Compassionate care for vision loss
Trauma-Informed Care in Vision Rehab: Stability Before Growth
Trauma-informed care recognizes the profound impact of trauma on an individual’s ability to navigate life changes.
Losing good eyesight is a specific type of physical and social trauma.
It's a trauma further complicated by a lack of knowledge about vision loss in the community. Very few people going through vision loss know a safe person they can turn to who has experienced the same traumatic event(s).
One way health care professionals, community members, and volunteers can support friends and family experiencing vision loss is by applying the principles of Psychological First Aid (PFA).
PFA is an evidence-based approach to support a person experiencing a traumatic or distressing event. The purpose is to reduce immediate distress, promote healthy coping mechanisms, and connect a traumatized person to resources for further assistance.
Trauma is what happens in the absence of an empathetic witness. It makes sense Psychological First Aid principles are a recipe for bringing compassion and empathy to a situation. By doing this we establish a safe and supportive environment and can honestly assess immediate needs.
When interacting with someone in distress we can listen actively, offer reassurance & immediate support with safety concerns, or provide practical help reading correspondence and offering rides to places.
By addressing immediate safety needs—such as learning to navigate spaces or re-establishing routines—it's possible to reduce anxiety and introduce experiences that re-establish a sense of control.
Providing practical tips and strategies for managing stress and anxiety helps. Connecting with family, friends, or community resources and engaging in kind, frank discussion sensitive to the person's experience helps. So does validating common reactions like disbelief, shock, mental numbness, or denial.
Denial is our brain's way of protecting us when something overwhelming happens. A person in denial may refuse services or beneficial help. Rather than pushing help this is an opportunity to hold space and allow processing to take place.
Trust that with time and care big feelings about vision loss do lessen. When a person feels ready vision rehabilitation professionals are available. They teach the skills necessary to get stuff done non-visually.