Orientation & Mobility

The ability to get around safely, whether indoors or out, is a key element of independence for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Olmsted Center for the Visually Impaired features a team of professional orientation and mobility instructors who work one-on-one with clients to set and meet mobility goals. Some may need to get around their own homes or workplaces; others may wish to venture outdoors in business or urban settings. Through a variety of methods such as use of a sighted guide, long cane, guide dog or electronic travel device, an individual with any degree of visual impairment can learn to travel with confidence.

With the right techniques, individuals can safely navigate indoor areas such as stairs, elevators, halls and restrooms; and outdoor settings like shopping plazas, parking lots, sidewalks and intersections. Our instructors work with clients in the very places they travel each day: their homes, schools, workplaces and neighborhoods. For those who choose to learn the use of public transportation, the options are endless.

We help adults and children from across all eight counties of Western New York develop mobility skills that can open the door to a whole new world. At Olmsted Center, independence is just a few steps away.