With time going by, the 2024 New Year is coming unconsciously. Most people start to enjoy their New Year holiday at this time, participate in various New Year activities and spend a wonderful time with their family and friends. How do you plan to have a happy holiday when you have loved ones with low vision? Let’s see what you can do for them.
Inclusive Holiday at Home
As the New Year comes, the prospect of creating an inclusive environment at home becomes paramount, particularly when considering the unique needs of family members with low vision. Now let’s explore the possibility of celebrating the holiday, through activities that foster inclusivity for a truly meaningful experience.
Cleaning and Organizing
Cleaning the house together in the New Year holiday is not only about physical order but also a symbolic act of making space for the new beginnings of visually impaired loved ones. It’s a way that combines every family member by organizing the house together, including those with low vision, making a closer relationship between each other.
Organizing unwanted items in the cleaning process can help create a more accessible living environment, and also serves as a practical assistance for those with low vision, minimizing obstacles and enhancing safety. Donating those unused items makes it meaningful to support sustainability and help more people as much as possible.
Decorate the House Together
Decorating the house together can be the next step after cleaning the house. Selecting new artistic decorations for the house to welcome the New Year is trying to create a fresh living environment for the family. Decoration like scented candles is a good idea as it adds a multi-sensory to the festive atmosphere. It’s an easy and interesting activity that visually impaired family members can participate in with full of joy.
Meanwhile, it’s also a good idea to mark and label the furniture in your house to help low vision individuals distinguish them with more ease. Especially electronic appliances should be marked clearly in case people with vision loss would like to use them sometimes. It’s definitely a behavior that enhances independent living for those with visual impairments.
Indoor Activities
Don’t forget to plan some indoor activities that suit different abilities to ensure that every family member actively participates in the holiday celebrations. Wearing assistive device such as Acesight VR E-glasses to watch movies or enjoy New Year concerts with family and friends is going to be a wonderful experience in this New Year holiday, providing an immersive and shared cinematic adventure. Audiobooks and storytelling sessions provide moments of shared narratives as well, fostering connections among family members.
Or if you’re not ready to try assistive technology for the visually impaired, games like large-print poker could be considered to share joy and laughter. Every family member is able to engage in the activity and spend an unforgettable period together. Of course there are many more choices of indoor activities to enrich your New Year holiday, the key is to ensure that each family member can actively participate and enjoy the games.
Accessible Holiday Journey
Besides indoor activities, there are also plenty of people who prefer to travel with loved ones in their New Year holiday. Going on a holiday journey with low-vision loved ones can be a fulfilling and memorable experience. With the proper assistance of technology and devices, people with vision loss can also fully feel the joy of travel. By incorporating thoughtful planning and accessibility measures, everyone can fully participate in and enjoy the holiday adventure.
Planning is the key when traveling with individuals with low vision. In advance, research and choose accommodations, transportation, and activities that prioritize accessibility. Choosing hotels with well-lit spaces, clear signage, and accommodations for visual impairments is quite important. Planning ahead enhances comfort and minimizes potential challenges during the journey for low vision families.
Bringing low vision aids for the journey is necessary to enhance the independence of visually impaired individuals. Portable video magnifiers, smartphones with accessibility features, or tactile maps can be valuable tools for individuals with low vision. Additionally, consider utilizing navigation apps designed for those with visual impairments is helpful as well to facilitate seamless exploration of new environments.
Moreover, to improve the experience for your travel, visiting destinations that offer a variety of sensory experiences is recommendable. Historic sites with audio guides, botanical gardens with fragrant blooms, or coastal areas with the sound of waves crashing can provide a rich and multi-sensory exploration. Prioritizing destinations that are known for their accessibility features and ensuring that attractions and public spaces accommodate the needs of individuals with low vision are particularly thoughtful considerations.
When you consider going to the amusement park with your low vision loved ones, it’s crucial to contact the park in advance to discuss specific needs, and inquire about any available accommodations to enhance the experience. Many parks provide services such as sensory guides, tactile maps, and priority access for individuals with disabilities, which can ensure the accessibility for your visually impaired partners and create truly special memories together.
Shopping and Gifts Exchange
Shopping and exchanging gifts during the holiday season are cherished traditions in many countries. When shopping with individuals with low vision, utilizing tools that enhance their experience is considerable. Handheld magnifiers such as Zoomax Luna 6 can be one of the valuable visual aids. It’s lightweight to carry, and the distance view function and the built-in handle allow users to check labels on the shelf easily and comfortably, making shopping more convenient and delightful for low vision individuals.
For other family members, checking the shopping environments are well-lit and choosing stores with clear signage for easy navigation are going to be helpful for their loved ones with vision loss. This is what they can do to reduce challenges and improve experiences. Moreover, familiarizing yourself with the layout of the store to assist your loved ones in finding items more efficiently is another technique for a happier shopping time.
Also, for those with low vision who don’t want to go to the mall to select gifts for their family and friends, shopping online is also a vision loss solution for them. Many e-commerce platforms offer accessibility features such as screen reader compatibility, high contrast interfaces, and voice command options. This allows individuals with low vision to browse, select, and purchase items independently from the comfort of their homes.
For more shopping tips for people with low vision, please read: Practical New Year Guide: How to Shop with Low Vision? You may get more ideas through this article.
A small reminder is that when selecting gifts, consider practicality and the preferences of your loved ones. Choose items that can match their interests and needs. Considering personalized gifts that awaken positive memories or experiences may surprise your family and friends. Additionally, selecting items with auditory features for those with vision loss, such as music or audiobooks, can make it more interesting to the sensory experience.
Finally, you’ll be ready to pack and exchange your gifts. It’s necessary to take some time to personalize the gift-giving experience by packing the gifts yourself. At this time, Zoomax Snow 12 serves as a comprehensive visual device for those with vision impairments. Packing with Snow 12 makes the process simple and enjoyable. Visually impaired individuals can also write a heartfelt greeting card for their loved ones with Snow 12 if they want.
Up to this time, with all this love and assistance, low vision families can also create sweet and valuable memories with each other in this New Year holiday season. 2024 is going to be a brand-new beginning full of joy and love, hope everyone can celebrate the good time and make plans with confidence. Happy New Year!
