Hadley and NEI Launch Cooking Workshops in Spanish
Hadley has partnered with the National Eye Institute (NEI) to offer a Spanish-language version of our popular cooking workshop series. Devina Fan, director of the National Eye Health Education Program at NEI, joins the podcast to talk more about this new initiative, NEI’s expanding Spanish content, and the importance of connecting Hispanic and Latino communities to important vision resources.
Hadley Presents
Hadley and NEI Launch Cooking Workshops in Spanish
Presented by Ricky Enger
Ricky Enger: Welcome to Hadley Presents. I'm your host, Ricky Enger, inviting you to sit back, relax, and enjoy a conversation with the experts. In this episode, we discuss information and services available for blind and low vision Spanish speakers. And our guests are Hadley's Chief Program Officer, Ed Haines, and Director of the National Eye Health Education Program, Devina Fan. Welcome to the show.
Ed Haines: Thanks, Ricky.
Devina Fan: Thanks, Ricky.
Ricky Enger: Awesome. I am really excited about today's topic, and I know that a lot of fantastic information is going to be shared, so I'm anxious to jump right into it. Before we do that though, let's just do a couple of quick intros and that way we all know who everyone is and what they do, and we'll get started. Ed, you've been on the program before, so let's just get a quick intro from you for people who don't know your voice or what you do at Hadley.
Ed Haines: Sure. Thanks, Ricky. My name is Ed Haines and I'm the chief program officer at Hadley, and we have wanted to offer our content in Spanish for a long, long time. So, I'm super excited to be talking about this partnership with the National Eye Institute. This is going to be a great conversation.
Ricky Enger: Oh, I so agree. I'm really looking forward to it. Devina, tell us a bit about yourself and what you do with the National Eye Institute.
Devina Fan: I'm the director of the National Eye Health Education Program, which we call NEHEP at the National Eye Institute, NEI. And so NEHEP educates professionals and the public about the importance of eye health, and we focus on the importance of early detection and treatment for eye diseases, the benefits of vision rehabilitation, and populations at high risk of eye diseases and vision loss.
Ricky Enger: Gotcha. And I think that's one of the biggest pieces when somebody's experiencing vision loss, is that they're searching for information. What's available? How do I learn new skills? Are there ways that I can prevent my vision from getting worse? All of those things. And so, I'm really happy to be able to talk about that process for our Spanish-speaking population. So, with that, why don't we jump right in? Ed, I know you have some great questions, so let's do it.
Ed Haines: Sure. Thanks, Ricky. Just for context, Devina, I wonder if you could just tell us a bit about vision impairment in the Hispanic community in the United States. Why is it important to focus on this population and why is this important to the National Eye Institute?
Devina Fan: This is absolutely an important issue for us at the National Eye Institute. The Hispanic and Latino community in the US has some of the highest rates of vision loss and blindness caused by eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. And since diabetes is relatively common in the Hispanic and Latino community, it's important to learn about how you can help yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, patients live the healthiest life possible. So, people who may not know that they have diabetes or whose diabetes isn't well controlled, can have complications like vision and eye issues, blood circulation in the feet, and other complications. But the good news is that people with diabetes can control their blood sugar with eating healthy foods, being physically active, and taking prescription medication. So, controlling blood sugar and addressing diabetes is the first step to preventing vision loss. Seeing an eye doctor regularly is an important next step as well.
People with vision impairment can live full independent lives. Vision rehabilitation can teach you, your loved one, or your patient, the skills to continue to do the things you need to do, you want to do, and enjoy doing. And so NEI's mission is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. NEI is committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusiveness, and accessibility in all our activities. And so NEHEP's planning group members and NEHEP's network of partner organizations are key people NEI collaborates with to ensure we provide culturally appropriate, linguistically appropriate, and accessible information to the public. So as part of this work, we think it's important to educate the Hispanic and Latino community on the importance of getting comprehensive dilated eye exams, which can help find many of the eye diseases early, which they're often easier to treat and have resources available in a person's preferred language.
Ed Haines: It really sounds like we just haven't done enough to offer the right information in Spanish in general. And I saw on your website a statement that said eight out of 10 members of the Hispanic community who have glaucoma don't know they have it. That's a pretty powerful statement. So, what initiatives has the National Eye Institute put into place to address this obvious need for information and services in Spanish?
Devina Fan: This year, NEI launched more than 130 new web pages in Spanish on NEI's website to better serve the US Hispanic and Latino community. Since Hispanics and Latinos are at higher risk for certain eye conditions, it's important for this community to have access to easy-to-use, actionable, and culturally relevant eye health information. So, we focused on transcreating, which I'll get to in a second, webpages that provide information about a variety of eye diseases and conditions, several of which Hispanics and Latinos disproportionately, like glaucoma and diabetes. Many of the web pages that we transcreated are related to vision impairment as they provide information about conditions that cause vision impairment, vision rehabilitation, and treatments.
Transcreating and transcreation is a relatively new term that blends the words translation and creation. And so, in a nutshell, transcreation is taking a concept in one language like English and recreating it in another language like Spanish. A successfully transcreated message would invoke the same emotions and carries the same message in the translated language as it does in the original language, but in a way that resonates with the audience. The public can access NEI's new Spanish content using a link at the top of NEI's webpages. There's a globe and it says Español at the top.
And so, this year for Healthy Vision Month in May, we focused on both the Black and Hispanic communities, highlighting ways families can team up and learn how to protect their vision. As part of this campaign, NEI created resources in Spanish, including social media messages, graphics, and information about free and low-cost eyecare. NEI plans to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this year from September 15th to October 15th by highlighting achievements of eye care professionals who identify as Hispanic or Latino or Latina. And by sharing information with Hispanic and Latino communities about eye health to ensure they have the information they need to keep their eyes healthy. And NEI also collaborates with partners such as Hadley to cross-promote Spanish content to help reach Spanish-speaking communities with important eye health information.
Ed Haines: I love that idea of transcreation because if a message isn't culturally relevant, it's not going to come through. Anybody who has Google translated into another language knows that it can come out wrong. So, speaking of universal things that are culturally relevant, let's talk a little bit about Hadley's cooking series. Could you speak a little bit about the need to share practical help and practical tips to people with vision impairments who speak Spanish?
Devina Fan: Since Hispanics and Latinos are at a higher risk for certain eye conditions, this puts them at greater risk for vision impairment. Therefore, we have a need for practical resources like Hadley provides. Hadley and NEI noticed that limited resources exist on vision impairment in Spanish. So NEI and Hadley, we decided to work together to translate one of Hadley's most popular workshops on cooking into Spanish. And NEI prioritizes creating materials in both English and Spanish and partnering with national organizations to maximize our reach to priority audiences.
And Hadley's cooking series has such practical tips for people with vision impairment, and that's what I love about the cooking series. Even with limited vision, the videos teach you how you or a loved one or a patient can prepare meals safely in the kitchen with practical tips like using cutting boards that have color contrast like light and dark, or how to use knives safely, how to put away knives safely, how to use different lighting in your kitchen so that it shines on what you're doing and not in your eyes or producing any glare. How to pour hot water safely and how to use your stove top and oven safely.
And so, eating healthy and being able to continue doing what you love to do, like cooking, will help improve general health for the whole family and teach kids healthy habits early on. Going back to diabetes, controlling diabetes will prevent health complications and improve heart health and other conditions commonly found in people with diabetes. And being able to continue cooking the healthy foods you love to eat in your own kitchen is one way to do that.
Ed Haines: No, that's absolutely right. I mean, when you have vision loss and you haven't developed compensatory skills, that really limits your dietary options. Can't use your stove, now you're limited to your microwave. And if you do have diabetes or heart disease or anything else that requires you to keep track of your diet, it becomes really difficult. So, we did start with the cooking series because it is one of our most popular. I think food is just a universal interest and how to prepare food. So, what are the plans that the NEI has to get the word out about this initiative and make sure those who could most benefit know that the help is here?
Devina Fan: NEI will highlight Hadley's cooking series in Spanish on our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, during Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th. And after this time as well. We'll also plan to highlight the series in our Eye Health Connection e-newsletter in September, as well as link to it from strategic places on NEI's website. NEI is launching a new Spanish social media strategy, which involves using boosted posts, increasing Spanish post frequency, and working with strategic partners to reach Spanish-speaking audiences. NEI will include Spanish cooking series as part of our resources that NEI promotes throughout the strategy.
Ed Haines: Well, that's wonderful. I'm sure it'll be successful. For me, at least, lastly, is there anything else you'd like to share about this initiative to the Hispanic community?
Devina Fan: NEI is a proud partner with Hadley on this initiative. We are excited that new Spanish language resources are available for people with vision impairment, other care partners, and healthcare professionals to share. We look forward to tracking progress on the series, measuring success over time. This will help us optimize our process and make changes down the road for future Spanish initiatives. And also, just a reminder that there are resources available that can support people with vision impairment. And that's why NEHEP has a vision rehabilitation program area that educates the public and professionals about resources available that will improve quality of life and encourage learning of new skills to encourage you to learn the skills you need to continue to do the things that you love to do, want to do, and need to do. And if you're a healthcare provider, please encourage and connect your patients to these resources and share them with your colleagues to share.
And if we've learned anything in the past several years, living through this global pandemic, it's resilience. How to be resourceful and make use of the best of what we have, including online resources in rural and urban settings, speaking up about the disparities and working collaboratively to find solutions, setting differences aside to unify on a common goal and really the need for kindness to care for one another. There are more virtual support groups now than before the pandemic.
I was first trained as a community health promoter while serving in the Peace Corps and experienced firsthand working alongside other community health promoters from the community to address their community health issues and continued to promote the community health promoter model. So, community health promoters or community health workers or in Spanish, “Promotores de salud”, are trusted members from the community served. Have a deep understanding of the community and are such an important link between health and social services to the community. The trust that they have enables and bridges across communities to help to get access to services and ultimately improves the quality of life for a person.
So, I'd encourage working together with community leaders, like community health workers, “Promotores de salud”, who are already connected to the community, have built trust in the community. Work alongside each other as partners. It's so important in getting the word out. And “Promotores de salud” are frontline public health workers who are from the communities they serve, like I mentioned, partners. And also partner with people with vision impairment, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, parent-teacher associations, and tailor the outreach effort and health education to fit the needs of the community. Who does the community trust? How does the community receive trusted information? What messages resonate with one community might not resonate as much with another, but another message would? And working together with people in the community you're trying to create educational materials or programs for, and bridging resources to people whose native language is other than English or people with vision impairment. And working collaboratively from the beginning.
And so, to just give a quick example. For example, glasses. There's different translations into Spanish for glasses depending on what region, what country you're from. It can be “lentes, gafa, anteojos,” it's just different. Some communities might resonate with one, how you say glasses, and others might say, "Oh, that sounds a little different or funny." It doesn't resonate as much. So that insight is really working together with the people that you are trying to provide resources for or bridge resources. And so, they're able to provide that insight to you.
In closing on that collaborative effort, we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new Spanish resources, how they work for you, your family, your neighbor, your patient, anyone, and adapting it to fit your needs. We invite you to partner with us in creating material that is culturally appropriate, linguistically appropriate, and accessible. And I learned in my time living abroad, working alongside and together with community health promoters, “poco a poco,” which is little by little, “y paso a paso,” and step by step. We can encourage, walk alongside each other and partner with people with vision impairment, who speak another language other than English, that there are resources that can teach you how to continue doing the things you need to do, you want to do, and really love to do. It will just be different.
Ricky Enger: Yeah, absolutely. I'm so happy that you emphasize just that collaborative approach because I think that's so important. We will have links to everything that we've mentioned here in our show notes. And of course, you can contact Hadley as well if you're looking for the link to a website or anything that we've mentioned here. So, if people are hoping to provide feedback, whether it's for Hadley's content that's being shared or for anything that NEHEP is doing for that matter, what's the best way that they can give that feedback?
Devina Fan: Well, we welcome your feedback. We have a general email. It's 2020@nei.nih.gov. That's 2020@nei.nih.gov.
Ricky Enger: Excellent. And people can just send their thoughts into that general mailbox about anything that they want to provide feedback for. And of course, if you are providing feedback to Hadley, you can do that by sending an email to feedback@hadley.edu. And once again, we will have links to all of these resources in our show notes or you can give us a call and we'll be happy to provide that for you. Any final thoughts before we wrap it up here from either of you?
Devina Fan: Thank you so much for having me on the show and just the opportunity partner. I feel like I talked a lot. And so, I really appreciate you having me on the show.
Ed Haines: Ricky, I'm just really excited that Hadley's involved in this, and I look forward to further involvement in the future.
Ricky Enger: Excellent. Well, thank you both so much for spending a little time with us and I am really, again, so excited to see people accessing these resources, getting that much needed information. Thank you again.
Got something to say? Share your thoughts about this episode of Hadley Presents or make suggestions for future episodes. We'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at podcast@hadley.edu. That's P-O-D-C-A-S-T@hadley.edu, or leave us a message at 847-784-2870. Thanks for listening.
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Websites
National Eye Health Education Program
National Eye Institute en Español
Email feedback to 2020@nei.nih.gov
Hadley cooking series en Español
Email feedback to feedback@hadley.edu
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Episode 80
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Episode 79
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Episode 78
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Episode 76
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Episode 75
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Episode 74
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Episode 73
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Episode 72
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Episode 71
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Episode 69
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Episode 68
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Episode 67
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Episode 66
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Episode 65
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Episode 63
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Episode 62
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Episode 61
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Episode 60
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Episode 59
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Episode 58
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Episode 57
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Episode 56
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Episode 55
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Episode 54
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Episode 53
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Episode 52
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Episode 51
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Episode 50
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Episode 49
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Episode 48
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Episode 47
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Episode 46
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Episode 45
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Episode 44
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Episode 43
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Episode 42
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Episode 41
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Episode 40
Photographer Michael Nye chats with us about his latest art exhibit, "My Heart is Not Blind," a collection of photos and audio interviews of people with visual impairment. Through these stories, Michael provides a look into what he calls "our shared humanity and shared fragility," as well as common misunderstandings about blindness.
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Episode 39
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Episode 38
Doug Walker, Hadley co-director of R&D, and Ed Haines, Hadley Chief Program Officer, chat about the making of Hadley's "Adjusting to Vision Loss" workshop series. The series guides people through the emotional aspects of vision loss. Doug serves as the series' personal storyteller and narrator.
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Episode 37
In this episode we chat with ophthalmologist Dr. Angela Elam from the University of Michigan. Dr. Elam addresses common questions and concerns, and shares her advice for returning to the eye doctor among shifting COVID restrictions.
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Episode 36
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Episode 35
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Episode 34
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Episode 33
In this episode, we chat with low vision optometrist Dr. Mark Wilkinson from the University of Iowa. Dr. Wilkinson answers common questions and shares his advice for getting the most out of low vision optometry appointments.
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Episode 32
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Episode 31
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Episode 30
Classically trained chef Regina Mitchell shares how vision loss shaped her life. Regina worked her way back into the kitchen and is now helping others cook with confidence, no matter their vision.
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Episode 29
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Episode 28
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Episode 27
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Episode 26
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Tim Murray of the American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Murray treats eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. He answers common questions and shares his insights into the future of treatments.
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Episode 25
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jullia Rosdahl, a glaucoma specialist from the Duke Eye Center, and ask her some of the many questions we’ve heard about glaucoma, its risk factors, and how to treat the disease.
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Episode 24
Hadley learning expert Jessica Smith shares her experience raising a puppy that may eventually become a guide dog. She covers what she’s learned and things to consider if you’d like to volunteer to help out a guide dog school.
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Episode 23
October 15 is White Cane Safety Day, a day to recognize this important tool that empowers people with visual impairment to travel safely and independently. It also brings attention to the general public to be mindful of visually impaired neighbors, giving them additional consideration and right-of-way when needed. We sat down with Kellee Sanchez, an orientation and mobility specialist, to talk about the history of White Cane Safety Day, and how a white cane can help those with vision loss.
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Episode 22
Be My Eyes is a free smartphone app that connects visually impaired users with sighted volunteers for help with visual tasks. We sat down with Will Butler from Be My Eyes to hear how the app started, tips for using it, and exciting new features that provide specialized assistance, including with Hadley.
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Episode 21
Tracy Simon from Eye2Eye peer support program shares her story of vision loss, how her program works, and the benefits of connecting with and supporting each other.
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Episode 20
Ophthalmologist Dr. Lori Provencher chats with us about how the coronavirus pandemic has changed doctor's visits. She shares tips for staying safe, questions to ask, and what to expect before, during and after your next office visit.
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Episode 19
Mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske returns to the podcast to share tips and insights on how to cope with life's challenges, such as vision loss or an illness, building resilience and focusing on self-compassion instead of judgment.
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Episode 18
Author of "When You Can't Believe Your Eyes," Hannah Fairbairn, chats with us about how to communicate in everyday situations when you can't rely on visual cues. Hear Hannah's own story about losing vision, her practical tips on adjusting to vision loss, and advice she has on regaining confidence in social situations.
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Episode 17
In this episode, we continue the conversation on living during the COVID-19 pandemic with a visual impairment. Listen in as we share some experiences, tips, and strategies for coping during these difficult times.
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Episode 16
The COVID-19 crisis has brought a wave of change and uncertainty to our everyday lives. Listen in as we share personal experiences, resources and some helpful tips...all from a blind or low vision perspective.
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Episode 15
Assistive technology experts Ricky Enger and Steve Kelley review BlindShell, a mobile phone built for those with visual impairment. They discuss the basic features, how it differs from a traditional smartphone, and how to decide if it's right for you.
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Episode 14
This week we sit down with Dan Roberts, author of "The First Year-Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed" and founder of MDSupport website and support group. Hear Dan's own story about being diagnosed with macular degeneration and what prompted him to reach out to others facing similar circumstances.
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Episode 13
Listen in as we explore the basics of using hand tools with a visual impairment. Gil Johnson, a visually impaired home repair expert, shares tips on everything from measuring, to leveling to hammering.
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Episode 12
Elections are right around the corner. So we gathered a panel to talk about options for voting no matter your level of vision. Listen in as we explore everything you need to know, from registering to vote to the many ways you can cast your ballot.
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Episode 11
Ricky sits down with Android Accessibility Product Manager Brian Kemler to discuss what is available on Android phones for those with visual impairment. From adjusting font size and color, or opting to listen with TalkBack instead, the commitment to making these powerful tools more useful to a wider audience is clear.
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Episode 10
In this episode, we chat with Gil Johnson, an experienced home repair and woodworking enthusiast about things to consider when undertaking home repair with blindness or low vision.
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Episode 9
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down to continue a conversation with author and visually impaired world traveler Dr. Wendy David. Together they explore a wide variety of helpful hints covering train, plane, and cruise travel as well as practical information on traveling internationally and navigating hotels.
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Episode 8
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Joe Strechay, associate producer on the Apple TV+ series SEE. The show takes place in a future where, after a viral apocalypse, all humans are blind. Joe takes us behind the scenes of the show and his work to help build an inclusive set for the cast and crew, including those with low to no vision. From casting to costumes, scripting to scenery, hear how Joe helped create a science fiction world that strives to be authentic to life with vision loss.
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Episode 7
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down with travel author Dr. Wendy David in this latest episode. In part one of this two-part interview, Debbie and Wendy discuss tips for traveling with confidence as a blind or low vision person, advice on picking destinations, considerations for traveling alone and in a group, and more!
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Episode 6
Ricky Enger is joined by Hadley's Debbie Worman and mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske in this latest episode. Debbie and Tiffany talk about what mindfulness is and the specific benefits that mindfulness can offer for those living with vision loss. Tiffany then walks listeners through a short mindfulness exercise.
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Episode 5
In this episode, Ricky Enger speaks with New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who shares the story of his sudden vision loss from NAION. Bruni speaks candidly on his adjustment to the change, maintaining a realistic attitude towards his vision loss, and the failure of medical professionals to provide resources after diagnosis.
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Episode 4
Listen in as we share practical tips on how to keep your handwriting readable. This resource-packed episode includes many useful techniques and solutions to common handwriting challenges. Hadley Learning Expert Jennifer Ottowitz chats with Sue Dalton, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
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Episode 3
In this episode, Hadley's Steve Kelley speaks with Kendra Farrow, from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, located at Mississippi State. The episode serves as a guide for those new to vision rehabilitation, including determining who is eligible for services, key differences between the medical and social services models, and how to locate services in each state.
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Episode 2
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Microsoft's Jeremy Curry, a Senior Program Manager with the Windows Accessibility team. New vision accessibility features are now available in Windows 10 for low vision and screen reader users.
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Episode 1
In the inaugural episode of Hadley Presents, Ricky Enger and Jonathan Mosen of Aira chat about the ways in which a visual interpreter service, such as Aira, can be used to gain valuable visual information and enhance travel and leisure activities for blind and low vision users.