Learn about different formats accessible to visually impaired people, and how to convert documents into those formats.
Tag: top tips
Loneliness and sight loss
We discuss what loneliness is, and some tips to improve feelings of loneliness.
The wonder of blue light: Electronic devices and their impact
Find out about blue light: what it is, the effects it can have on your health and how you can reduce blue light on iOS, Android and Windows devices.
Top tips for spring for people with a visual impairment
Read our top tips for getting out and about safely in spring if you are visually impaired.
Accessible microwaves: What’s on the market?
Discover different options for accessible microwaves: low budget microwave with dials and bumpons, talking microwave, and Alexa controlled microwave.
A descent into darkness: 10 rules of engagement
Simon Mahoney, a totally blind military veteran, talks through is 10 rules of engagement, his top tips for anybody coming to terms with sight loss.
Sight Loss and Dementia
Sight loss can mask as dementia, and go undetected for years. We’ll guide you on how to spot the signs, and what to do next if you suspect that someone has sight loss.
Mindfulness activities for children with a visual impairment
Mindfulness is a practice where you use your senses to physically engage in the world around you. We've put together some useful activities to support visually impaired children.
Top tips for making websites and apps accessible for people with sight loss
Top tips for making websites and apps accessible to people living with sight loss and other disabilities, providing equal access and equal opportunity for all.
Top tips for visiting an eye clinic with your child
Appointments of any kind can cause worry and stress, especially when the appointment is for your child. Our top tips will hopefully help when you visit the eye clinic.
Getting out and about: Using a smartphone to navigate independently
Hear from Lynne Nicholson, who is visually impaired and uses her smartphone and navigation apps to travel independently.
Guide to COVID-19 scams
Commonly during crisis situations, fraudsters create lots of new ways to defraud their unsuspecting victims. We've put together a guide to current COVID-19 scams.
Out and about on the high street after lockdown
Mark discusses how shops and services have changed since lockdown restrictions eased, in order to help better inform visually impaired people of what to expect when they go out.
Coming out of lockdown if you are visually impaired (Part 2)
As the pandemic lockdown restrictions across the UK are eased, we discuss tips for how people with sight loss can prepare themselves for the 'new normal' in our towns and cities.
Coming out of lockdown if you are visually impaired (Part 1)
As lockdown restrictions across the UK are eased as part of the roadmap to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, we discuss how people with a visual impairment may need support.
Top tips for helping a visually impaired person when they visit your venue
Top tips to businesses and venues that are re-opening after the Covid-19 lockdown on how to support visitors who are visually impaired in our new socially-distanced world.
Back to school after lockdown: A guide for teachers of children with a vision impairment
Teachers are preparing for children to return to classrooms during Covid-19 - our guide should help you consider how you can better support children with a vision impairment.
Back to school after lockdown: A guide for parents of children with a vision impairment
Parents of children with a vision impairment may have concerns over the return to school during Covid-19; this guide is designed to give peace of mind during uncertain times.
Help your visually impaired child learn at home
Some children may need to be motivated to learn at home, but there is so much learning to be done through play, crafts and games! Here are some ideas to try.
Top tips for mindfulness during lockdown
Maria, our Enablement Officer for Tameside, discusses mindfulness tips to try and overcome any negative emotions you may experience during lockdown.
Top tips for social distancing if you are blind or visually impaired
Our Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Simon, shares his top tips for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic if you are blind or visually impaired.
How an Amazon Echo Show and a Wifi Hub connected a family during lockdown
Mark discusses how his first thought on the announcement of the Covid-19 lockdown was getting his elderly relatives some connectivity with an Amazon Echo Show.
Stretching exercises: Tips and techniques
Mark, a qualified Sports Therapist, discusses some tips and techniques for 10 stretching exercises you can do at home, to support your health and wellbeing.
Mindfulness for children with a visual impairment or additional support needs
Mindfulness can foster wellbeing, improve self-confidence and self-esteem, and provide coping mechanisms, which has proved to be beneficial to children with a visual impairment.
Keeping children with sight loss active at home
Tips to keep children with sight loss active at home, through sports and activities that can be done in the house or garden.
12 top tips for shopping for a visually impaired person
Our Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Simon Merrills, shares his top tips for helping a visually impaired person with their shopping, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.
Engaging the other senses in children with sight loss
Most info we gain about the world is through vision. This blog explores sensory learning and ways to encourage children to engage their senses and understand their world better.
12 tips for keeping your visually impaired child entertained and educated at home
Most children will now be learning from home during this period. Follow our tips to find out what is right for you and your visually impaired child during this time.
Managing Social Isolation with Technology
We outline our top tips for using technology to manage social isolation if you have a visual impairment.
Tips for managing your money when you’re visually impaired
For visually impaired people, managing and identifying money can be challenging. Follow our top four tips to help you handle your finances with confidence.
Three ways to make typing on the iPhone easier
We review three solutions to make typing on the iPhone easier: Siri and Dictation, the Bluetooth keyboard and FlickType, explaining how they work and their pros and cons.
Accessible board games and activities for families with a visual impairment
Board games are great. Finding accessible board games can be difficult. We took a look at the market to find accessible options for VI people.
Tips for communicating and providing services for visually impaired people
We teamed up with Manchester CCGs to understand how visually impaired people access health services, and how they can engage the group better. We share our findings and top tips.
Five signs that someone may have sight loss and dementia
Sight loss can mask as dementia, and go undetected for years. We’ll guide you on how to spot the signs, and what to do next if you suspect that someone has sight loss.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome: facts and fiction
We sat down with Arthur and Joan, two people who live with Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), and discussed their experiences and advice for coping with the condition.
“Tactile art is a way of being able to share a message with your audience”
Our Manchester arts and crafts group leader Nina shares why tactile art is so important to her, and her tips for creating tactile art masterpieces yourself.
John’s top tips for supporting people with visual impairments over Christmas
We've adapted last year's blog from volunteer and service user John, where he runs us through his top tips for hosting someone with visual impairments the Christmas season.
I Can Do It! Natalie’s diary – cooking tips
Natalie shares with us her top tips for chopping and using a hob safely from our ongoing I Can Do It course in Tameside.
Tessa’s big move: 10 tips for parents whose disabled child is leaving home
Kate, mum of Henshaws graduate Tessa, gives an honest account of her daughter's move to supported living and her top survival tips for parents whose disabled child is leaving home
10 ways you can adapt your home if you have a visual impairment
Your home is where you should feel most comfortable and relaxed, but it may need some adaptations to make it safe to live in if you’re visually impaired.
Top tips for visually impaired people getting into the workplace
Applying for and starting a new job is a nerve-racking experience for anyone, but can be extra daunting for visually impaired people. Our volunteer Tom shares his advice.
Five ways to exercise when you have a visual impairment
Henshaws Enablement team leader, Lisa Young, shares her five top tips for exercising with a visual impairment.
8 tips for personal safety
A lot of people worry about their personal safety when they are walking alone on a quiet street, but how much greater is that fear if you’re blind?
Six tips for making your event accessible
We share our tips on the key things to cover when planning an event to ensure your event is accessibility friendly, and how we applied these at the Henshaws Awards.
How travel training can change lives
Nic, Disability Support Officer shares her top tips for promoting independent travel for people with disabilities.
Autism shopping strategies – should more shops adopt the quiet hour?
Advice on shopping strategies for people with autism from Aimee Jackson, Autism Programme Leader at Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate.
Top tips for supporting people with visual impairments at Christmas
John, service user at Henshaws Liverpool Resource Centre, runs us through his top tips for hosting someone with visual impairments this Christmas.
5 of the best apps for people with sight loss
MacLife has compiled a list of the best Apps for people with sight loss, and we have chosen our top five from them.
Top 10 tips on using Windows 10’s accessibility options
Tom is our very own IT Technician at Henshaws in Manchester, and we’ve adapted his blog entry on the accessibility of Windows 10 into our ‘Top 10 Tips’.
9 fun activities and ideas to keep your VI child entertained during the school holidays
With it being the summer holiday break, we wanted to share a quick round up of some fantastic resources we’ve found online to help keep the kids entertained.
How to communicate with a visually impaired child
Children with a visual impairment just need a little extra support to develop their communication. Follow our guide.
How you can use Makaton to support communication
Henshaws College Speech and Language therapist Ellie runs through how Makaton works, and her top tips for using it as a communication tool.
Billy Oldaker’s Top 10 tips for a healthy summer
Billy is leader of the Fitness Workshop at the Arts & Crafts Centre. He likes to make sure everyone stays active and as healthy as possible.
Supporting your child to maintain skills for independent living
Kate Simpson, mum to Tess, gives her top tips for supporting young people with disabilities to maintain skills for independent living.
Top 10 tips on keeping your work environment safe for people who are blind or visually impaired
This week, we run through our top 10 tips on keeping your work environment safe for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Top 7 travel tips for people who are blind or visually impaired
At this time of year, many of us will be dreaming of summer and starting to plan holidays so we thought it would be a good idea to share some travel tips we have collected.