Guide Dogs seminar hopes to open eyes in Broken Hill
30 November, 2011
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is holding an information seminar in Broken Hill next Monday, 5 December to raise awareness that the organisation provides its free services to local residents on a monthly basis.
The free seminar will be held at the Broken Hill Community Centre on Beryl Street, between 5 and 7pm, Monday 5 December.
"Since starting our regular monthly visits to the Broken Hill Base Hospital Eye Clinic in March we are now working with around 50 local residents," said Ben Schwarz, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT's Western NSW Regional Manager.
"However, we are concerned that there might be many more people in the area who could also be benefitting from our services, but who may not know what we do.
"We want to let people know that they don't have to be completely blind to receive our services and that we do more than train and provide guide dogs."
The information evening aims to highlight that Guide Dogs NSW/ACT offers a broad range of free services designed to help people with any level of vision loss that's affecting their ability to get around on their own safely and confidently.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT services include training people in how to use guide dogs, long canes, electronic travel devices and their remaining vision so they can get around independently.
"You only have to have a slight vision impairment, such as cataracts or a condition like Retinitis Pigmentosa where your eyesight diminishes over time, to receive our help," said Mr Schwarz.
"We're encouraging anyone experiencing vision loss to seek our help early to reduce the risk of things like falls and accidents that are common to vision loss."
A 2011 Roy Morgan survey for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT revealed that almost 60% of respondents were unaware that the organisation provides services for people who are starting to lose their vision.
In addition, 55% of respondents said they would wait at least until they were finding it difficult to get around, or could even do nothing, before seeking help from organisations like Guide Dogs.
In 2009 around 200,000 people across NSW and the ACT were affected by vision loss, with this figure expected to increase to almost 300,000 by 2020.
Mr Schwarz and Gavin Stait (pictured on the right), an Orientation and Mobility Instructor with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT will be available at the Broken Hill seminar to answer any questions residents may have about accessing the organisation's services.
For more information about Guide Dogs NSW/ACT's services in Broken Hill call the Western NSW office in Orange on 02 6362 6625.
ENDS
MEDIA: Please contact: Sally Edgar, 0413 753 241 or media@guidedogs.com.au