Looking for reassurance - Visual Impairment - Comments made by neighbours

MarkM88

I think I'm just  looking for some reassurance really for my mum, I do not live with her, she lives on her own. She receives PIP which includes enhanced mobility. 

She was upset the other day because a neighbour had made a comment about her going out on her own without a symbol cane. 

Under certain circumstances she just has to go out because she has no access to help all the time and she is on the waiting list for a care needs assessment. 

She was given a symbol cane and mobility training but she often feels uncomfortable using it so wont often. Local people laughed and made comments. 

She has some vision but she is registered partially sighted and this is due to diabetes complications and a bleed she suffered which required laser surgery. 

She has some sight of course and when she goes out it is the local area, as in to the small shop or the GP which is round the corner etc, anywhere else she pays for a taxi. 

It was even commented in her PIP report years ago when assessed that going out would cause sufficient safety concerns. 

She's now worried her neighbours are talking about her and says she should just stay in the house to avoid people pre judging, however I've told her she is entitled to go out, just because she receives a disability benefit and that she has limited sight she shouldn't just stay indoors and the whole point of enhanced mobility was noted due to safety reasons. 

janer1967

Hi Mark 

Your mum sounds very similar to me 

I have been trained by sensory team how to get out on my own in local area but it is completely different if I tried further afield 

I don't use a cane but the difference is I can't walk either 

While your mum can go out if she came across a unfamiliar situation eg pavement blocked or something it wouldn't be safe 

If she has been awarded pip that's her business not her neighbours 

MissMarple

If the neighbours are concerned about your mum’s safety, they’re welcome to offer some help. Otherwise it’s none of their business where your mum goes and if she uses a cane or not. That’s my opinion.

Sandy_123

I have to agree its nothing to do with them. Your mom shouldn't feel she needs to hide away because of what they might say. 

MarkM88

Yeah that all makes sense. I do think sometimes this judgement comes from the fact that people don’t always understand visual impairment and just assume you can’t see a thing or your sight is assumed to be at the extreme that you can’t go anywhere without canes/people/guide dog/support. Which obviously isn’t true. 

MarkM88

Yes I can totally agree with the RNIB comments, they were awful to deal with when I tried to get help for my mum and in the end give up on them. 

OverlyAnxious

Username_removed said:

People don’t know what they don’t know. So, explain it to them. 

The trouble with this is that it requires confidence, which many individuals don't have.  

The general public could definitely benefit from some more education though.  I had no idea there were so many different types of white cane before this thread...information is available in seconds when Googled, but never had reason to before.