Rehabilitation Service & Resource Centre

About

This information will help you to understand the services that are provided by the St Helens Council People’s Services Department to assist people with sight impairment who reside within the borough of St Helens.

Our aim is to help visually impaired people to remain or become as independent as possible.

At our Resource Centre you can find out information relating to living with a visual impairment.  We offer advice, information, product demonstrations and rehabilitation support to help visually impaired people find new ways of dealing with the practical and emotional difficulties they may have as a result of their sight loss.

Services

What can rehabilitation help with?

The support team which includes qualified Rehabilitation Officers for Visually Impaired People (ROVIs) will assist you to achieve a range of outcomes based on your interests and needs, for example:

• Access to leisure activities, e.g. hobbies, games and sports
• Access to voluntary societies for visually impaired people
• Undertaking daily tasks such as cooking, making hot drinks, weighing and measuring
• Overcoming problems of disorientation, which can occur with poor sight even in familiar places, indoors or out
• Guidance and support

We can also help people learn new skills to adapt and cope with the effects of visual impairment, for example, maximising a persons’ mobility, maintaining independent living skills and using a variety of communications methods.

If appropriate, the team will also undertake an assessment with you for a range of specialist aids and equipment to assist you in maintaining and promoting your independence.

Working together with our partnership organisation RNIB we are able to provide access to:

• Services for people interested in employment and training
• Information on benefits and services linked with registration as a blind or partially sighted person
• Housing related services
• Organisations for specific eye conditions
• Organisations providing specialist equipment for people with a visual impairment
• Organisations giving support to visually impaired people using ICT equipment
• Local support groups and national charities for visually impaired people
• An Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ELCO) based within the Eye Clinic at St Helens Hospital. The ECLO is available to speak with you following appointments with your consultant and is able to offer emotional support, information and advice on living with sight loss and maintaining independence. Information can also be provided in relation to eye conditions and the registration process.

Low Vision Aid Assessments

The team also works in partnership with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to provide low vision aids.

It a person’s sight cannot be improved by medical treatment or ordinary spectacles, a low vision aid assessment will look at the best way of improving vision.This can be achieved by the use of magnifying glasses or improved lighting.  We will also look at other techniques to help cope with poor sight.

Who can refer people to us?

Hospital eye services

GPs

Occupational therapists

Optometrists – e.g. high street opticians

Self-referrals

Social workers