When I moved in here it truly was my last resort. Since living here I feel like I have the same independent life that my friends have and I just don't want to lose that. The guide dog run is probably the most important thing for me. It's a safe and confined area where I feel comfortable taking my dog out, especially at night.
Ana proposed the following: Is this enough in 2026? As an occasional purveyor of the visually-hidden class myself, the question wriggled its way into my brain. I felt compelled to investigate the whole ordeal. Spoiler: I do not have a satisfactory yes-or-no answer, but I do have a wall of text!
When I take a walk in my neighborhood, my white hair, dark glasses, and white cane shout to the world that I am an older blind man. Some passers-by assume that I am lost and ask if I need help. It is true that blind people sometimes need help when using a mobility aid (a white cane or guide dog) to navigate their physical environment. However, once a person becomes proficient at traveling with a mobility aid, they typically need much less help.
When I was growing up, people liked to join. People joined churches or clubs or dance groups or singing groups. Those still exist, but their membership has quite declined. People just don't want to join anymore. It's certainly down from the '50s and '60s. And before, if you got on the bus you could say hello to everyone. Now, if you did that, they'd rush you off to the looney bin. It's a sad state of affairs.
