Guiding III: Stairs, Doors & Cars

Guiding III:Stairs, Doors & Cars Chapter 4.1.5

Overview • This presentation covers guiding up and down stairs, through doors and into cars. • The DB person uses touch to orient themselves with the help of the SSP. • The SSP guides the DB person’s hand to orienting objects. • The DB person then goes on the stairs, throughdoorsandintocarsontheirown.

STAIRS

Stairs • It is important that the DB person knows you are about to go up or down stairs. This is the main point. • How much verbal communication is needed will vary with the situation.

Pausing • Pause at the beginning of the stairs. • Guide the DB person’s hand to the railing. • Pause on the first step. • Pause again at the bottom.

Pausing(inthefollowingslides) • In the next slide, note the DB man using his cane to locate the first step. • Note the SSP indicating the handrail. • Notice that the guide’s hand is under the deaf-blind person’s hand. This way the SSP is guiding the hand, not ‘moving it’ or controlling it.

Contact While Walking DB people prefer contact in different ways. In the next slide you will see the DB man using the rail and his cane, while the SSP keeps contact with the DB person arm-to-arm. In the next following slide, the DB woman also uses the railing and her cane while her SSP keeps contact by placing her hand on her shoulder.

Handrail and Vision In the next slide the SSP has guided the DB woman to the handrail. The DB woman then uses the handrail, her experience with steps (proprioception), and her partial vision to descend.

Everything and Guide Only • In the next two slides the first DB woman uses her cane, the rail and the SSP. • The second woman uses just the SSP. • Rails are not always available. This is one reason it is good for the SSP to have solid, flat shoes for guiding that provide both support and balance. • Notice that in both cases the SSP-Guide is one step ahead of the DB person.

Stairs • Notice in the previous slide that the SSP-Guide is visually checking the footing of the DB woman. • When walking through a familiar space, body movements will be enough to communicate. • Signals for stairs: • Pause • Hand to the rail

Atypical Stairs • If the space is new or unusual (e.g. curving stairs) it is best to verbally describe the situation. • If there is no handrail, communicate that and make sure you maintain your own balance.

TRANSITIONS

Handrail and Cane • Many DB people prefer to go up or down stairs ‘free’ of the SSP-Guide, using their cane and the handrail. • The SSP-Guide indicates the handrail and meets the DB person at the other end.

Beginning and End • There is a pause at the beginning of the steps in which you make sure the DB person has located the first step. • Pause again when you’ve made the last step. • Pause – steps – pause. • Pause at landings for the information from the cane or handrail to be clear.

Approach • SSP-Guide begins to shift position.

Approach, cont. • SSP-Guidebeginstoindicatethehandrail.

Pause SSP-guide & DB man have both paused.

Pause, cont. Hand on rail; cane shifting position.

Going Up, Pause

Going Up, Pause, cont. SSP-Guide is ready for transition again as the DB man pauses.

Body Cues • In the previous pictures, the DB person was oriented to where they were and was ready for the steps. • As they approached the steps the SSP-Guide’s pace slowed and her arm moved forward from her body towards the rail. • The DB man used his cane while following the guide’s hand to the rail.

Landings • If there is a landing, pause slightly. • If the stairs continue the DB person will probably get this information from their cane and the rail, but will need a moment’s extra time to do so. • Note on the next slide, the guide watching to be sure there are no missteps.

Landings, cont.

Curbs • A curb is basically a single step. Approach the curb and stop. • If the DB person is using their cane, they will feel both the curb and its depth. • Step off or onto the curb and proceed. • When in doubt, communicate and let the DB person know you are now stepping off or onto a curb.

Ramps • If the ramp incline is very slight, slowing your pace will indicate a change. The DB person’s cane will pick up the change. • Some people prefer to use a ramp to using stairs if one is available. • Here too the cane is useful.

Ramps, cont. • In the next slide, the hard-of-hearing DB woman releases her SSP-Guide saying, “I’ve got it”. • In the second slide, the DB woman gets information from both the SSP-Guide and her cane.

Balance • Many DB people have poor balance; it’s related to being deaf. • It’s good for the SSP to wear shoes that provide good balance and to know that, especiallyforstairs,thismightbeanissue. • Pause or stop for changes in terrain (e.g. rough ground). • Remember, practice and reflect on your experiences.

Blindfolds and Goggles From time to time practice with a buddy using blindfolds, goggles and ear-plugs. Practice going into different environments and see how your perceptions work for you. What would you want your buddy-SSP to do differently?

DOORS

Doors Four possible ways: • Open toward you on the DB person’s side. • Open towards you on the guide’s side. • Push away on the DB person’s side. • Push away on the guide’s side.

Doors, cont.

Variation • Just as there was variation in the way DB people prefer to go up and down stairs, there is variation in the way DB people go through doors. • The SSP adjusts to how the DB person tends to go through doors.

Variation, cont. • There are a few tricky parts about doors: narrow space, something (the door) to hold, and sometimes the need to step backwards.

Non-Verbal Movements • If the DB person knows you are leaving or entering a building, it is not really necessary to tell the DB person verbally that you are now at the door. The DB person will feel your body shift. In the next few slides, watch the SSP-Guides’ bodies and how the DB people automatically shift behind (to become narrower as a pair).

Non-Verbal Movements, cont. • Notice too that many DB people help hold the door.

Guiding III: Stairs, Doors & Cars