C Stuen, C Sussman-Skalka
Lighthouse International, Center for Education, New York, United States
Program for Partners research demonstration was designed to maximize independence and qulaity of life for older adults with vision impairment by providing support and practical information to their spouses or partners. The experience of vision loss for older adults can have a far-reaching impact. Not only are the people with impaired sight affected but their spouses or partners face new difficulties and often find themselves in a caregiving role.
In order to determine the type of support and information needed by the spouses or partners, six focus groups were conducted. Four focus groups were held with the partners or spouses of adults with vision loss and two focus groups involved older adults with vision impairment. Criteria for focus group participation were developed to maximize the diversity of the group in terms of age, ethnic and racial background, gender, duration of vision loss and different eye conditions.
A total of fifty older adults participated in six focus groups, thirty in partner groups and twenty in adults with vision loss groups. There was an age range from mid-40s to 90s and a broad range of visual conditions experienced by the older persons. Couples had been dealing with vision loss from 5 months to over 40 years. Based on analysis of the focus groups' tapes, the emotional stresses and informational needs of the sighted spouses/partners were overwhelming. It has guided the development of in-person and telephone support group models that will be presented.
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