The fact that overall, participants prioritised and met their basic material housing and food needs sometimes meant restrictions in other spending areas, which are now looked at in turn. Social participation In the standard MIS budgets there are allowances for leisure activities to allow individuals to socialise outside the home, eat out and take a holiday as a minimum for social participation. Similar provisions are made for the MIS VI budgets but with additional amounts to cover extra costs where these are incurred. Socialising was cited by many of the participants as the next priority after bills and food. This included activities such as taking part in sports, including VI specific sports; exercising and going to the gym; participating in social or drama clubs; attending lunch clubs; going to church and church activities; watching live sports; attending walking groups; going to the cinema and going out for meals. The cost of participating in these activities includes some elements common to the whole population (like the price of a cinema ticket) and others that are distinctive to VI people (like paying additional transport costs or treating a friend to a drink or a meal as reciprocation for practical help when going out). Participants in the study, who lived alone, saw it as important that they should get out of their homes and meet people. Several noted the risk of isolation and need to keep occupied and appreciated having meals out (for pension age individuals this was sometimes subsidised through groups or lunch clubs). Many of the participants emphasised the positive impact that socialising had on their lives. For some, interacting with other individuals with visual impairment was important as it allowed them to discuss shared experiences as well as identify new equipment and gadgets that could improve their day to day lives. Social participation was clearly important for mental well-being and helping to limit seclusion and loneliness. I had to prioritise it I would say that I will always make sure that my “If bills are paid first, probably it would be socialising would be my next big expenditure and important to me because without that I cope at wouldn’t
The fact that overall, participants prioritised and met their basic material housing and food needs sometimes meant restrictions in other spending areas, which are now looked at in turn. Social participation In the standard MIS budgets there are allowances for leisure activities to allow individuals to socialise outside the home, eat out and take a holiday as a minimum for social participation. Similar provisions are made for the MIS VI budgets but with additional amounts to cover extra costs where these are incurred. Socialising was cited by many of the participants as the next priority after bills and food. This included activities such as taking part in sports, including VI specific sports; exercising and going to the gym; participating in social or drama clubs; attending lunch clubs; going to church and church activities; watching live sports; attending walking groups; going to the cinema and going out for meals. The cost of participating in these activities includes some elements common to the whole population (like the price of a cinema ticket) and others that are distinctive to VI people (like paying additional transport costs or treating a friend to a drink or a meal as reciprocation for practical help when going out). Participants in the study, who lived alone, saw it as important that they should get out of their homes and meet people. Several noted the risk of isolation and need to keep occupied and appreciated having meals out (for pension age individuals this was sometimes subsidised through groups or lunch clubs). Many of the participants emphasised the positive impact that socialising had on their lives. For some, interacting with other individuals with visual impairment was important as it allowed them to discuss shared experiences as well as identify new equipment and gadgets that could improve their day to day lives. Social participation was clearly important for mental well-being and helping to limit seclusion and loneliness. “If I had to prioritise it I would say that I will always make sure that my bills are paid first, probably it would be socialising would be my next big expenditure and important to me because without that I wouldn’t cope at
Experiences%20of%20Living%20with%20Visual%20Impairment%20matching%20income%20with%20needs.docx