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If the partially sighted person wants your help to guide them, here are some techniques that are very useful. If they want you to (and only if they want you to), you can be their Sighted Guide. Here are some very useful tips and techniques to help as a Sighted Guide.
- Ask if the person needs and wants assistance. Never force the person to accept help.
- If your help is accepted, tap the back of your hand against his or her hand. The person will then grasp your arm directly above the elbow. Never grab the person’s arm or try to direct him or her by pushing or pulling.
- If the person does not know sighted guide techniques, you may need to guide his hand to the proper place. You may also need to verbally guide the person. “I’m going to walk ahead of you a little bit. I’ll tell you if there are any obstacles you need to know about.”
- Relax and walk at a comfortable normal pace. Stay one step ahead of the person you are guiding.
- It is helpful, to tell the person what is coming up - stairs, doorways, obstacles, etc. When approaching stairs, pause as you reach the first stair. Let the person know if the stairs are going up or down. Make sure she is next to the railing and can grasp it. Let her know the railing is there. If you get to a landing or a turn in the stairs, pause and let her know. As you get to the bottom or top of the stairs, say, “There is only one more step”.
- In doorways, narrow spaces or moving through a crowd or restaurant you will need to walk almost directly in front of the person you are guiding.
- To get ready for this, move your guiding arm backwards and position it diagonally behind your back. This signals the narrowness of the space.
- The person with vision loss will then straighten her gripping arm and step directly behind you. Now you’re in single file, one full pace apart. Her arm will be fully extended to prevent her from stepping on your heels.
- When you’re finished negotiating the narrow space, bring your arm back to the side and resume the normal guiding stance. The person you are guiding will pick up on this signal and move back into the standard position, one half-pace behind.
- When you are approaching a door, tell the person with vision loss - describe it and the direction it opens (the side with the hinge). For example, you can say something like “We’re approaching a door opening to the left and toward us. It’s a large wooden door with a doorknob.” If the person you are guiding is unable to control the door (e.g., if the person is elderly and the door is heavy), you should take responsibility for holding and closing it.
- Tell the person with vision loss when you are both about to climb up or down stairs or curbs. Approach these squarely – never at an angle – and come to a full stop before you proceed up or down. For stairs, the person may need to switch to the side with the handrail. You should tell her where the handrail is in relation to her body (“There’s a metal handrail on your left.”). She will then grasp the handrail and locate the first step by sliding one foot forward until the step is detected. To begin, you step down (or up) one step, then both of you will proceed together in rhythm. As the guide, you will always be one step ahead.
- When you are acting as a guide, never leave the person in "free space." When walking, always be sure that the person has a firm grasp on your arm. If you have to be separated briefly, be sure the person is in contact with a wall, railing, or some other stable object until you return.
- To guide a person to a seat, place the hand of your guiding arm on the seat. The person you are guiding will find the seat by following along your arm.
Courtesy of the American Foundation for the Blind and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind
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