Lifeskills: A Can-Do Program for Living With Blindness

Lifeskills: A Can-Do Program for Living With Blindness

Future Reflections Summer 1990, Vol. 9 No. 2
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LIFESKILLS.-A CAN-DO PROGRAM FOR LIVING WITH BLINDNESS
by Janiece Betker
-Review by Doris M. Willoughby
This excellent and practical book gives a wealth
of suggestions for daily living. Topics include
Aids and Appliances, Baby and Child Care,
Baking, Entertaining, Grooming, Home Repair,
Identifying and Matching Clothing, Laundering,
Readers, Shopping, etc. (This is only a partial
list.)
Lifeskills is well-written and very readable, with
clear explanations and occasional humor. It includes
many tips which I have never seen elsewhere.
Practical problems are dealt with -- for
example, guests who leave things out of place.
This book is in refreshing contrast to books which
give condescending and overly detailed directions
for very simple matters. Mrs. Betker discusses
the problems caused by such books, along
with the general problem of misconceptions
about blindness. She emphasizes flexibility,
along with avoidance of dependence on gimmicks
and rigid formulas. She also emphasizes
the value of Braille and other methods not dependent
on sight, rather than over-reliance on
inadequate sight.
The description of Free Matter mailing is somewhat
confusing, and the Money section underemphasizes
the script (cursive) signature. But these
are minor points. This is an excellent book covering
a very wide range of topics.
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