

Sydney and Holli

Photo: Cooking Instructor Sydney Ferrario and CVCL student Holli Clark stand together in the Betty Ruhland Teaching Kitchen at the LightHouse

 We’re offering one last CVCL session before year’s end, and another in February. Details on both follow:

December Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training Session 2
This session is facilitated from the new LightHouse Building in the heart of San Francisco.  The focus of this week’s training is “boots hit the ground in training”. Students participating in this week must have already received basic skills training in orientation and mobility, access technology or independent living and must be committed to focusing intently in all three of these skill areas in a small group and individual learning environment. (Please note: students do not need to have attended a previous CVCL session to attend CVCL 2 in San Francisco.)

This five day session is designed for students who are committed to full days of instruction, homework and practice in the evening and will take full advantage of the professional training time, mentoring and peer support and self-study that will be available.

Students will participate in a minimum of three of the following areas:

  1. Access Technology, including:
  • Computer training (Mac or PC) – using the software you are currently learning
  • Smart Phone Training – Apple or Android
  • Tablet Training – Apple or Android
  1. Orientation and Mobility Training 1:1
  2. Introduction to Braille
  3. Smart Cooking for Independence
  4. Low Vision Training – Using your Tools to Your Benefit
  5. Independent living skills

When: CVCL 2 will run from Monday, December 5th (arrival at 9:30 a.m. – training starts at 10:00 a.m.) through Friday, December 9 (leave at 11:00 a.m.)

Where: The session will be held in our headquarters building at 1155 Market St., 10th Floor in San Francisco. Participants will stay overnight throughout the week in our Student Residences.

Cost: There is a $1,300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration. It is highly recommended that all students have a solution for taking notes, such as the Victor Reader Stream (training will be provided in how to use this recording device)

***

February Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training Session 1
This session is held at Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa and is specifically geared for students new to blindness and low vision. For five days, up to 14 adult students have the opportunity to develop basic skills in a range of areas – access technology; orientation and mobility; organization and labeling; magnification and lighting; cooking; braille and community, state and national resources.

The week is full, active, emotional and supportive and students are given the opportunity to meet others, to harvest their own skills and determine the direction of the quality of their lives. There are three scholarship openings for persons 55 and better living in Humboldt, Del Norte, San Francisco, Marin or Alameda County who are not consumers of the Department of Rehabilitation or the VA. For those who are consumers of the Department of Rehabilitation, we encourage you to discuss this opportunity with your counselor.

When: CVCL I will run from February 6th – 10th.

Where: The session will be held in at Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Participants will stay overnight throughout the week in our lakeside lodgings. Transportation is available from San Francisco, Berkeley and Marin County.

Cost: There is a $1,300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.

***

For More Information, to Register for Session 1 or Session 2, or if you have questions, please contact Debbie Bacon at dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7357 in San Francisco; Jeff Carlson at jcarlson@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-258-8496 in Marin County or Janet Pomerantz at jpomerantz@lighthouse-sf.org or 707-268-5646 in Humboldt County.

 

Changing Vision Changing Life II – Begins Sunday, September 18
LightHouse News

Changing Vision Changing Life II – Begins Sunday, September 18

Photo: Cooking Instructor Sydney Ferrario preps food with students.

Have you already received basic skills training in orientation and mobility, access technology or independent living and are committed to focus more intently in all three of these skill areas in a small group and individual learning environment? Changing Vision Changing Life may be for you. We’ve added a brand-new session to our Changing Vision Changing Life Series of small group trainings: The Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) II Immersion.

This motivating five-night session is designed for students who may have participated in CVCL instruction in the past and are now focused on practicing the skills they’ve learned in a more intensive and structured manner.

Note: You don’t need to have attended a previous CVCL session to attend this one. However, you need to have had some basic training in Orientation and Mobility, independent living skills and/or access technology.

This session is great for students who are currently training in all of the areas above and can benefit from multiple days of one-on-one and small group instruction.

In this session, students will work on all of the following:

  • Access Technology, including
  • Computer training (Mac or PC) – using the software you are currently learning
  • Smart Phone Training – Apple or Android
  • Tablet Training – Apple or Android
  • Peer Group Support – Moving Forward
  • Advocacy – Taking Control
  • Orientation and Mobility Training 1:1
  • Introduction to Braille
  • Smart Cooking for Independence
  • Low Vision Training – Using your Tools to Your Benefit
  • Physical and Recreational Exploration to Enhance Mobility

When: This session will run from Sunday, September 18 (arrival at 3:30 p.m.) through Friday, September 23 (leave at 10:30 a.m.)
Where: The session will be held in our headquarters building at 1155 Market St., 10th Floor in San Francisco. Participants will stay overnight throughout the week in our Student Residences.
Cost: There is a $1300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.


We will also be offering Changing Vision Changing Life sessions in November and December, 2016:

CVCL I (for those who are very new to low vision/blindness and have not had skills instruction):
When: Monday, November 7 through Friday, November 11
Where: This session will take place at Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa
Cost: There is a $1300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.

CVCL II (for those persons who have had training and are ready for more focused instruction)
When: Monday, December 5 through Friday, December 9
Where: This session will take place at the new LightHouse Building, 1155 Market St., San Francisco, 94103. Participants will stay in our Student Residences.
Cost: There is a $1300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.

To find out which session is the best fit for you please contact Debbie Bacon at dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-357.

Changing Vision Changing Life II – A New Addition to Our Immersion Training
LightHouse News

Changing Vision Changing Life II – A New Addition to Our Immersion Training

PHOTO: Cooking Instructor Sydney Ferrario preps food with students.

Are you ready to kick your skills up a notch? We’ve added a brand-new session to our Changing Vision Changing Life Series of small group trainings: The Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) II Immersion.

This motivating six-day overnight session is designed for students who may have participated in CVCL instruction in the past and are now focused on practicing the skills they’ve learned in a more intensive and structured manner.

Note: You don’t need to have attended a previous CVCL session to attend this one. However, you need to have had some basic training in Orientation and Mobility, independent living skills and/or access technology.

This session is great for students who are currently training in all of the areas above and can benefit from multiple days of one-on-one and small group instruction.

In this session, students will work on all of the following:

Access Technology, including

  • Computer training (Mac or PC) – using the software you are currently learning
  • Smart Phone Training – Apple or Android
  • Tablet Training – Apple or Android

Peer Group Support – Moving Forward
Advocacy – Taking Control
Orientation and Mobility Training 1:1
Introduction to Braille
Smart Cooking for Independence
Low Vision Training – Using your Tools to Your Benefit
Physical and Recreational Exploration to Enhance Mobility

When: This session will run from Sunday, September 18 (arrival at 3:30 p.m.) through Friday, September 23 (leave at 10:30 a.m.)

Where: The session will be held in our headquarters building at 1155 Market St., 10th Floor in San Francisco. Participants will stay overnight throughout the week in our Student Residences.

Cost: There is a $1300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.

To find out if this session is the best fit for you please contact Debbie Bacon at dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-357.

First Weeklong Immersion Class Pioneers Intensive Blindness Introduction in our New Building
LightHouse News

First Weeklong Immersion Class Pioneers Intensive Blindness Introduction in our New Building

In June we launched the fourth year of the Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training program at our new Headquarters offices at 1155 Market Street in San Francisco.

Gaining an understanding of what is available to you, getting hands-on with new skills and developing renewed confidence with changing vision is the overall theme of the week. While the experience is different for everyone, the act of coming together with other adult students and teachers who are blind or have low vision, to learn or relearn skills and get back into the stream of life, is a pivotal part of the week-long experience.

Join us! We have several Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training scheduled this summer at our new Headquarters offices at 1155 Market Street in San Francisco.

Our new Student Residences can accommodate 2 to 3 students per room. Each Student Residence offers wireless internet connections, recharging stations and a personal bureau.  Students will be provided with a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner. The lodging is akin to a modern Bed and Breakfast – private men’s and women’s facilities are a short walk down the hall from each room. Student lodging is secure and comfortable both for learning and for connecting with others when there is a break from training.

  • Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, California 94103
  • Session Dates:
    July Session: July 10th to 15th (note: all training in Spanish) (Deadline for sign-up is July 1st.)
  • August Session: August 16th to 22nd (training starts at our Napa site and finishes in San Francisco) (Deadline for sign-up is August 5th.)
  • September Session: September 18th to 23rd (Deadline for sign-up is August 9th.)

Jorge Ellington

Student Jorge Ellington arranges his legs into a pretzel-like formation during morning yoga in our new fitness studio during the Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion.

Over 160 active adults from all parts of Northern California have participated in the LightHouse immersion training programs at the Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Providing a second venue to facilitate Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion brings to our students the urban feel of training as well as the additional access a city has to offer, such as visiting the library for the blind; attending an audio described movie at a local movie theater or participating in an accessible art tour at one of the many museums in San Francisco.

In our new urban environment you and your peers will be immersed in building a foundation of independent living skills, access technology skills, orientation and mobility and peer support to get you started on your journey of living your life the way you want in maintaining your independence. All of this along with the energy and vibrancy of one of the most beautiful cities in the world surrounding you.

The CVCL curriculum, presented in four or five sessions per day, includes: ways to read printed materials; understanding how lighting, contrast and magnification can help you every day; techniques for organizing and labeling in your home or office; best methods for taking notes; basic cooking skills; traveling and moving safely and confidently in your home and in the community and understanding how accessible computers and other high and low tech equipment can enhance your life.

You can’t learn everything about blindness or low vision in a single week. But you’ll emerge hungry for more, understanding why you’ll need to put in the effort required to excel in many nonvisual aspects of life. And you’ll have a whole lot of fun and friendship along the way.

Evening discussions focus inwards, from conversations about holding yourself accountable on your journey, to self-advocacy to questions about how friends, family and partners can understand/support you and your path. Sometimes the process is planned, other times it becomes very organic. Each person and every group of students is different and we individualize much of the experience depending on your own aspirations.

Transportation access to San Francisco from Humboldt County will be provided for North Coast students and for those who reside in the bay area, 1155 Market sits right above the Civic Center BART and is only a short cab ride or bus from the Cal Train Station and the temporary Trans Bay Terminal.

Blind or low vision students who are interested should have a genuine interest in learning the skills for moving forward; enjoy learning with a group of peers and are able to participate full day (from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day) of active learning and physical participation (urban mobility and public transit in San Francisco).

Note, there is no cost to attend if you are 55 or older and living in San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Humboldt or Del Norte counties. Limited scholarships are available for persons under 55 and not eligible for Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training is open to adults who are ready for a jump start or a recharge as their vision has changed. Be among the very first classes in our new building. Interested? Contact LightHouse staff in San Francisco, San Rafael or Eureka:

LightHouse News

Stay the Week – Learn and Connect at our New Headquarters

Students and instructors from the January class gather for a group photo in front of the fireplace at Enchanted Hills RetreatJoin us this month for our first Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training at our new Headquarters offices at 1155 Market Street in San Francisco.

Our new Student Residences can accommodate 2 to 3 students per room. Each Student Residence offers wireless internet connections, recharging stations and a personal bureau.  Students will be provided with a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner. The lodging is akin to a modern Bed and Breakfast – private men’s and women’s facilities are a short walk down the hall from each room. Student lodging is secure and comfortable both for learning and for connecting with others when there is a break from training.

Dates for our upcoming training sessions in 2016, all at our new Headquarters in San Francisco

Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, California 94103

Session Dates:

June Session: June 13th to 17th (Deadline for sign-up is June 3rd.)
July Session: July 10th to 15th (note: all training in Spanish) (Deadline for sign-up is July 1st.)
August Session: August 16th to 22nd (training starts at our Napa site and finishes in San Francisco) (Deadline for sign-up is August 5th.)
September Session: September 18th to 23rd (Deadline for sign-up is August 9th.)

Over 160 active adults from all parts of Northern California have participated in the LightHouse immersion training programs at the Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Providing a second venue to facilitate Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion brings to our students the urban feel of training as well as the additional access a city has to offer, such as visiting the library for the blind; attending an audio described movie at a local movie theater or participating in an accessible art tour at one of the many museums in San Francisco.

You can be one of the first to go through our 2016 Immersion training in San Francisco. In our new urban environment you and your peers will be immersed in building a foundation of independent living skills, access technology skills, orientation and mobility and peer support to get you started on your journey of living your life the way you want in maintaining your independence. All of this along with the energy and vibrancy of one of the most beautiful cities in the world surrounding you.

The CVCL curriculum, presented in four or five sessions per day, includes: ways to read printed materials; understanding how lighting, contrast and magnification can help you every day; techniques for organizing and labeling in your home or office; best methods for taking notes; basic cooking skills; traveling and moving safely and confidently in your home and in the community and understanding how accessible computers and other high and low tech equipment can enhance your life.

Evening discussions focus inwards, from conversations about holding yourself accountable on your journey, to self-advocacy to questions about how friends, family and partners can understand/support you and your path. Sometimes the process is planned, other times it becomes very organic. Each person and every group of students is different and we individualize much of the experience depending on your own aspirations.

Gaining understanding of what is available to you, getting hands-on with new skills and developing renewed confidence with changing vision is the overall theme of the week. While the experience is different for everyone, the act of coming together with other adult students and teachers who are blind or have low vision, to learn or relearn skills and get back into the stream of life, is a pivotal part of the week-long experience.

Transportation access to San Francisco from Humboldt County will be provided for North Coast students and for those who reside in the bay area, 1155 Market sits right above the Civic Center BART and is only a short cab ride or bus from the Cal Train Station and the temporary Trans Bay Terminal.

Blind or low vision students who are interested should have a genuine interest in learning the skills for moving forward; enjoy learning with a group of peers and are able to participate full day (from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day) of active learning and physical participation (urban mobility and public transit in San Francisco).

Note, there is no cost to attend if you are 55 or older and living in San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Humboldt or Del Norte counties. Limited scholarships are available for persons under 55 and not eligible for Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training is open to adults who are ready for a jump start or a recharge as their vision has changed. Be the first student to join us in San Francisco. Interested? Contact LightHouse staff in San Francisco, San Rafael or Eureka: