The impact of low vision on activities, participation, and goals among older adults: a scoping review.
Debbie BoeyTamara TseYi Hui LimMei Leng ChanKerry FitzmauriceLeeanne M CareyPublished in: Disability and rehabilitation (2021)
Low vision impacts reading, walking, and moving around in different locations. Rehabilitation therapists should be aware of and consider assessing these activities. Further research is needed on the impact of low vision on other functional activities, participation, and self-identified goals of older adults to guide clinical practice.Implications for rehabilitationLow vision has an impact on the activity level of older adults, consistently identified in the areas of walking and moving around in different locations and reading for knowledge and leisure.At the participation level, the impact of low vision is less frequently identified compared to the areas identified at the activity level, in the areas of leisure, social interactions and basic and instrumental ADL.Rehabilitation therapists working with older adults with low vision should assess clients' performance of moving around in different locations, in addition to walking, and include screening questions on the impact of low vision on driving.Rehabilitation therapists working with older adults with low vision should determine clients' reading needs and acquire competence in assessing clients' reading ability and providing intervention for different types of reading to enable them to continue participating in various life situations that require the performance of reading.