Supporting the development of persons who lose vision in late adulthood

Abstract

Late adulthood is a natural phase of the life cycle, characterized by high diversity. Evident heterogeneity of capacities and needs of elderly persons calls for adopting individual approach towards analyzing their development and taking into consideration certain qualities, normative in that phase of life, such as reduced functional efficiency resulting from biological changes, change of life priorities resulting from social and professional activities, now different from previously performed ones, increased thoughtfulness and self-awareness. The need to support the development of elderly persons and to assist them by significant others as well as by professionals comes up when deteriorating health results in disability which impedes person’s daily functioning and their autonomy. Statistical data show that the rate of acquisition of visual impairment by persons over 65 increases steadily, and demographic prognoses indicate that the population of persons with visual impairment acquired in late adulthood will continue growing. Due to the social significance of the problem, the author of the article has made an attempt to describe the specific character of supporting the development of an elderly person who is losing vision while taking into account immediate functional implications of the acquired impairment.