O & M TrainingO & M Training

Sonoma Developmental Sonoma Developmental CenterCenter

Tuesday, April 18, 2023Tuesday, April 18, 2023

What Does O & M stand What Does O & M stand for ?for ?

Orientation and MobilityOrientation and Mobility

OrientationOrientation is knowing is knowing where you arewhere you are

MobilityMobility is traveling from is traveling from one place to another one place to another

Upon completion of class the learner Upon completion of class the learner will have:will have:

Reviewed the adaptive considerations Reviewed the adaptive considerations

and special attention for the blindand special attention for the blind         Gained knowledge of facility O & M Gained knowledge of facility O & M

supportsupport Knowledge of the signs of vision changesKnowledge of the signs of vision changes Practiced Trailing TechniquePracticed Trailing Technique Performed Sighted Guide techniquesPerformed Sighted Guide techniques Use of stationary ropesUse of stationary ropes

Who are we and how do we Who are we and how do we support the facility for support the facility for Orientation & Mobility?Orientation & Mobility?

How can you assist your clients with How can you assist your clients with Orientation & MobilityOrientation & Mobility??

When will we use these When will we use these techniques ? techniques ?

All of the timeAll of the time

Purpose of Orientation & MobilityPurpose of Orientation & Mobility

Assist blind clients at SDC with their Assist blind clients at SDC with their environmentsenvironments

HomeHome Yards Yards DiningDining Pedestrian Pedestrian Use of transportationUse of transportationIncrease their safetyIncrease their safety

Changes in Vision Changes in Vision Possible signs to observePossible signs to observe

1.1. Over or under steppingOver or under stepping

2.2. Over or under reachingOver or under reaching

3.3. Tilting of headTilting of head

4.4. Getting eyes close to item of interestGetting eyes close to item of interest

5.5. StartlingStartling

6.6. Increased noise makingIncreased noise making

7.7. Consistently touching the same Consistently touching the same thingsthings

8.8. Sitting down during transitionsSitting down during transitions

Who sets the Pace?Who sets the Pace?

When guiding or training, the When guiding or training, the blind person always sets the blind person always sets the pacepace..

Basic CourtesiesBasic Courtesies

How do the blind see? (with their fingers)How do the blind see? (with their fingers) How do you approach a blind person?How do you approach a blind person? Verbal Cue (if they can hear) before, Verbal Cue (if they can hear) before,

gentle touchgentle touch Signal where items areSignal where items are Give an anchorGive an anchor Can you use words like “look” or “see”?Can you use words like “look” or “see”? Shape of tablesShape of tables Door positionsDoor positions Environment changesEnvironment changes Environmental safetyEnvironmental safety

Personal SpacePersonal Space

Individual preferences serve a purpose Individual preferences serve a purpose Watch for the cues a client givesWatch for the cues a client gives Time of day cuesTime of day cues Changes made in a room create difficulty Changes made in a room create difficulty

Mealtime TechniquesMealtime Techniques

Set the table using a 1300 modelSet the table using a 1300 model Present on contained environmentPresent on contained environment Be aware of auditory cuesBe aware of auditory cues Low vision aids – Low vision aids – contrasting color, no contrasting color, no

pattern,pattern,

no glare, passing food, train on pouring drinksno glare, passing food, train on pouring drinks

Classroom TechniquesClassroom Techniques

Squared off environmentSquared off environment ConsistencyConsistency RoutesRoutes Auditory cuesAuditory cues SchedulingScheduling Chair SafetyChair Safety Stair SafetyStair Safety

Trailing TechniqueTrailing Technique

Textbook style and adaptationsTextbook style and adaptations CautionsCautions StepsSteps Crossing open spaceCrossing open space Locating a wallLocating a wall

Other Than When Going up Other Than When Going up Stairs…..Stairs…..

When is it OK to guide When is it OK to guide

Someone from behind ?Someone from behind ?

What O&M technique should What O&M technique should be used in familiar and be used in familiar and routine environments?routine environments?

TrailingTrailing

Exercise - With Exercise - With partner....partner....

Practiced Trailing TechniquePracticed Trailing Technique

Practiced Trailing Rear Practiced Trailing Rear ViewView

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique- Basic Position and - Basic Position and

AlignmentAlignment

A.A.          The sighted guide gives verbal cue The sighted guide gives verbal cue ("take my arm/wrist") and/or nonverbal ("take my arm/wrist") and/or nonverbal cue (touching the back of the blind cue (touching the back of the blind person's hand with the back of the guide's person's hand with the back of the guide's hand).hand).

B.B.            The blind person should stand next The blind person should stand next to and slightly behind sighted guide, to and slightly behind sighted guide, facing in the same direction as the guide. facing in the same direction as the guide. Therefore, the blind person is always at Therefore, the blind person is always at least a half step least a half step behindbehind the guide. the guide.

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique ContinuedContinued

C.C.            The blind person's upper arm remains The blind person's upper arm remains close to his or her body, with forearm and close to his or her body, with forearm and upper arm making a right angle at the elbow, upper arm making a right angle at the elbow, with the forearm, wrist and fingertips aiming with the forearm, wrist and fingertips aiming directly forward. The wrist is neither flexed nor directly forward. The wrist is neither flexed nor hyper-extended, and the forearm neither hyper-extended, and the forearm neither angles toward the midline of the body nor angles toward the midline of the body nor away from the body, but aims straight ahead. away from the body, but aims straight ahead. The blind person grasps the guide's arm or The blind person grasps the guide's arm or wrist with the fingers toward the inside and the wrist with the fingers toward the inside and the thumb toward the outside of the guide's arm. thumb toward the outside of the guide's arm. 

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique ContinuedContinued

      D.D.    The guide's arm is grasped at a The guide's arm is grasped at a location such that the blind person's location such that the blind person's upper arm and forearm form a right upper arm and forearm form a right angle. The height difference determines angle. The height difference determines this. A preschooler may grip an adult's this. A preschooler may grip an adult's wrist, whereas a tall blind person may wrist, whereas a tall blind person may need to grip a short guide's arm just need to grip a short guide's arm just under the armpit. The right angle allows under the armpit. The right angle allows for movement up or down for steps or for movement up or down for steps or curbs, etc.curbs, etc.

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique ContinuedContinued

E.E.            The blind person's shoulder is The blind person's shoulder is directly behind guide's opposite directly behind guide's opposite shoulder, so that the pair are shoulder, so that the pair are approximately one and one-half approximately one and one-half persons wide, except when traversing persons wide, except when traversing narrow passageways in which only narrow passageways in which only one person can safely pass at a timeone person can safely pass at a time

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique ContinuedContinued

F.F.            The blind person should be responsible for The blind person should be responsible for maintaining orientations as well as the proper maintaining orientations as well as the proper grip and alignment with the guide, but if he or grip and alignment with the guide, but if he or she in incapable of doing so, the sighted guide she in incapable of doing so, the sighted guide is responsible for monitoring this. The blind is responsible for monitoring this. The blind person's non-grip hand can be used to confirm person's non-grip hand can be used to confirm proper alignment by touching the guide's proper alignment by touching the guide's shoulders and aligning him/herself accordingly. shoulders and aligning him/herself accordingly. The blind person can also assist with doors The blind person can also assist with doors when appropriate, and the guide is responsible when appropriate, and the guide is responsible for the decision to transfer sides as needed to for the decision to transfer sides as needed to traverse doorways based upon the capabilities traverse doorways based upon the capabilities of the blind personof the blind person

Sighted Guide TechniqueSighted Guide Technique ContinuedContinued

G.G.            The sighted guide is responsible for the safety of The sighted guide is responsible for the safety of the blind person at all times, regardless of the errors the blind person at all times, regardless of the errors on the blind person's part. The guide must be on the blind person's part. The guide must be especially careful to monitor obstacles at various especially careful to monitor obstacles at various levels from head to toe, and hip to hip. These levels from head to toe, and hip to hip. These obstacles not only include furniture, fixtures and obstacles not only include furniture, fixtures and people, but also overhanging head-high obstacles as people, but also overhanging head-high obstacles as well as slight irregularities in the walking surface, such well as slight irregularities in the walking surface, such as carpets, doorway moldings and changes of texture as carpets, doorway moldings and changes of texture in the walking surface. If the blind person trips, it is the in the walking surface. If the blind person trips, it is the guide's responsibility to support the blind person. The guide's responsibility to support the blind person. The guide should choose or adjust walking pace to guide should choose or adjust walking pace to accommodate the needs of the blind person.accommodate the needs of the blind person.

  

What O& M techniques should be used in What O& M techniques should be used in open spaces? Sighted Guideopen spaces? Sighted Guide

Practice Sighted GuidingPractice Sighted Guiding

Sighted Guide rear viewSighted Guide rear view

Sighted Guide…..Sighted Guide…..

When using the sighted guide techniqueWhen using the sighted guide technique You are holding the blind persons elbowYou are holding the blind persons elbow

True ? True ? False?False? When assisting a blind person down When assisting a blind person down

stairs you will walk and guide from stairs you will walk and guide from behind.behind.

True ? True ? False?False?

Steps / StairwaysSteps / Stairways When guiding a blind person When guiding a blind person

DOWNDOWN steps always do so by steps always do so by being in being in FRONTFRONT of them of them

When guiding a blind person When guiding a blind person UPUP stairs always do so by being in stairs always do so by being in behind thembehind them

Outdoor Outdoor Orientation and Mobility Orientation and Mobility

CurbsCurbs StepsSteps SidewalksSidewalks Narrow passagewaysNarrow passageways Reserving directionsReserving directions Guide ropesGuide ropes

* Providing safe opportunities * Providing safe opportunities

Client O & M Objectives:Client O & M Objectives:

Knowledge of IDT accepted training objectivesKnowledge of IDT accepted training objectives This is listed in the client record, in Section One under trainingThis is listed in the client record, in Section One under training

Knowledge of training plan stepsKnowledge of training plan steps Know how this training will increase their Know how this training will increase their

independenceindependence Do you think their mobility could be improved?Do you think their mobility could be improved?

Blindfold ExperienceBlindfold Experience

With a partner and With a partner and blindfolded....blindfolded....

IndoorIndoor ….. ….. Do an activity, sighted Do an activity, sighted guide, & trailingguide, & trailing

OutdoorOutdoor…. …. Steps, curb & guide ropesSteps, curb & guide ropes

Note time of day, weather, trafficNote time of day, weather, traffic

Written EvaluationWritten Evaluation

Complete and return to Complete and return to trainertrainer