Celebrating Vision Rehabilitation Therapists During National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

The third week of September is National Rehabilitation Awareness Week. According to the National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation, September 21-27, 2014 we “celebrate the powers of rehabilitation and share the message that through rehab there is hope, achievement and success!” Rehab Awareness Week is an opportunity to highlight one of the most highly skilled rehab professionals, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRTs).

CVRTs may be one of the best-kept secrets for anyone experiencing a vision loss from eye diseases such as macular degeneration or glaucoma. CVRTs often work in state agencies or non-profits, hold a Master’s Degree and professional certification in Vision Rehabilitation. To locate a CVRT near you, go to the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals at http://www.acvrep.org/directory.php.

CVRTs may provide training in a client’s home or a rehabilitation facility, working on adaptive daily living skills (ADLs) used at home, in the work place, and school. ADLs may include such skills as reading, personal finance, home and business management, computers and technology, cooking, and leisure activities, to name a few. An individual plan is developed with each client to help them reach their rehab goals.

Most private insurance and Medicare do not cover CVRTs. Funding is provided through a combination of Federal and State programs. This means that clients receive most vision rehab services, with a CVRT, at no-out-of-pocket cost! In addition, clients may refer themselves for services.

Today’s Vision Rehabilitation Therapists certainly recognize the power of rehabilitation to restore renewed independence for clients with a wide range of vision loss. CVRTs maintain a broad array of tools, technology, and resources to work with clients as they explore new skills for adapting to vision loss or “low vision.”

 

Steven Kelley CRC, CVRT is a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist at The Iris Network in Portland, Maine and maintains the website LowVisionTech.com. Contact him at skelley@theiris.org.

 

To download a copy of this as a large print Word document, go to: http://www.lowvisiontech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/rehab__week_2014_nat_300_lp.doc

 

 

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