There are many different mobility aids for people to choose from today. This includes the common options, like power chairs and electric wheelchairs, and you also have some of the more unusual and niche mobility aids.

However, no matter what aids you use, it is all about ensuring that your quality of life is enhanced, so that your mobility issues do not get in the way of living your life to the fullest.

In this blog post, we are going to look at mobility scooters specifically. There is no denying that scooters are one of the most loved mobility aids, and we are going to explore the reasons why. With that being said, read on to discover more about five different ways that a mobility scooter can enhance your quality of life.

1. Increase your independence – There is only one place to begin, and this is with the fact that a mobility scooter will give you an increased sense of independence. This is because you will be able to get out and about, no matter whether this is with or without the assistance of a caregiver or a loved one. There are psychological benefits that are associated with this too. You will be able to leave the house and see your loved ones and do things whenever it suits you. This can make you have a greater sense of confidence and freedom.
2. Simple to use – A lot of the mobility aids on the market today can be complicated or difficult to use. This is something you definitely do not need to worry about if you opt for a mobility scooter. This is especially the case if you go for one of the mid-range options that are available. Putting them together is a breeze, and you will simply need to make sure that you recharge the batteries so that you can keep the scooter going at all times. In terms of how long the battery will last, this will depend on the make and model of the scooter. However, you will be able to find this information in the manufacturer’s guide that you received with the scooter. This guide will also tell you about the best practices when it comes to recharging your scooter, so you can make sure it lasts you for years and years to come.
3. Use indoors and outdoors – Scooters can give you freedom in every sense of the word because they can be used both indoors and outdoors. There are some scooters that are designed for home use only. However, there are also scooters that can be used outside. Either way, there are no restrictions, and so if you are looking for something that you can use both inside and outside of the home, this is the perfect mobility aid.
4. Injury prevention – Aside from the benefits that have already been mentioned, another way that a mobility scooter can enhance your quality of life is because it will help you to prevent injuries. The chances of injuries related to falls are lowered by a significant degree if you have the aid of a mobility scooter. Plus, if the reason you need a scooter is that you are currently recovering from an injury, a wheelchair can provide a comfortable healing process.
5. Accessibility increased – Last but not least, another way that you can expect a wheelchair to enhance your quality of life is because it will increase accessibility. Mobility scooters of today have been designed so they can fit in with the ever-changing ways people are socializing. With public spaces dedicated to improving accessibility, it is much easier for you to use your mobility scooter to experience many different places. The barriers are removed, and this is something that is only going to get better and better.

As you can see, there is no denying that a power scooter can improve the quality of life. There are many different benefits that are associated with purchasing this type of mobility aid for you. A lot of people report they feel like they got a completely new lease on life because of their scooter. It is not hard to see why this is the case.

The only thing you need to do now is to find the right mobility scooter for you. With so many different options to choose from, it is important that you take the time to do your research and narrow down your selection carefully.

If you struggle to get around easily on foot, or are no longer about to walk, there is no need to limit your outings or travel. You can still have an active and productive life with the help of a mobility scooter. Since every person has different medical needs and comfort requirements, there are a lot of different scooters to choose from. Some may even be covered by your insurance. The kids riding their own electric scooters aren’t the only ones who can zip around fast. Here are a couple of ways that mobility scooters can improve your quality of life.

Increased Independence

This is probably the biggest benefit to using a mobility scooter if you have any type of medical condition that limits your ability to walk about freely. The number one complaint from those with mobility issues is that they feel limited to where they can go and what they can do. With a scooter, you can virtually go anywhere and you don’t need someone to push you in a wheelchair.

While wheelchairs are good, they are hard to maneuver by yourself, especially when going long distances. If you have someone pushing you, you can only see what they are willing to push you towards. With a mobility scooter, the controls are easy to use and can be adapted to fit any sort of need, allowing you to go where you want, when you want.

Whether you are going grocery shopping, to an amusement park with the grandkids, or to the mall, you can bring your scooter and not have to worry about missing out on the fun.

Reduces Fatigue

Even if you can walk short distances by yourself, or with a walker, it can be exhausting getting around when you have a disability. With the use of a mobility scooter, you can extend the amount of time you can get out of the house, because the chair does all the hard work and moving for you. No longer do you have to depend on others to do simple tasks in and around your house, or at the store. With a mobility scooter you can get your independence back.

Improves Safety

Canes, walkers, and crutches can be beneficial for short term use, such as if you sprain your ankle, however, if you use them long term, you can actually change the alignment of your body and your gait. This will, in turn, cause other issues to surface, with your hips, back, and knees. Further, if you are walking in an area where there is water or ice, crutches or a walker can make for a very dangerous situation. With a mobility scooter, the impact on the rest of your body is taken away. You are in a seated position and can get up and move around, if able, whenever you choose. With a wider wheel base, scooters are designed to be tip resistant, meaning the chances of falling off or out of one are very slim. You are far less likely to become further injured using a mobility scooter than with any other mobility-assisted device.

Mobility scooters can transform the life of someone who has become disabled. Walking can be a challenge, or impossible, for a large portion of the population. Using a mobility scooter can give a person back their independence, while doing it in a safe manner.

For Mia Mingus, who had polio as an infant, and has had her share of inquiries about her physical disability from the public, humor has been a way to deal with all the questioning. She tells people: “I fell out of an airplane” or “I was attacked by a tiger.”

But all laughs aside, the 37-year-old queer writer and community educator from Oakland shares that her sense of safety is probably the biggest factor in dictating how she deals with the questioning.

“I am constantly assessing my environment, the people around me, and the relationships I have to them, when navigating any kind of oppression or threat of violence. For example,” she continues, “for the ever-persistent, ‘what’s wrong with you?,’ I often reply, ‘nothing, what is wrong with you?’ Or, sometimes I just say, ‘I have a disability,’ and end it there. These are all when I am in situations where it is safe enough for me to do so, because often times it is not safe.”

Mingus explains that able-bodied people can feel entitled to the time and attention of people with disabilities, and if they don’t receive it, they can get mad, angry, or even violent. She says, “Similarly to the ways in which men and masculine people feel entitled to women, femmes and feminine people’s time, attention, and labor, when we say ‘no’ or do not comply, there are serious consequences we may face.”

Whether intentional or not, Mingus points out forced intimacy dehumanizes people with disabilities. It helps to normalize ableism — the system of oppression that gives people superiority based on physical and mental ability.

“Ableism created and depends on the binary of ‘able-bodied’ and ‘disabled.’ Ableism is connected to, and mutually dependent with, other forms of oppression and violence,” says Mingus.

In the LGBTQ community, Mingus believes that ableism is palpable and contributes to the exclusion of people with disabilities — especially at pride events.

“I think we have a long way to go before pride events are accessible, because it is not only the logistical access, which definitely has a long way to go, but it is also the culture of ableism as well,” she says.

To combat forced intimacy and ableism, Mingus suggests people explore their able-bodied privilege. She says, “For starters, abled queer people can do their own work to learn about and understand disability, ableism, access and, most importantly, their abled privilege and how it connects to heterosexism, the gender binary, homophobia, transphobia, and trans misogyny.”

“At this point,” Mingus adds, “there are countless resources for those who are interested in learning. There are activists you can follow on social media, who routinely share educational resources, articles and posts. There are also queer and/or other social justice groups that they can find that have not only created material on this, but also have incorporated changes into their work.”

You can learn more about Mia Mingus’ work on her website at https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/.

Photo: Courtesy of Mia Mingus (pictured)

Belo Cipriani: Where are you from and where do you live now?

Jim Blacksten: I was born in Oroville, California. I attended junior high and senior high school in Chico and I graduated from Chico Senior High School.

I currently live in San Francisco. My office is at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services (BHHS), Drysdale Properties, 1715 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.

Also, I have lived in Burlingame and in Daly City, California.

BC: What inspired you to become a real estate agent?

JB: Back in 2010, I was reading emails from people who decided to go into real estate — buying and selling homes. A number of these people just bought homes, fixed them up, and flipped for profits. Many of them made very good money, and they performed a lot of their work online. I am inspired to do the same as a visually impaired person.

I am also inspired to build part of my business with U.S. service members and veterans in San Francisco, East Bay, North Bay, South Bay, and throughout northern California. I’d like to assist veterans, as buyers here in San Francisco, to find their homes.

Also, I’d like to eventually become a real estate investor, which is really what inspired me to secure my California real estate license.

BC: What were some of the initial challenges in selecting real estate as a career path?

JB: I have taken and passed nine courses in real estate from City College of San Francisco (CCSF), which qualifies me to obtain a broker’s license after working for two years in the field. I have also taken and passed the California real estate exam for realtors, and am under contract with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services as a realtor.

One large challenge had to do with the CCSF Disabled Students Program Services (DSPS) converting printed books and materials into a digital, readable format for my text-to-speech software program (JAWS), which is keyboard driven to read the text and charts to me. Also, I had the challenge of working with instructors to make sure they explained what materials were being printed by them (i.e. on the class blackboard, or on projectors in PowerPoint format).

Then, I had to find a brokerage firm interested in bringing me on under contract as a realtor, as well as a manager who would be ready, willing, and able to champion my cause. Fortunately, I had an instructor (Carol Jensen), who taught the class I took in property management who believed in me, and what I could do. She introduced me to James Caldwell who is my manager today with BHHS.

BC: What adaptive technology do you use to do your work?

JB: I use the text-to-speech program Job Access with Speech (JAWS), which is a software program that is keyboard driven to assist me with reading the text information on the computer screen. Also, I use a device called a braille display, which converts the information on the computer screen into electronic braille, which I can read with my fingers. In other words, this BAUM Braille Display works as text-to-braille, and works in conjunction with JAWS. The BAUM Braille Display produces 40 characters of information at a time: I press the advance bar allowing me to read the next line of 40 characters, and so forth. Also, I have a unit called the Hims Notetaker, which is a personal data assistant with a built-in braille display of 32 characters. This unit has its own text-to-speech program that works in conjunction with the braille display for this particular Hims unit.

BC: How do clients respond to your disability?

JB: Thus far, everyone has responded favorably to me as a visually impaired person. I have also served as a Senior Accounts Representative as well as a consultant, and have met quite a number of clients, all of which were positive experiences. As long as I have a very positive attitude, and appear to know exactly what I am doing as a professional California realtor, clients and colleagues respond favorably. I have to say that Acura, my guide dog, in some cases, is a strong ally, and helps to break the ice in some introductory conversations.

BC: Do you know of any other blind real estate agents?

JB: I do not know of any other visually impaired persons that are realtors here in California. There are two others that I’ve heard of, though. One is located in the eastern U.S. and the other is in Canada.

BC: What projects are you working on now?

JB: I am currently working with Eddie Ramirez, who spearheads OneVet OneVoice and is sponsoring veteran home buyers workshops. We are scheduled to hold our first workshop this Thursday evening, July 23, 2015, at Mama’s Art Café on 4754 Mission Street, where Eddie Ramirez is a co-owner.

OneVet OneVoice is also working on bringing veterans together to be housed in a new building on Van Ness Avenue starting in October of 2015. We expect to assist in spearheading the home services section of this grand opening.

And, I am working toward becoming a successful listing agent.

BC: How may people contact you?

JB: Jim Blacksten, Realtor (CALBRE #01951334) at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Drysdale Properties. I can be reached by phone (Cell: 415-297-3084; Office: 415-655-9007) or email (jim.blacksten@bhhsdrysdale.com or jimeblacksten@gmail.com). You can also find me on the web at www.jimblacksten.com.

Photo courtesy of Jim Blacksten

Susan’s first book, The Mirror Dance, captures the fears of a lesbian community in a Midwestern town. Susan says, “I interviewed about sixty women and almost all feared being outed at work.”  This is a concern she admits may be less common in our modern society, but was definitely a big part of the Lesbian community not so long ago.

In a more recent book, Things No Longer There, Susan vividly relives her experience at a camp she attended as a teenage girl that was run by two lesbians. Although she did not know about their sexuality then, in retrospect she could remember Ms. Sandy’s unused bed, which was always cluttered with papers and projects. In the first chapter, she dives deeper into the dynamics and idiosyncrasies that made up the camp organizer’s relationship. She writes, “They never arrived together as if to insist they came from different lives.” The camp had such great impact on her that Susan wishes she could have been able to see the camp owners as an adult to tell them how much she loved the place and that she was lesbian too.

Susan also analyzes her own fears, what she calls “lesbo-phobias,” in another piece called The Family Silver. In this narrative, Susan discusses the lesbo-phobias pertaining to being a lesbian teacher. She writes, “I was aware of the consequences of touching students to say ‘great work’ or ‘nice,’ and always kept my hands to my sides.” The world that existed outside the “heterosexual veneer,” as Susan refers to it, was to be protected and kept a secret in those times.

Being out of the closet was risky and Susan experienced some taunting, yet it did yield some good as well. When Susan arrived at Stanford and asked if there were any other lesbian faculty members, the answer was, “just one other.” Later, Susan found herself knocking at professor Estelle Frieddman’s door. The two soon became partners, and they now have been together for 30 years.

When Susan began to lose her sight in the mid 90s to a condition called birdshot retinochoroidopathy, it was Estelle who helped Susan through the transition. “Hannah,” as Estelle is known in Susan’s books, encouraged her partner to write and served as her first editor. This wonderful display of support resulted in Things No Longer There, and her latest book, Traveling Blind, in which “Hannah,” Susan, and her guide dog Teela travel to many parts of the country.

In the GLBT community, labels come naturally and words like “bottom,” “butch” or “fem” are casually exchanged, yet Susan discovered that the blind label was easier to go public with. When she was sighted, hearing occasional name calling while walking down the street was not uncommon. However, once she started to carry a white cane and later to walk with a guide dog, people treated her more kindly. “Blindness definitely has its own set of problems, but it is easier for people to accept,” says Susan. While doing a radio interview for Things No Longer There, which is mostly about lesbianism and touches lightly on vision loss, Susan was not surprised that the radio program focused entirely on her blindness.

In a statement that illustrates the fearlessness embodied in the colorful GLBT community, Susan proudly claims herself as both Lesbian and blind.

Susan Krieger, a sociologist and writer, teaches in the Program in Feminist Studies at Stanford University. Her books include Things No Longer There: A Memoir of Losing Sight and Finding Vision; The Family Silver: Essays on Relationships among Women; Social Science and the Self: Personal Essays on an Art Form; The Mirror Dance: Identity in a Women’s Community; and Hip Capitalism. Click here to learn more about Susan Krieger.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is a staffing professional, the award-winning author of Blind: A Memoir and Midday Dreams, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the career expert for the Ed Baxter Show on Talk Radio San Francisco 910AM. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and  YouTube.

The two biggest issues with the new design are the floor-to-ceiling poles by the entrance doors and the segregated area for users of scooters and wheelchairs.

“For more than a year,” says Fiona Hinz, Systems Change Coordinator for the Independant Living Resource Center of San Francisco, “we have been advocating for a redesign. Yet, BART has not been responsive.”

Fiona, who has joined forces with other agencies to spread the message, says that the federal government can revoke funding for BART’s new fleet if they do not make the cars accessible. She encourages everyone to write to the transportation agencies listed below to inform them of the poor design.

Here are some action items included in an email distributed by the Disability Organizing Network:

Attached is a sample letter that can be used as a template to send to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Federal Transit Administration Office on Civil Rights, and Department of Transportation. Please email your letters to the:

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (info@mtc.ca.gov)
Federal Transit Administration Office on Civil Rights (CLICK HERE)
Department of Transportation

Please also email a copy of your letter to fiona@ilrcsf.org.

You can also tweet your concerns to @MTCBATA, @FTA_DOT, and @USDOT —> Please help us keep BART’s fleet of the future accessible for all! #accessibleBART

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and  YouTube.

Photo: “BART” by Paul Sullivan is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

“The FingerReader is a wearable device that assists in reading printed text. It is a tool both for visually impaired people that require help with accessing printed text, as well as an aid for language translation. Wearers scan a text line with their finger and receive an audio feedback of the words and a haptic feedback of the layout: start and end of line, new line, and other cues. The FingerReader algorithm knows to detect and give feedback when the user veers away from the baseline of the text, and helps them maintain a straight scanning motion within the line.” (MIT Media Lab)

Recently, we were able to speak with Roy Shilkrot, a 4th year PhD student that works at the MIT Media Lab, to learn a bit more about the FingerReader.

Belo Cipriani: How did the FingerReader project come together?

Roy Shilkrot: The FingerReader came together after spending about 3 years developing a number of finger-worn prototypes, focusing on assisting people with visual impairments. Finally, we closed in on reading printed text, as we realized this application could make a big impact, and we actually have some interesting new approaches to suggest to traditional methods.

BC: What were some of the early challenges?

RS: The challenges are getting the device to work consistently and robustly for different people and text material. We are still looking for the right way to guide people effectively in reading text without being able to see it.

BC: How many blind people have helped with the testing of the FingerReader?

RS: We relied very much on the Visually Impaired and Blind User Group (VIBUG) that meets at MIT. They are a big group of people with different conditions of low vision, and multiple people from the group helped us shape it and test it.

BC: When do you think it may hit the market?

RS: The process to productize such a device is estimated at a one to two year period, during which we would focus on further development, manufacturing and preparing the distribution methods.

BC: Are you working on other accessibility projects?

RS: My work is in assistive technology, but not necessarily for people with any sensorial impairment, as I believe certain situations put all people in a position of lesser capacity. It happens every time we learn a new language or learn to use a new tool… So, my work spans the spectrum of assisting people with special needs to people with temporary or voluntary special needs.

To learn more about the FingerReader, visit the MIT Media Lab website and/or view this product Q&A.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, a contributing columnist for South Florida Gay News, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo: Courtesy of Fluid Interfaces Group, MIT Media Lab

Belo Cipriani: How long after the assault did you begin to work out?

Blake Harrison: I was experiencing brain trauma paralysis in my left arm and leg. I began the physical rehab of squeezing a stress ball and focused on the wiggling of my toes in week two. I began to hit the weights in month three, and haven’t stopped for 10 years now.

BC: How long did it take you to get back into sports?

BH: I could run again after 5 months, and trained for my senior year of lacrosse harder than ever. That year I was “All District Player of the Year” and made the “All-Metropolitan Team.”

BC: As a brain injury survivor, is there any task you find challenging?

BH: Referring to me as “bad with names” is a gross understatement — haha. Reading comprehension is very challenging for me, so all of my tests were dictated to me by teachers. Also, I’m a great storyteller, but writing is challenging for me.

BC: You are also known as The Shirtless Chef. What is the healthiest dessert someone can order at most restaurants?

BH: Generally, I shoot for the dark chocolate items, because rich cacao (70% or higher) is packed full of rare vital antioxidants. Or maybe the baked caramelized apples with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

BC: Any words of advice for people who feel they are too busy to get into shape?

BH: Enough with the excuses already! Get the BlakeFIT home kit of resistance bands and you don’t even have to leave your house. You can get into shape in as little as 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and you will transform in 90 days. But you can’t kid yourself; if you want to work out for that short of a time, you’re gonna have to bust your A**. You need three things: Accountability, Intensity and Discipline.

The competition isn’t over for Blake! He is now competing to be the hottest overall trainer in SF (competing against the winner in the female category). You can vote for him here. To learn more about Blake Harrison, visit his website at BlakeFIT.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Photo: Marrs Photography

Belo Cipriani: You have an MFA in creative writing and you are a chef. Do you split your time evenly between writing and cooking?

Christine Ha: I very much would like to, but it’s been quite difficult carving out the time to sit down and write seriously since completing my MFA last year. I have been working on a memoir, but nowadays, I seem to do a lot more food-related things. As an outlet, however, I think it’s important to keep a balance in life, which means a chef shouldn’t always be in the kitchen, but rather, he/she needs to find other hobbies that can renew the mind and soul and feed the creativity. I do make time to write my blog (www.theblindcook.com) weekly, so that keeps me a little sane.

BC: What was the process like for organizing the recipes in your cookbook?

CH: First, I thought about what sort of recipes I’d like to include, and immediately a theme emerged: comfort food. After collecting the recipes I’d had thus far, the editor and I played around with the recipes, trying to see how we could divide them into categories or sub-themes that made the most sense. Then we went back and rounded out the chapters so the numbers of recipes were relatively even throughout. For example, my “Something Sweet”/dessert chapter was minimal, because I’m not a baker nor much of a sweets person, so I had to think of what additional dishes I could include. Then came a lot of recipe testing and kitchen experimenting.

BC: Do you use any assistive technology for the blind to cook?

CH: I mostly depend on tactile stickers marking my burner knobs and appliances. When necessary, I use a digital talking scale, a talking thermometer, a liquid level indicator, and Braille labels (mostly on my spices). I also have many other devices like the iGrill, but they are not a part of my daily use.

BC: How does your family deal with your blindness?

CH: My husband is great. He doesn’t ever patronize me — in fact, we joke that he kind of gives me “tough love.” He is not the most careful sighted guide, but I think it encourages me to be more independent. The rest of my family is good, too. When I first lost my vision, they were unsure of what I needed, i.e. how much help vs. how little to give. They felt helpless and had never dealt with a visually impaired person before, so their gauge of assistance or how they treated me was polar. But now, they know my capabilities and also my needs, and they’re good.

BC: Do you have any plans for writing a novel?

CH: I have a novel, a collection of short stories, a one-act play, and some poetry. The novel and collection are quite incomplete, though the play and poems are more or less closer to their final drafts, if not already there. My memoir has been my focus.

BC: What’s your favorite cookbook?

CH: I actually don’t have one. I used to read them a lot more when I had my vision — a lot of the cookbook reading experience, I’ve found, lies in the visual stimulation of the food photos. I will, however, tell you what I’m currently listening to: Becoming A Chef, by Andrew Dornenburg (for the second time), and The Professional Chef, by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Just for kicks, here are other books I’m currently reading (I’m always reading a bunch at once): The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole (in Braille), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey (for the second time), The 4-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferris, and The New Yorker and InStyle magazines.

BC: Any cooking advice for people who are newly blind and are still shy around the kitchen?

CH: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Yes, play it safe at the beginning by having a sighted person around to help. But you only get stronger by making and learning from your mistakes. I still make mistakes all the time in the kitchen. Learn to laugh about it.

You can learn more about Christine Ha by visiting her website, TheBlindCook.com. She also invites you to connect with her on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, at @theblindcook and @ChristineHHa.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and  YouTube.

Photo: Mitch Mandel Rondale

I was preparing to cross the street and paused to listen to the traffic for a few minutes. I was about to take a step forward when I heard a man shout, “Wait! I gotcha!” I smelled citrus cologne and was stunned to feel a pair of very strong arms lift and throw me over a muscular shoulder. I moved my lips but my words were playing hooky and I remained mute. I could now smell the fragrance, which I now recognized as Aqua di Gio. I could also feel his toned stomach with my left hand and was now hoping he would take me home. I sensed him take a step up onto the curb and I knew my ride was about to end. The buff guy placed me on the sidewalk and scolded me, “You shouldn’t be crossing by yourself.” Still mesmerized by the stranger’s physique, I ignored his naïve yet cute comment. I checked the time on my cell and asked, “Will you be here in about a month at the same time?” Although I love being independent, I have definitely learned when to enjoy being helped.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo: “I Get Around” by Freaktography is licensed under CC BY 2.0

NOTE: This article is available for reprint in magazines, periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, eZINEs, on the Internet or on your own website. To obtain permission and details contact info@belocipriani.com