OIB-TAC is pleased to announce the launch of a free, self-paced video/recorded training course for social workers titled Practical Information for Social Workers New to Interacting with Older Adults Experiencing Vision Impairment or Blindness. This course will provide an overview of strategies and techniques for working with adults experiencing vision impairment or blindness.

Learning objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Characterize possible physical health, mental health, social, and economic implications of vision loss or blindness for older adults.
• Define basic terms related to low vision and blindness, including common eye conditions in older adults.
• Indicate attitudinal barriers towards people with disabilities and their impact, as well as “courtesy rules” for engaging with individuals who have low vision and blindness.
• Describe benefits of self-advocacy skills for older adults with vision impairment and blindness.
• Identify helpful services and resources in the areas of low vision and blindness for both social workers and older adult clients.

Practical Information for Social Workers New to Interacting with Older Adults Experiencing Vision Impairment or Blindness, Course #5163, is approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to be offered by Older Individuals Who Are Blind Technical Assistance Center as an individual course. Individual courses, not providers, are approved at the course level. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. ACE course approval period: 10/2/2023 – 10/2/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 1 general continuing education credits.

Please note that other courses in the OIB-TAC and NRTC catalog do not currently offer social work CE credit.