Digital technology for people affected by sight loss – report

In November we partnered with Healthwatch Wandsworth and other local community groups to bring people with sight loss together to learn about digital technology; and learn more about how local organisations can support people to find technology that can benefit their daily lives. Read the full report HERE.
There is a lot of digital technology available to support people in their day-to-day living. Technology benefits different people in different ways and can be challenging to navigate too. People have told us that technology is sometimes difficult to access, and without it, it can be difficult to access certain information or events. Healthwatch Wandsworth joined forces with Wandsworth Council, AGE UK Wandsworth, and Katherine Low Settlement to bring people together for this event to discuss technology. This event focussed specifically on technology for people who are blind or visually impaired.

What we did

We invited Wandsworth residents with visual impairments or blindness to come to our event on 13th October 2022 at the Gwynneth Morgan Centre. We ran the event together with Healthwatch Wandsworth, AGE UK Wandsworth, and Wandsworth Council. 18 people attended the event. The organisations in attendance talked about what support they provide with technology for people with sight loss.

Key findings and recommendations

We got feedback from attendees through feedback forms as well as through having conversations with attendees and organisations throughout the day. Our general work getting to know people affected by blindness or sight loss and our experiences of organising the event also provided us with feedback that leads us to conclude that there are a few things that could be further developed in Wandsworth for people with sight loss.

Summary of recommendations

  • Clear and accessible communication and information provision about what services are available to visually impaired people.
  • Opportunities for visually impaired people to network and share experiences, and for organisations that provide support to connect and share information.
  • Forum for people with sight loss to be involved in decision-making about a range of issues e.g. transport, housing, and decisions in health and social care.

Seeking solutions to resolve issues with transport and community connectedness.

Read the full report

Find out more about what we did at the event and the information that was shared and read about our recommendations.

Digital technology event report: Download (PDF 153KB)

And there is a good write-up here.

What happens next

We will use the findings to work with health and social care services to improve information and access to support with digital technology.

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