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VIDBE-Q Volume 63 Issue 4
accomplish that week. I also got a sense of if a dog would be a viable option for them
based on their lifestyle and mobility needs. From there I could begin to develop a
working plan for the week.
There was beautiful weather in Rochester for the three months that I was there.
My clients and I hardly ever had to worry about weather interrupting our outdoor
lessons. However, if there was bad weather or if the client had particular interest in a
large building orientation lesson, we had the option of going to a grocery store to
instruct the clients on functional strategies and techniques when shopping. For many of
my clients, shopping was something they crossed off the list of things they could never
do independently again. Many used apps to have their groceries delivered. Some gave
lists to their spouses or children. Others went with their spouses but felt as if they were
being dragged around and felt lost. The grocery store lesson was my favorite lesson to
teach because I could see the light bulb go off in their mind as the lesson progressed. "I
never knew I could do this," "I think this is something I could do at home," and "Now I
don't feel like I'm lost anymore," were examples of verbal testimonies from clients. At
LDFB, little by little, throughout the week, clients begin to feel more confident in the fact
that they could be more independent. Because of the major impact I was having on my
clients, grocery story lessons in particular, will stick with me through my career.
For clients that were interested in applying for a dog, a Juno and dog walk was
set up on Fridays. The dog walk would take place with one of LDFB's Ambassador
Dogs, Vadar. Vadar completed all training to become a Leader Dog but was pulled to
be an Ambassador Dog for the organization. Vadar does walks for donors, makes
television appearances, and shows up at Lion's Club events. Clients would learn pre-
