My name is Ria Baylen, and I have Usher's Syndrome Type II, which is a combination of Retinitis Pigmentosa and a hearing loss. I lost my hearing at a very young age and discovered my visual impairment at the age of eighteen. For the first couple of years after the discovery of my vision loss, I did not know Braille, Mobility, or Adaptive Technology. I wanted to prepare myself and to be aware of what I should do if I lose all of my vision. I know that I cannot always depend on family members or friends to do things for me. So I joined the California Department of Rehabilitation, and my rehabilitation counselor sent me to the Living Skills Center for the Visually Impaired (LSC). It was a great opportunity for me to learn independence.
I enjoyed learning everything that LSC had to teach and every single lesson was very helpful. Learning contracted Braille was very helpful because when I was growing up, I used to read lots of books for fun and I missed reading. Now that I know Braille, I can read again! The quality of instruction that I received at LSC was excellent, and everything was worth learning; not only Braille, but also how to use public transportation, adaptive technology, and cooking. The field trips and social activities that we did were also very fun and enjoyable! I'm the type of person who enjoys outdoor activities and socializing. All the activities were great and are something that I will never forget. The kayak trip to Angel Island was an exciting experience because I've never kayaked before and I loved it! The ski trip was great too, it was fun skiing down the hill and falling on my bottom! I also loved the walk in San Francisco near Christmas time, Thanksgiving dinner, Fourth of July, the music nights, walking in the rain, the trip to Alcatraz and many others.
The challenges and success I experienced at LSC came about by my getting involved in all the activities, and I learned how to be independent, gained social skills, strength, and courage. Without the Living Skills Center, I don't think I would have had the confidence to be independent and do things on my own!
Note: Since graduating from the Living Skills Center, Ria has had a cochlear implant and hears much better. She is working part-time at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco as a Rehabilitation Teaching Assistant under the Deaf-Blind Employment Access Program. She teaches deaf-blind clients to read and write Braille and Fingerspelling. Ria has also received her Communication Skills Training including Tactile Sign Language and Deaf-Blind Culture at the LightHouse.
My name is Ria Baylen, and I have Usher's Syndrome Type II, which is a combination of Retinitis Pigmentosa and a hearing loss. I lost my hearing at a very young age and discovered my visual impairment at the age of eighteen. For the first couple of years after the discovery of my vision loss, I did not know Braille, Mobility, or Adaptive Technology. I wanted to prepare myself and to be aware of what I should do if I lose all of my vision. I know that I cannot always depend on family members or friends to do things for me. So I joined the California Department of Rehabilitation, and my rehabilitation counselor sent me to the Living Skills Center for the Visually Impaired (LSC). It was a great opportunity for me to learn independence.
I enjoyed learning everything that LSC had to teach and every single lesson was very helpful. Learning contracted Braille was very helpful because when I was growing up, I used to read lots of books for fun and I missed reading. Now that I know Braille, I can read again! The quality of instruction that I received at LSC was excellent, and everything was worth learning; not only Braille, but also how to use public transportation, adaptive technology, and cooking. The field trips and social activities that we did were also very fun and enjoyable! I'm the type of person who enjoys outdoor activities and socializing. All the activities were great and are something that I will never forget. The kayak trip to Angel Island was an exciting experience because I've never kayaked before and I loved it! The ski trip was great too, it was fun skiing down the hill and falling on my bottom! I also loved the walk in San Francisco near Christmas time, Thanksgiving dinner, Fourth of July, the music nights, walking in the rain, the trip to Alcatraz and many others.
The challenges and success I experienced at LSC came about by my getting involved in all the activities, and I learned how to be independent, gained social skills, strength, and courage. Without the Living Skills Center, I don't think I would have had the confidence to be independent and do things on my own!