Maui IL Specialist, Kathleen Kenney, who is also a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist recently traveled to Hilo to work with Big Island IL Specialist, Karin Riedel and her consumer Rob. Rob wanted to refresh his long cane skills, learn some new routes, and be oriented to several new locations to increase his independence. Rob, Karin, and Kathleen worked for three days and covered a lot of ground. They worked hard and also had some fun all in a successful effort to increase Rob’s confidence and independence. After several days of analyzing intersections, working on cane techniques, practicing different routes, and identifying landmarks and hazards, Rob now has a better mental map of his area and is looking forward to getting out more on his own.
While on the Big Island, Kathleen was also able to provide in-service training for her fellow IL Specialists who work with consumers who are blind or visually impaired. This training will provide our staff with valuable skills to be able to better serve our communities. Not only is Rob feeling much more confident navigating through his neighborhood, but Karin is able to better support him and continue practicing together as a team.
