Make the i devices your new friends
For those who are losing their vision—and for those who have just lost it—life can suddenly take a very dizzying turn.
In what seems like an instant, familiar routines can become unfamiliar. Simple tasks may feel complicated, communication can become more challenging, and the future may suddenly seem uncertain. It is understandable that many people in this situation feel lost, hopeless, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to turn.
But they are not the only ones affected.
Family members and friends can also struggle to understand how best to offer support. They may want to help but simply do not know what to say, what to do, or what tools are available to make everyday life easier.
There is hope—and it may be sitting right in the palm of your hand.
Barrier-Free Canada and Donna J. Jodhan are working to introduce people who are losing their vision to a powerful new set of possibilities through Apple’s iDevices.
This initiative is also deeply personal.
It is being carried forward in honor of the late John Panarese, a world-renowned Mac trainer whose life was taken far too soon by cancer. Donna made John a promise: to carry on his legacy and share the knowledge and possibilities that technology can offer to people who are blind or losing their vision.
Donna knows this journey firsthand. After losing her functional vision, she was fortunate enough to discover the world of Apple’s iDevices. For her, these devices became much more than pieces of technology. They opened doors, restored independence, helped preserve her sanity, and introduced her to a fresh new world of communication and possibility.
Now, she wants to share that experience with students who are trying to find their feet again.
The message is simple:
Reach out. Embrace technology. Make the iDevices your new friends.
Learning to use an iPhone or iPad can be an empowering experience. With accessible features built into Apple’s devices, users can learn to communicate, engage, collaborate, and keep pace with an increasingly digital world.
It starts with learning the basics: taps, swipes, gestures, and voice commands. From there, an entire universe begins to open.
Students can explore apps and tools that help them stay informed and connected. They can learn how to manage reminders and calendars, take notes, keep records, communicate with others, and organize their daily lives.
And that is only the beginning.
Technology cannot restore someone’s vision. But it can help restore something else that is equally important: confidence.
It can help transform the question of “How am I going to do this now?” into “Let me see what I can do.”
That change in attitude can be life-changing.
Losing vision does not mean losing the ability to learn, communicate, work, explore, or participate fully in society. It means discovering new ways of doing things—and sometimes, those new ways can be surprisingly exciting.
For someone who is newly blind or losing functional vision, an iDevice may initially seem intimidating. There may be unfamiliar gestures, new terminology, and a learning curve. But with patient instruction, encouragement, and practice, those same taps and swipes can become second nature.
John Panarese understood the power of technology to open doors. Donna J. Jodhan understands what it means to have to find those doors after losing functional vision.
Now, together through John’s legacy, Donna’s lived experience, and the work of Barrier-Free Canada, that message can reach a new generation of students.
So, if you are losing your vision, don’t give up.
If you have recently lost your vision, don’t assume that your best days are behind you.
And if you are a family member or friend, don’t assume there is nothing you can do.
There is a whole new world waiting to be explored.
Tap. Swipe. Speak. Explore. Connect.
Make the iDevices your new friends—and discover just how much is still possible.