Dining
Out Made Easier
Dennis
Harwich Lions Club Low Vision Resource Center
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DINING OUT MADE EASIER By Susan R. Hart, MS, TVI, RTC Dining out with friends and attending family celebrations should be pleasurable experiences, but for people experiencing vision loss, they can be sources of great anxiety. Following are a few tips to increase your comfort level and confidence when dining outside your home. Planning Ahead Can Help By familiarizing yourself with a menu in advance, you won't have to rely on reading it in a dimly lit restaurant. When possible request a take-out menu to read at home. If you know the menus of chain restaurants, dining at one of these may be easier; some have a consistent layout making you more comfortable navigating. Getting Oriented Ask the host/hostess to be seated in a well-lit area. If that's not possible, carry a small flashlight or hand-held, illuminated magnifier for reading the menu, or ask your dining companions to read it aloud. If your vision is very limited use your hands to lightly scan the area in front of you to familiarize yourself with the place setting and anything else on the table (glasses, salt, pepper, etc.) Beverages Know where your drink has been set in relationship to your plate. To avoid spills, place your hand perpendicular to the table, with your pinky resting on the table. Slowly glide your hand up to locate your beverage. If the drink is not there, move your hand slightly to the right (or left) until the backs of your fingers touch the glass. Food Think of your plate as a clock. Detect the location of food by placing your fork at 12 o'clock and probing in a clockwise manner. Different textures also offer a natural way to differentiate foods. If you prefer, ask your companion to describe the location of food to you using the clock method. Seasonings and Extras Salt is heavier than pepper. You can accurately differentiate the two by comparing the weight of the shakers. When using salt and/or pepper, pour a small amount into your hand and add it one pinch at a time. Cutting Foods One of the biggest challenges is cutting food � especially meat. You can ask your waitperson to have meat cut/fish boned. Food not only has texture but also weight. If the amount on your fork feels heavy - or if you're not sure how much is on the fork � cut that piece again. Keep cut pieces together in the center of the plate. You can also use your knife as a �wall� to move food onto your fork. Choosing easy-to-eat foods can make dining less stressful. For example, opt for small bowtie pasta instead of long strands of linguine. Basic adaptive techniques and a bit of pre-planning can put the ease and pleasure back into dining. Bon appetit! Adapted from Sharing Solutions, Lighthouse International, December 2005 |
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| DENNIS-HARWICH LIONS CLUB LOW VISION RESOURCE CENTER Dennis Memorial Library 1020 Old Bass River Rd. , Dennis , MA 508-385-2255 The Dennis Memorial Library through the generosity of the Dennis-Harwich Lions Club is pleased to offer new technology and facilities to make library materials more accessible to the blind and low vision residents of our community. These resources can assist in reopening a world of books, journals, newspapers and social activities to individuals who have little or no sight. In addition to our low vision equipment, classes, and technology, we are hoping to offer programs such as a book club, a creative writing group, movie night, lectures, and a coffee hour.
EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES • Dell computer with large monitor and screen magnifier • Dell computer with JAWS screen reader and Kurzweil software (the computer talks to you!) • Perkins �Talking Books� recorder and tapes • Over 1000 regular tape cassette audio books • Over 500 CD audio books • Large print books • Optelec magnifier • Text to speech reading machine • Descriptive videos • Classes to teach how to access the internet, e-mail, web browsing, other programs as needed
Low Vision Director Betsey Roulston Call 508-385-2255 for more information
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MID CAPE RESIDENTS ONLY Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod Home Repairs/Handyman Projects Through the winter mont hs a team of highly skilled volunteers are available for home repairs with the goal of raising money for Habitat. Interested persons will be asked to purchase the materials needed for the project and to make a reasonable donation to Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod upon completion of the work. If interested, please call Marilyn,Volunteer Coordinator at 508-362-3420.
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