Vista Center

Vista Center is an American non-profit organization that serves individuals with vision loss in San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties in California and helps clients reach a higher potential through programs that are designed to promote independence and improve quality of life.

History

Founded in 1936 by interested and inspired citizens of Palo Alto as the Palo Alto Society for the Blind, the Society was incorporated in 1945; in the 1970s the name was changed to Peninsula Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The Santa Cruz location was founded in 1979 by interested citizens in Santa Cruz as Santa Cruz Resource Center for the Blind, the name was changed to Doran Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and later to Vista Center Santa Cruz for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

ervices

Counseling and Social Services help clients and their families cope with the special problems that accompany loss of sight. Social workers experienced in the area of vision loss visit clients in their homes, assess their need for services from the Center, and can put them in touch with other community resources.

Vista Center offers several monthly support groups facilitated by professional counseling staff. Clients discuss strategies for managing sight loss, exchange information about resources, and discuss the feelings that often accompany loss of sight. Clients in support groups are more likely to resume activities and accept other rehabilitation services.

The Health Library at Vista Center is an affiliated branch of Stanford Health Library, established in honor of Frances C. Arrillaga for people with vision loss and those who want to know more about it. The Health Library is designed to help address the needs of individuals with vision loss.

Programs

Vista Center's Low Vision Clinic offers specially trained low vision optometrists who carefully measure the client’s functional vision by using equipment, lighting, and techniques designed specifically for those with low vision. A person with low vision has difficulty accomplishing visual tasks, even with prescribed corrective lenses. Usually it is possible to enhance remaining vision by utilizing low vision devices and by making environmental modifications.

Choices and Changes is an educational class designed to help those with vision loss understand the life changes they are experiencing and recognize the choices they have that help to keep their lives fulfilling and productive.

Orientation and mobility training teaches clients how to travel safely and independently and include working with him or her on crossing streets, using public transportation, walking with a guide dog, or other mobility needs. In addition, our instructors work with clients on school or workplace orientation.

Daily living skills instruction helps clients with everyday tasks made difficult by the loss of sight. Clients become more independent by learning cooking techniques, medical management, diabetic management, housekeeping, and money management.

Introductory and advanced classes in Braille reading and writing classes are available to anyone who is interested in learning Braille.

Computer classes using access technology, allows students to learn something new and enjoy the company of others.

The Youth Group engages in monthly events that are recreational or educational, and of special interest to blind and visually impaired youth and is available at no cost to school children in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Vista Center Publications

Shared Visions focuses on programs and services for the blind and visually impaired. It is published three times a year.

External References

* [http://www.vistacenter.org Vista Center website]
* [http://www.afb.org American Foundation for the blind website]
* [http://med.stanford.edu/healthlibrary/ The Stanford Health Library website]
* [http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer Guide Dogs for the Blind website]