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8 | January 16, 2020 | 22nd century media Hadley at 100 22ndCenturyMedia.com Hadley Goes International From the very beginning, Hadley attracted interest from blind and visually impaired students around the world. While the “braille by mail” model allowed Hadley to serve international students, it was not a fast process given distance and geographical barriers. In 1959, Director Donald Hathaway and Assistant Director Richard Kinney attended the Fifth World Assembly of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind in Rome. While there, they were approached by Latin American delegates who wished to replicate Hadley in their countries. This was the beginning of Hadley International. Under this new initiative, Hadley partnered with local agencies for the blind to open satellite offices in key regions of the world. This enabled Hadley to overcome linguistic barriers and deliver resources more efficiently. In the 1960s, Hadley expanded across the globe—with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Greece, India, Italy, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Spain and Turkey. The international curriculum mirrored Hadley Central’s approach, primarily teaching English through the local language in braille, by mail. Across the markets there was also an emphasis on vocational courses. By the 1990s, new web-enabled technologies meant learning materials could be delivered more efficiently from a central location. The rising cost and complexity of maintaining operations abroad led to closing international offices in Europe in 1992 and the last locations in South America and Latin America in 2000. China was the exception and remained open until 2012. Today, Hadley continues to serve people who are blind and visually impaired around the world. In 2019 we reached learners in more than 65 countries. Hadley’s distance learning model and digital technology make it a seamless process, with learning accessible around the clock from any location. Learning Experts Are Hadley’s True Heroes Unless you’ve gone through it, it’s difficult to imagine losing your vision and having the confidence to continue living independently. Hadley’s learning experts are essential to helping learners navigate this new reality. Charmaine Martin, learning expert and practice leader for the Adjustment, Independent Living, and Recreation Team explains, “People who call are often scared and anxious and simply want to know that life can go on. We tell them they can still do things they normally do, but that they just have to learn how to do them in a different way, and we can help get them there.” She adds, “you can feel the anxiousness of the caller but also the relief once they hear what we have to offer in the way of assistance, and that we will be there to help guide them every step of the way.” It is most frequently an older individual who has experienced recent vision loss who reaches out to see what Hadley can offer. Because their literacy is already there and they are not yet at a stage when they want to learn braille, most are simply seeking tips and tricks on how to navigate through their new life and the experiences that come with it. “And they want it quickly,” Martin explains. “We’re in the age of YouTube, when people don’t want to sit through a long course to learn about independent living. They want the information at their fingertips and want it now. Hadley’s new platform is being developed to deliver the ‘just in time’ type of education our learners are seeking.” While Hadley’s online discussion groups provide an enormous sense of community for those living with low vision, it’s the learning experts who are on the front lines every day, communicating in real-time, making a difference in people’s lives. Whether it’s tips on shaving, navigating the kitchen, or even how to locate a pair of dropped glasses without stepping on them, Martin and her fellow Hadley experts are always there to provide support. “People come to us at different stages (of vision loss),” she explains. “When blindness hits, you want to know that what you’re feeling is normal. Just like you grieve for the loss of a family member, you can grieve for the loss of your vision.” For Martin, it is an “amazing feeling” to see how someone struggling in the beginning learns to adjust. She affirms this feeling also extends to sighted individuals when they’ve learned to help their loved one regain their independence. Congratulations Hadley on 100 years! Clune is proud to support Hadley and its mission to provide education and resources that enable people with visual impairments to thrive. CONGRATULATIONS ON 100 YEARS OF EMPOWERMENT! To learn more please visit: us.jll.com
22ndCenturyMedia.com Hadley at 100 22nd century media | January 16, 2020 | 9 Hadley Addresses the Changing Face of Vision Loss Improved prevention, detection and treatments have resulted in fewer children experiencing vision loss. However, at the other end of the age spectrum, vision loss is a growing concern. As the baby-boomer population ages, visual impairments caused by eye diseases—such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma— are on the rise. Poor visual acuity is just the beginning of the challenges these individuals will face. Impaired sight makes medication management precarious. Getting around in public, or even one’s own home, becomes unsafe. Cutting food and cooking a meal turns hazardous. The loss of independence and lack of mobility that accompany vision loss frequently lead to increased isolation, depression and a reduced quality of life. There is an urgent need to support the millions of older individuals new to vision loss. In the United States, vision rehabilitation is provided as a social service. People in need of assistance are typically referred to staterun agencies, but these organizations are often oversubscribed and underfunded and simply cannot provide the type, volume or speed of support that is needed. Nor is the medical community set up to help. Vision rehab has never fallen under the medical model. Once there is nothing left to do to treat the underlying disease or restore vision, people are usually left in the cold, without assistance or support. How Is Hadley Helping? As the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind and visually impaired worldwide, Hadley is uniquely qualified to serve this growing population. We are doing this by bringing together our esteemed 100-year history with new technological capabilities to deliver the most impactful learning experiences. Hadley’s distance learning model allows us to be there to help people facing visual impairment through this challenging transition. It might take months to see a vision rehab counselor at a state-run agency but Hadley learning and learning experts are available immediately. Hadley learners have access to personalized learning experiences in the Please see VISION LOSS, 11 WE’RE PROUD TO SUPPORT HADLEY INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLYIMPAIRED Congratulations on your 100thanniversary! Discussion Groups Creating a Sense of Community Engagement Visual impairment is often isolating. Compromised sight can make it difficult to travel and get around in public leading to a loss of independence, established routines and engagement with the outside world. According to The Global Coalition on Aging, low vision has also been shown to result in a 9.5 times greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 200% increase in clinical depression. Staying connected is critical—and something that Hadley learners are eager to do. So, Hadley recently launched a series of Discussion Groups where learners can interact with others who share their interests and learn from others who are facing similar challenges. Hadley Discussion Groups are free of charge and open to anyone with a visual impairment, their family members, and even medical professionals. These forums allow learners—who are spread out across the country and around the world— to gain knowledge, share information, connect with one another and build community. Subjects capture learners’ broad range of interests and needs. Whatever the pursuit, it is likely that Hadley has a discussion group for it. Topics include: Tech it Out, Hadley Growers, Spanish Chat, What’s Cooking, Resource Roundtable, Get Up & Go, Crafting, Embracing Braille and Writers’ Circle. Discussion groups are also an important component of Hadley’s new workshop format. They provide a valuable avenue for ‘social learning’ that, research and experience reveal, is critical to people with low vision. If learners are not able to join the live conversation, they can access the discussion content after the fact by downloading the transcript or listening to the audio recording. Topics are timely and seasonal—such as how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey or online shopping for holiday gifts. Feedback from learners has been excellent. They enjoy the cross-section of people who participate, the ability to ask questions of experts and the group, and the opportunity to share their own tips and experiences. Visit hadley.edu/discussions to browse all of the discussion groups. Click ‘Tune In’ to view upcoming topics, times to join in and access past sessions. Being your community bank means doing our part togive back to the local charities and social organizations that unite and strengthen our area. We’re particularly proud to support the Hadley Institute and its dedication to providing personalized learning opportunities thatempowerpeople to thrive–athome, at work,and in their communities. WINNETKA’S COMMUNITYBANK 576Lincoln Ave. |Winnetka, IL 60093 847-441-2265 |www.nscbank.com North ShoreBank &Trust Company is abranchofWintrust Bank,N.A. Proud to be part of the family
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