Marcie was in her 70s when she developed macular degeneration—but she lived independently in senior apartments for the next 20 years. Her daughter-in-law Karen says that’s thanks in large part to the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Karen goes down the list of items Marcie has gotten from the Council over the years: a white cane, a large TV remote, talking watches, a preprogrammed telephone, and sticky raised dots to put on items like the thermostat.
One of Marcie’s most valued items is a CCTV or “reader” that, with magnification, helps her read medication labels or look at family photos. “Marcie’s reader is a priceless gift,” Karen noted, “It’s one of the most important resources we’ve gotten from the Council.”