The Independent Living & Older Individuals Who Are Blind programs are designed to provide a broad range of services enabling Kentuckians with vision impairments to achieve their maximum level of independence within the home, community and/or workplace. Free, customized services are offered statewide.
What Can I Expect from IL/OIB Services?
Customized training is offered to help individuals of all ages learn adaptive daily living skills. This training focuses on adaptive skills to help with writing, using a telephone, tactile labeling, navigating the internet, cooking and cleaning, combined with the use of low-vision devices and assistive technology.
The IL/OIB counselor begins by conducting an individualized needs assessment. The assesment will review blindness-related problems and identify solutions that will help achieve greater independence in the home, community and/or workplace. Instruction is given in the use of adaptive techniques enabling the individual to continue doing many of the things they were doing in the past or to learn new skills. Individuals can also be connected to other blindness related resources.
How to Contact IL/OIB Services
For more information regarding IL/OIB services, please call 800-346-2115.
Resources from Independent Living and Older Individuals Who Are Blind
Independent Living Services Brochure
The Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center is a part of the
National Research & Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) at Mississippi State University, focused on agencies serving older individuals who are blind (OIB). This project is funded by two grants (#H177Z200001) and (#H177Z150003) from the
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the U.S. Department of Education. The OIB-TAC team provides a variety of training and technical assistance activities to state OIB programs to improve administration, operation, and performance of OIB programs by addressing the areas of community outreach; best practices in provision and delivery of services; program performance, including data reporting and analysis; and financial and management practices, including administrative compliance.
Founded in 1920 by William Hadley, an educator who lost his eyesight later in life, Hadley offers practical help, connection and support free of charge to anyone with a visual impairment, their families and professionals supporting them. Providing online, large print, braille and audio media, Hadley serves nearly 150,000 individuals each year, reaching all 50 states and 100 countries. And more people learn braille from Hadley than from any other organization worldwide.
Are you or a family member having difficulty seeing? Or perhaps been diagnosed with an eye condition such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone: vision problems affect 25 million Americans and they are on the rise. VisionAware is a free, easy-to-use informational service for adults with vision loss, their families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and social service professionals.
The KTBL provides free library service to people who cannot read traditional print because they have a visual, physical, or reading disability. Audio and Braille materials are sent to and from users by postage-free mail, or can be downloaded from the internet. A special Talking Book player is provided on loan. KTBL has been in operation since 1969 and is part of a national network of libraries administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a branch of the Library of Congress.
Read the Talking Books and magazines you want when you want them—24 hours a day/7 days a week—even from your mobile devices! New books are available on BARD first, and there is no due date for downloaded books. You must first be a registered patron of the Kentucky Talking Book Library and have an NLS digital player or BARD-compatible device.
Covia, an organization based in California, offers programs to assist people age 60 and over to connect with services and relationships no matter where they live in the United States. Two primary programs are provided to enhance the engagement of older adults across the country.Well Connected offers phone and online group conversations, classes, support groups, lectures and more. Social Call matches individuals for regularly scheduled one-on-one friendly phone conversations.