Many older adults with vision problems have the double whammy of also being hard of hearing. That can make socializing even more difficult. But with help from the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, she's been able to access free audio books which she says has been a joy. She says trying to learn how to use new technology on her lap top and smart phone has been difficult and frustrating.

Janet Keck has trouble seeing becasuse of macular degeneration. She finally sought help earlier this year from the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Now, she has to wait for me to read her mail and emails. She used to go through a novel a week and loved her daily newspaper and crossword puzzles. 'And it's kind of embarrassing when you look at somebody and you know, until they're two feet away, you can't make out their facial features, and nine out of 10 times I'm calling somebody by the wrong name.”īut the biggest loss for my mom? No longer being able to read. 'Mainly because you don't recognize people or you don't recognize things,' she explained. Her worsening eyesight forced her to give up driving and move across the country to be closer to me.Īs if that wasn’t bad enough, her vision problems have made it hard to meet new people here. It's a disease that blurs her central vision and makes it hard to focus. My mom, Janet Keck, is already in that group. Between 20,000 and 30,000 older Vermonters are expected to have serious vision problems by 2030.

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