- Kristy Swallow visits clients all over Arostook county.
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All of us who live here know that Maine is a special state—and a
large one, as well. Measuring 33,215 square miles, Maine almost
equals in size all other New England states combined. Aroostook
County alone is larger than Connecticut and Rhode Island!
Maine’s size creates challenges for the Iris Network. Working
with the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the
agency is committed to serving clients wherever needed—from
Allagash, to Eastport, to Kittery and countless places in
between.
Dedicated field staff make this coverage possible. With a desk
serving as a satellite office, Iris Network professionals based
in Bangor, Ellsworth, Houlton, Lewiston, and Saco work hard to
establish strong presences in their areas, to let eye doctors
and everyone else know about the services they provide, and to
provide them. Collaborating with colleagues in Portland, these
professionals think nothing of driving three hours to teach
someone how to cook safely, use Braille or lighting and
magnification devices, adapt their workplace to their vision
loss, and more.
Many clients’ main goal is independence. “Most people want to
remain independent and in their own homes,” says Linda Hunt,
Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist®, who is based in
Ellsworth and covers Washington, Hancock, Waldo and parts of
Penobscot counties. If a client wants to stay at home, the Iris
Network works hard to help him or her do just that. However,
independence can be challenging to achieve in parts of Maine
that may lack public transportation, referral systems, and more.
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“In many parts of Aroostook we do not have the referral system
that is available in southern Maine. For example, there may be a
client who is dealing with depression who does not have ready
access to counseling,” says Kristy Swallow, Certified Vision
Rehabilitation Therapist®, who is based in Houlton. “ I would
apply my training to provide this individual with limited
support.”
While the Iris Network’s coverage is statewide, distances are
greatest north of Portland. Kristy Swallow covers all of
Aroostook County, Patricia Monahan, Certified Vision
Rehabilitation Therapist® serves the Somerset, Penobscot and
Piscataquis counties, and Samantha Green, Certified Vision
Rehabilitation Therapist®, sees clients in the Franklin,
Androscoggin, Oxford, and Sagadahoc counties. While this may
seem like a lot of traveling, it is well worth the effort,
Samantha says, so that someone faced with serious vision loss
can learn new and powerful ways of coping in his or her own
environment.
For people who are visually impaired or blind, there are
advantages, as well as disadvantages, to living in one of
Maine’s small, widely scattered communities. “People tend to
know their neighbors in these areas, and their neighbors are
often willing to help them,” Samantha Green says. “People also
know their streets, their grocery store, and this aids and
comforts.”
“Working with people across Maine is extremely rewarding,” says
Linda Hunt. The variety of clients I have, the different towns
they live in, I enjoy the whole thing.”
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Samantha Green is one of the
Iris Network’s award-winning
Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists®.
