|
NEW YORK (October 9, 2009)—Today the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) launched a comprehensive web-based learning center for professionals working with seniors with age-related eye conditions, the eLearning Center for Aging and Visual Impairment. Featuring 21 mini courses on topics related to aging and vision loss, the AFB eLearning Center's goal is to give service providers the knowledge and skills needed to help older Americans with vision loss live active, independent lives.
The eLearning Center, available at www.afb.org/seniorsite/elearning, was unveiled in Alabama in partnership with the Older Alabamians System of Information and Services (OASIS) program under the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. OASIS is the first agency to participate in program.
"We created the eLearning Center to fill an information gap on how to help seniors cope with vision problems—a growing public health concern as the population ages," said Judy Scott, Director of the AFB Center on Vision Loss. "Eye experts say that by the year 2030, rates of vision loss from conditions like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy are expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age."
Available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, the AFB eLearning Center provides busy professionals a convenient way to expand their knowledge of aging and vision loss. The curriculum was designed for professionals in the fields of aging and vision loss, including rehabilitation specialists, social workers, occupational therapists, and more. The courses were created by experts from around the country and cover everything from the health and psychological aspects of vision loss to the tools seniors need to take charge of their lives and continue their favorite hobbies and activities.
In addition to the courses, agencies who sign a licensing agreement to offer the eLearning Center to their employees will have online access to the blindness field's premier research publication, the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (JVIB); up to six AFB Press ePublications; two webinars per year; and an expert in aging and vision loss to answer questions online. Starting in 2010, courses will be available for individuals to take course on an à la carte basis. Continuing education credits will be available from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).
To view the course listings, visit www.afb.org/seniorsite/elearning. Contact Pris Rogers at pris@afb.net to find out more about the eLearning Center and the pricing structure.
# # #
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the more than forty years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB.
Contact:
Adrianna Montague-Gray
AFB Communications
212-502-7675
|
I take vision loss day by day, and my days are better than ever.
