Lighthouse Louisiana

General Information

Lighthouse Louisiana
123 State Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 899 4501 ext: 245
[email protected]
http://www.lighthouselouisiana.org

Brief Description

Lighthouse Louisiana offers a full range of services to meet the needs of adults who are blind or visually impaired in our community such as low vision clinic, independent living skills training, support group, home visits, transportation, socialization, assistive technology, orientation & mobility training, information and referral, and assistance from a social worker.

For youth, Lighthouse Louisiana offers a free summer camp for ages 6-13. In-school services are offered to children in public or private schools through the expertise of a Certified Teacher for the Visually Impaired (CTVI) to create an ideal academic environment and to help parents advocate for their children's needs.

Services Offered

  • Daily Living Skills/Independent Living Skills Training
    • All programs are supervised by a licensed Occupational Therapist. Daily Living Skills Classes: Group training course to help develop the basic adaptive techniques necessary to function independently with vision loss. Topics include meal preparation, money management, organizing your home, and more. Next Step: Group training course to help students achieve advanced independence by developing orientation and mobility skills, community integration skills and recreational interests.

      Home Visits: Training to provide assistance with adapting home environments & problem solving daily living skills to enhance safety & function. Lighting assessments are available.

      Orientation & Mobility Training: Individual instruction in the use of a white cane to improve safety & independence for travel outside of the home.

      Senior Tech Program: Individual training course to teach students over age 55 e-mail, internet, and basic computer functions using assistive software for the visually impaired.

      Fun 101: Monthly social group for graduates of the New Vision Program.


  • Information and Referral
    • Assists persons who are blind or partially sighted access available services through referrals to local, state, or national resources. Investigates new resources as they become available. Provides follow-up to callers to ensure that referrals were useful.

  • Employment/Job Training
    • The Employment Services Department helps people with disabilities find jobs in the community. Lighthouse employment specialists help individuals develop job-readiness skills and provide job-specific training necessary to obtain and maintain employment.

  • Travel/Orientation and Mobility
    • Provides training to persons with blindness and visual impairment to teach the skills needed to move and travel safely and independently.

  • Computer Training/Assistive Technology
    • The world of technology is rapidly evolving, but Lighthouse is here to help you feel confident when you use a computer or smartphone and to help you decide which piece of technology will benefit you most. We offer free typing classes, customized technology assessments and training to help narrow down which types of technology will benefit you. You'll then receive personalized training on its hardware and software. The Lighthouse also offers introductory lessons to using iPhones and iPads. You can learn how to use your device to identify money, read the labels on items in your home such as cans or DVDs, and much more.

  • Support Groups
    • Assists newly blind and low vision clients in coping with vision loss. Offers a monthly support group facilitated by a licensed social worker.

  • Assistive Products
    • Magnifiers and More Store has items that can help with varying degrees of vision loss maximize their mobility and independence. The store also stocks adaptive equipment for people who are Deaf, Deafblind, or Hard of Hearing. Some of the products include: cell phone amplifiers, batteries for hearing aids, talking and vibrating clocks and watches, magnifiers, home lighting, desktop portable electronic magnifiers, canes, kitchen utensils, signature/check/envelope guides, medical accessories, glare-reducing glasses, tactile markers, and much more.

  • Low Vision Services
    • The Lighthouse Low Vision Clinic, which works with clients in cooperation with eye care professionals to optimize any remaining sight so they can perform tasks and activities independently. A licensed occupational therapist with experience in the field of low vision determines how to maximize the patient's remaining vision. Low vision devices may be recommended along with training in their use by an occupational therapist.

  • Braille and Reading Instruction
    • Offers group instruction in braille to adults seeking to learn Grade 1 and Grade 2 braille. Classes are held two days per week.

  • Advocacy
    • A licensed social worker provides assistance to manage issues that are related to vision impairment, to connect with community resources, and to learn self advocacy.

  • Community Outreach Programs
    • The Deaf Services Department is committed to providing high quality communication access, services, advocacy, and equipment to the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, and Deafblind communities. As the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf's (LCD)Regional Service Center for the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, we are the premier source for services, tools, and equipment for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.

  • Consultation/Technical Program Assistance
    • Braille Transcription Service offers numerous copies of a variety of documents in Braille, including but not limited to: hospital and patient information, legal documents, tax information publications, business and social care forms, menus, entertainment and concert schedules, conference handouts, and more. Contact Braille Transcription Service at 504-899-4501, ext. 213 for more information.