They never lose sight of support

Published 7:00 am Saturday, January 7, 2006

The Visually Impaired Persons support group is as active as ever.

For Jerry Brader, most of the world is like an Impressionist painting.

“I can see large moving shapes. I can go for about 10 feet and then past that, it’s like a Monet,” Brader said, who say losing his eyesight was difficult to concede. “It’s hard to admit. You hold on for the longest time.”

Now 50, Brader started losing his vision more than 10 years ago because of a double whammy of chicken pox and pneumonia on his already weak vision. When driving from the ferry to Safeway, he made a bad turn and “took out a tree,” and knew then that he had to give up driving.

Brader, a massage therapist and “Majick the Clown” by trade, feels lucky to have found the Visually Impaired Persons support group, which meets at 1 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Bainbridge Library.

Evelyn Peratrovich, president of VIPs, says there are many more people on the island who could benefit from the group.

For those who work during the day, the group may soon start an evening chapter, and another for the spouses of VIPs.

Most of the members suffer from macular degeneration, which affects mostly older people and causes a steady loss of vision due to deterioration of the retina.

While doctors may treat ailments, they provide little in the way of resources and advice for what to do once vision becomes severely limited, members say.

“I’ve been on the island five years and VIPs is very helpful. They fill a gap in the medical profession,” member Bill Drohan said. “Doctors don’t volunteer information beyond their profession, but here I can find out things and research.”

Through VIPs, Brader learned about resources such as the Society for the Blind and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, administered by the Seattle Public Library.

“I’m a reader. If it wasn’t for that, this would be a nightmare,” Brader said.

Brader got retrained to use a computer despite his eyesight; setting the font size to 30, he can communicate through email.

He said that as most members have children or grandchildren with email, “it’s really the way to stay in touch. There’s just so much information out there, (the Internet) is a life-changing thing.”

Virginia Hardy, a VIPs founding member, stresses that the group is not just for people who are already visually impaired, but also for people who are losing their vision.

“It’s important as people begin to lose their vision to join a support group so before they can’t see, they can find alternatives,” she said.

Some strategies include marking measuring spoons and telephone buttons. A small electronic device perched on the edge of a cup will beep when it is full.

Besides the information exchange, the warm and informal atmosphere is conducive to milling around and chatting.

“There’s a feeling of closeness to the others because you’re visually impaired,” longtime member Pauline Terashita said.

To help members stay in touch with the community, VIPs organizes volunteers to read local newspapers to tape, which members may subscribe to.

“We’re all looking for ways to still be active and stay in touch with the community and be involved in the community,” Brader said. He was once afraid of having kids, not sure if he’d be able to cope with emergencies that came up, but found people who trained him how to cope.

“This group really normalizes it,” he said. “It’s not an abnormal thing to be in this position.”

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VIPS tips

The Visually Impaired Persons Support Group meets at 1 p.m. Jan. 11 in the meeting room of the Bainbridge Library. There is no fee and all are welcome. For more information or to request transportation to the meeting, call 842-0123 or 855-1470.