Training

Daily Living Skills

Instruction in daily living skills is generally conducted in the client’s home. The instructor teaches cooking and kitchen safety, housekeeping strategies, money management, personal grooming, adaptive communication skills and personal medication management.

Orientation and Mobility

An individual with vision loss may experience isolation, disorientation and increased risk to their personal safety. Orientation and mobility training develops the skills and techniques required for safe and independent travel in a variety of environments. Instructors teach efficient use of residual vision, proper use of the white cane, safe street crossing, use of public transportation and efficient trip planning.

Computer Classes

Individualized computer training is offered at the Vista Santa Cruz office, or on the client’s home computer. The geographic area covered includes the whole of Santa Cruz County. If a home computer is to be used, the instructor will assist the client in buying any access technology that might be needed, either a magnification program or a screen reader (a program that reads what's on the computer screen verbally). Any topic that the client is interested in will be covered, from basic touch-typing skills to advanced Internet techniques. Fifteen hours' total training time is available to each client. Training occurs once per week, for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours per session.

There is a wait list for computer training in the Santa Cruz area. If you’re interested, please call Carol Cyr at 650-858-0202 x 178, or 800-705-2970 x 178

Braille Instruction

Vista Center offers braille instruction to our consumers. Braille is a series of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people whose vision is not capable of reading print. It is a complex code that takes many months to learn, and then much practice in order to become a good reader. Braille students should be prepared to attend regular lessons and complete homework. For more information about braille instruction, please call Paul Raskin at 650-858-0202, extension 112