DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother is suffering from a degenerative eye disease. Recently, her sight has diminished even more, and she is scared. I had told her before about things to do to prepare for potential blindness, which I had learned from a friend whose mother lived alone even though she was blind for nearly 20 years. My mother didn’t want to talk about it then. I want to recommend that she talk to the American Foundation for the Blind to learn strategies for remaining independent as she loses her sight. So far she is afraid to consider it. How can I help her? -- Mom Is Going Blind, San Jose, California
DEAR MOM IS GOING BLIND: You can do your own research to discover ways that your mother can support herself and share your findings with her. Researching the American Foundation for the Blind at afb.org is a great idea. You can also take her to the local Foundation for the Blind and have her talk to someone about her condition and her fears.
Determine whether she will be able to live alone and what support she will need. Talk to her insurance company to see how much financial support you can expect. Your mother’s life is changing dramatically. Together you will need to determine how to care for her as her condition worsens.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)