Recently, the Guild hosted three sold-out sessions of our workshop, “Dining with Confidence.” Polly Abbott, our director of rehabilitation services, developed this program to help people with vision loss overcome their fear of dining with friends and families.
People with vision loss, unable to see what is on their plate due to their eye condition or insufficient lighting, commonly experience difficulty when eating. Food falls off the plate, glasses are knocked over, and forks can almost magically lose whatever food was on them before it is consumed. Even trying to cut with a knife and fork can be intimidating. Eating loses all its enjoyment and become a daily ordeal associated with feelings of helplessness and frustration. Ashamed to be unable to eat as neatly as they once did, many people simply decide to eat in private, isolating themselves from the pleasures of the table and the social benefits of sharing a meal with others.
Dining with Confidences addresses issues such as: “How do I tell the salt from the pepper?” “How do I know what is on my plate?” “How do I pick up my water without knocking it over?” “How do I eat without making a mess on the table?” “How do I cut a small bite with a knife and fork?” Eating gracefully without sight requires a few simple strategies and, of course, a sense of humour. Participants practice efficient cutting, scooping, and spearing techniques under the Polly’s guidance and discuss in detail how to handle the most challenging food situations. Participants, armed with new strategies and techniques, leave feeling confident about rejoining their friends and dining in public again.
What has impressed me is the popularity of Dining with Confidence. Sessions quickly fill up and you often hear the sounds of laughter and camaraderie that comes from the room. People are obviously learning and gaining strength from each other. Dining with Confidence truly demonstrates what distinguishes the Guild for the Blind from other agencies. Our goal is not to help our members become more adept visually impaired people; our goal is to help people with vision loss continue to do the things they did before they lost their vision or to be full participants in their communities.
