Guiding Part IV: Beyond the Basics

Chapter 4.1.5

Beyond the Basics

• This set will cover:– Guiding using your hand(s)

– Talking while walking

– Turning corners

– Going through narrow spaces and crowds

– Escalators and elevators

Another Position

• In Guiding Part I, you learned the classic position in which the DB person takes the arm of the SSP, as well as the other common position of hand-on-shoulder.

• Many DB people communicate tactually and most places you will be walking are flat surfaces such as sidewalks and inside buildings.

Hand-over-Hand Guide

• It is very common while walking on a flat, even surface to be in the hand-over-hand position which makes it easy to communicate verbally.

Hand-over-Hand (cont.)

• It is important to not grip a thumb or finger. Let the DB person hold onto the guide’s hand.

• If the DB person’s hand is slipping off, slow down.

SSP-Guide

• We have emphasized throughout that being an SSP-Guide is not merely ‘walking’ with the DB person holding your elbow, but that you will be providing information as you go.

• How much and what kind of information will vary depending on many things.

Negotiating Guiding – How Much Information?

• For many reasons DB people vary in the kind and amount of detail they want from the SSP-Guide, and will vary somewhat even from day to day.

• Jenne explained to her SSP that she wants a steady stream of visual information. “Tell me ‘I’m looking this way; one car is passing; another car is passing.’ Now, are you ready?”

Talking

Guiding and…

• The guide will sometimes guide and talk at the same time. For the DB person using Sign Language, this means hand-on-hand.

…Talking while Walking

• The DB person here is using her cane too.

• Of course, it’s important to pause and focus on guiding itself when needed.

Entering a Building

• The pair have returned to the default position to enter the building. The SSP’s arm movement will signal direction, orientation and the step up for the threshold.

• The DB woman’s cane will tell her how high.

Talking While Walking

Chatting at the end of a shopping trip.

Here the hard-of-hearing DB person chats vocally while leaving home. Notice the SSP walking on the grass, giving the DB man the sidewalk.

Experienced

• SSP-Guides who are able to chat tactually while guiding are experienced. Like licensed drivers they can navigate smoothly in an unchallenging situation without having to give it full attention.

• Even experienced SSP-Guides cannot talk while navigating challenging spaces.

Talking While Walking: Smooth Surface

Pausing for Description

• Here the guide (on the right) pauses to describe a point of interest as she guides him during a “Walk-a-Thon” fundraiser.

Corners & Turns

Taking Corners

• Crack the Whip– Remember the game “Crack the Whip”

where one person stayed in the middle and the rest formed a chain?

– The person on the “outside” must take more steps than the person on the “inside” of the circle as one turns. Thus, if the guide is on the inside, s/he should walk slightly slower.

Taking Corners (cont.)

• Therefore:– If you are on the inside of the turn, slow

down.

– If you are on the outside of the turn, speed up slightly.

Turning Corners

• Guide on the Outside

(walk quicker)• Guide on the Inside

(slow it down a tad)

SSP DB person

Turning Around

• The next two slides show an SSP-Guide with a DB man as the SSP realizes she is headed in the wrong direction and turns around. You will see how as she turns / pivots the DB man is on the outside and must walk further. This is the ‘crack-the-whip’ phenomenon.

Narrow Spaces

Going through Narrow Spaces

• There are a few signals associated with narrow spaces. A guide may use any one or several of them.1. Guide squeezes elbow towards her/himself.2. Guide turns slightly toward the DB person

making her/himself narrow.3. Guide moves arm behind her/himself.4. Guide indicates or touches the object to be

avoided. The DB person uses her/his own hand to locate the object and calculate the space.

Turning Around

• In the next few slides the SSP-Guide and DB man are in a crowded hardware store with narrow aisles. They are about to turn around and follow the clerk in the opposite direction.

Indicating Direction

Hand-on-Hand, Close Space, Ready to Turn

Rotating or Pivoting Towards the DB Person

Turn Complete

Turning Around

• In the previous slide the SSP-Guide pivoted towards the DB person so that she does most of the moving. He merely pivots in place while she takes the few steps to turn around. Thus she can watch where she steps, objects on the shelves etc. in this narrow space.

• In the next slide she walks at an angle to make herself narrow.

Walking in a Narrow Aisle

Crowds & Crowded Spaces

Signal to Pause

• In the next slide the SSP signals the DB person to move closer by moving her hand to the shoulder indicating “come closer” while another shopper passes them with her cart.

• The guide’s hand, placed gently on the hand of the DB person, is a “just a minute” signal.

In a Crowd

• In the next slides, the SSP-Guide weaves through a crowd at a large public event.

• Here too, the DB person has her hand on the shoulder of the guide. Here she can feel body shifts (to left or right), pauses, hesitations and so on.

• She can also walk somewhat behind the guide without stepping on her heels.

.

Hand-on-Hand

• The SSP’s hand resting slightly on top of the DB woman’s hand means “it is still crowded.”

• Notice the DB woman also uses her cane which both helps signal to passersby that she is blind, so they will step aside, and helps monitor the path to the right of the guide.

Around the pole

• This large post is in an awkward position.

• To pass the post people must go through the narrow space between the post and the bottom of the stairs.

Communication

• First, the guide explains because this is an unusual situation.

• Next she squeezes past the rail & guides the DB woman’s hand to the pole so she can judge the space herself.

• They then go single file towards the first step.

How Wide/Tall Are You Now?

Watching the Path

• We are used to being a certain height and width. It does not take conscious thought to notice something in OUR path.

• Once we become two people-wide, we must be more conscious.

• You will notice the SSP-Guides in these pictures often looking at the ground to be sure there is enough width for two people.

Watching Overhead

• The same is true about being a certain height. We may not notice the overhanging branch or protruding parts on racks.

• When you go through doorways, aisles or other narrow spaces, check to see that the DB person’s feet, head, bag, etc. all clear the space.

Checking

Checking

Checking

• The SSP-Guide checks to see that the DB man is oriented to the step before moving forward.

• Indeed, he has his cane on the lower level and is ready.

Escalators & Elevators

Escalators

• There is often a choice of an escalator or stairs. Check the DB person’s preference.

• When using an escalator, guide the DB person’s hand to the handrail.

• Stand close enough so that the DB person does not have to stretch to reach the handrail.

Escalator

• In the next slides, the DB woman has chosen the escalator.

• The SSP-Guide guides her hand to the moving rail and they ascend.

• The DB woman holds the handrail and uses her cane on the steps above to let her know when to step off.

Elevators• Elevators would seem

pretty simple: the doors open and you walk through, but turning around can be tricky.

• It’s important the DB person know that you are entering an elevator.

• Right the SSP guides the DB person’s hand to the button.

Elevators (cont.)

Pushing the button is a minor thing but it is emblematic of control.

Elevator Information

Details make the experience.

Transitions

• The guide will sometimes open doors. This means shifting positions.

• The guide will sometimes hand objects to the DB person or guide the DB person’s hand to an object. This means hand on hand.

Common Sense & Communication

• Most of the guiding you will do is covered above:– Getting into and out of

cars

– Walking on sidewalks

– Walking through crowded aisles or passages

– Going through doors

– Using stairs

– Using elevators & escalators

– Handing things to the DB person.

• When in doubt communicate.

• The next few slides give you something to think about.

When in Doubt

• When in doubt, provide information. It is hard for us to recognize consciously all the information we take in visually.

• It is common for an SSP to ask a DB person where they would like to sit.

• Well… what are the choices?

• Is there a lighting issue?

• Is there a noise issue?

• Who is there?

• How crowded is it?

• Etcetera, etcetera…

Conclusion

• SSP-Guides travel through many types of spaces and must maintain an awareness of the ground (curbs, steps, hoses etc.), the overhead (tree branches, shelves) etc. and remember that they are two-people wide, all the while reporting what they see to the DB person.

• It takes practice.