New free counselling service for blind or partially sighted people over 60

A new counselling service for older people recently diagnosed or living with sight loss is now available through the Royal National Institute of Blind People Northern Ireland (RNIB NI). This project is funded by a grant of £499,509 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Out: Connecting Older People programme which supports older people affected by issues such as bereavement, disability or long term illness or who live in residential care or sheltered housing.

Looking Forward will provide practical and emotional support to blind or partially sighted people (aged 60 plus) at greatest risk of isolation or exclusion. The programme is free to access and will offer a programme of a minimum of six face to face counselling sessions and ongoing peer support to help a person come to terms with losing their vision. 

Speaking at the launch of the project RNIB NI Regional Manager, David Barnes, said: "This is an exciting and much needed new service which will help prevent a lot of the isolation, loneliness and depression which often comes as a result of deteriorating sight.

 "People have a lot of fears such as worrying about losing their independence, not being able to drive, socialise or work and the trained counsellor will be able to work through all these things with them. The project will provide practical and emotional support as well as highlighting the range of services we already offer such as help with benefits, training, equipment or accessing the local community."

 At present this service is currently available throughout Northern Ireland with trained volunteer counsellors based in Belfast, Lisburn, Newry, Armagh, Fermanagh, Omagh and Derry/Londonderry. The Looking Forward Project will work in partnership with the following key organisations: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Western Health and Social Care Trust and Good Morning Northern Ireland Network.

Anyone wishing to avail of this counselling service will be invited to an initial telephone assessment with a trained counsellor to discuss their situation and explore if counselling is the right course of support. Our service is completely confidential. This means that what you say to us will remain within the counselling service and will not be passed on to anyone else without your consent.

To find out more about Looking Forward, contact the team on 028 9032 9373 or email [email protected] .