Overview
Concentrating on the unmet needs of elders coping with limitations imposed upon them by legal blindness, advancing age, and social isolation, MCB's Older Independent Blind (OIB) Program provides direct and purchased services to eligible consumers so they can live independently and confidently in their homes and communities.
Eligibility
MCB’s OIB Program provides services to residents of Massachusetts:
- who are age 55 and older;
- who are legally blind;
- whose ability to function independently at home or in the community is substantially limited due to legal blindness; and
- for whom the delivery of independent living services will substantially improve their ability to function, continue functioning, or progress toward functioning independently in their home or community.
Services
Depending on the individual need, the following services may be provided by MCB's OIB Program to eligible consumers:
- Case management and advocacy
- Independent living skills training, including meal preparation, housekeeping, and grooming
- Safety and medication management
- Orientation and mobility training
- Low vision evaluations and devices, including video magnification, hand-held magnifiers, and other identified devices
- Assistive technology and training
- Counseling on adjustment to blindness
- Information and referral to community resources
- Diabetes education
- Presentations regarding vision loss to enhance public education
- Other services as necessary, such as ancillary services provided to support skills training
OIB services are available statewide and subject to the availability of grant funding.
Peer Support Groups
MCB provides funding to the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI) and Sight Loss Services to help host FREE peer support groups across the state.