About
Services And Programs

Creating Opportunities For Children

A child with severe visual impairment misses opportunities to learn by watching others and seeing things in his or her environment. Children who do not have access to specialized services and training frequently fall behind sighted children in developing basic skills necessary to learning. Our Children’s program provides specialized services and training in developing basic motor, mobility, sensory and social skills necessary to learning. We help children and adolescents with vision impairment maximize their opportunities for achieving their personal, educational, and/or professional goals.

Children with visual impairments require specialized teaching methods. With services and training by L.A.B. experts, children in Northwest Louisiana with visual impairments are prepared for success. Programs are offered for infants through 3 year olds as well as children and adolescents.

Children with visual impairment can learn what their sighted peers can, but may need to learn in an alternate way because they experience the world differently.

For instance, from birth to 3 years old, 80 percent of learning comes by imitation.  Without specialized teaching methods, these children can fall behind long before they head off to school.

L.A.B. has been meeting this need through its Children’s Program since 2005, offering services for infants through 3 year-olds, plus children and adolescents.

A growing segment of assistance for students is available through smartphones and tablets, offering such aids as note taking, verbal dictation with punctuation, talking scientific calculators and audible textbooks.

With services and training by our team, children in Northwest Louisiana with visual impairments are prepared for a rewarding future.

Training that builds independence and confidence to live on your terms.

An abundance of aids paired with the knowledge of a licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant includes education through our Independent Living Skills (ILS) program.  Instruction includes adaptive skills and techniques to increase independence. Cooking safely in the kitchen, financial, home, and medication management are just some of the skills addressed in ILS.

Clients receive practical, hands-on experience in our on-site learning environments, such as a fully equipped kitchen, as well as participate in community outings relative to independent living. Our ILS program makes it possible for people who are visually impaired to build self-reliance and independence. 

Instruction includes adaptive skills and techniques to increase independence. Cooking safely in the kitchen, financial, home, and medication management are just some of the skills addressed in ILS.

Assists individuals in adapting to vision loss. A component of ILS includes cooking. Our clients do not think cooking will be possible once they start losing their vision, but soon realize that creating and sharing a healthy and delicious meal with family and friends is still part of their reality. Engaging a client to prepare a meal is an in-depth process, but provides an opportunity to the client to utilize other skills they are learning at our LVRC.
Services.

Our Community Services division offers life-changing services, programs and training to community members with visual impairments.

Offering evaluations for clients in Northwest Louisiana referred to us by area eye care professionals. 

L.A.B.’s Low Vision Rehabilitation Center offers evaluations for clients in Northwest Louisiana referred to us by area eye care professionals. Testing includes low vision evaluations, visual field testing and evaluations for work placement. Disability testing for exiting members of the military as well as occupational therapy are offered to our clients. L.A.B.’s clinicians and therapists craft personalized plans to help each client achieve their best life.