Keeping Your Friends Your Friends

One of the things we struggle with as blind people is when to ask friends for help. I wouldn’t say I have things figured out completely, but here are some things I have figured out over the years.

Aira and Be My Eyes have greatly reduced the need for friends to become helpers. Having a sighted person at my fingertips essentially has been a game changer for my independence. I recently purchased a pair of Meta Ray-ban smart glasses which has allowed me to use these services hands free. Aira in particular has allowed me to do many tasks such as navigating inaccessible websites and changing settings on my thermostat to name a few. Grocery delivery and Uber have helped solve transportation issues for me. I am lucky that I live in a place where Uber is relatively inexpensive, I can get to most places I want for around $10 one way which isn’t too bad.

I am also lucky to have family relatively close by, though I try not to depend on them too much. Sometimes having a person physically with you is just faster, for example if you are trying to find something that has gone missing. In these cases it is necessary to rely on friends or family.

Some people say that if you need anything just call me, but the reality is often much different. People lead busy lives, and I try to take into account which one of my friends has the most availability when asking for the limited physical help I need. To me this is common curtesy. Factors might include time constraints, location, etc. I also never want my friends to feel obligated to help, but I have noticed some personalities just like to help more than others. I can usually pick this up pretty quickly upon meeting someone.

Staying organized is key to reducing the need for help. Always try to put things in the same place every time to avoid things going missing, for example. Keep a calendar so you know your schedule for any given day.

In conclusion, I try as much as I can to rely on technology such as Aira, instacart, or Uber to avoid having to ask my friends for too much help. I find it is just better for the relationship that way, and you are more likely to get help when you actually really do need it. I hope this article helps someone.