S204: Safe at Home: Smart Tools and Adaptations with Neva Fairchild

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow continues the Safety Series with a deep dive into home safety and smart tools. Guest Neva Fairchild, a nationally recognized advocate and expert in independent living skills, shares her journey from growing up with low vision to becoming a leader in accessibility at the American Foundation for the Blind and Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind.
Neva highlights practical strategies for adapting the home environment: improving lighting, using color contrast, reducing clutter, and adopting labeling systems like Braille, ScriptTalk, and WayAround. She discusses the value of proactive safety—preventing falls before they happen, leveraging smart home speakers and smartphones for communication, and preparing for emergencies with go bags and labeled medications.
The conversation also explores balancing independence with interdependence: how to ask for help specifically, how friends and family can support without overstepping, and how everyone can benefit from simple safety measures. Neva’s personal anecdotes—like biking as a child with low vision, mishaps with mislabeled medicine, and experiences with chemical safety—bring humor and urgency to the discussion.
Listeners walk away with practical next steps and resources, including APH Connect Center, VisionAware, and 211, to make their homes safer, smarter, and more accessible.

Contact Info
Guest: Neva Fairchild Website: expertsonblindness.com
(Phone number and contact form available on site)
Aftersight
Website: www.aftersight.org
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Producer: Jonathan Price

Show Credits
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Neva Fairchild
Producer: Jonathan Price
An Aftersight Original Podcast

Chapter Markers
00:02 — Welcome and Series Introduction
01:40 — Neva’s Story: Growing Up with Low Vision
04:50 — First Adaptations: From Cane to Home Safety
06:55 — Lighting, Color Contrast, and Clutter Control
08:15 — The Importance of Proactive Safety
09:40 — Falls and the Hidden Dangers After Age 50
11:20 — Smart Tools for Safety: Speakers, Smartphones, and More
13:45 — Go Bags and Disaster Preparedness
16:40 — Medication Labeling and Avoiding Prescription Errors
20:50 — Safe Storage: Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals
22:40 — Knowing Your Appliances and Fire Safety Basics
25:50 — Setting Up New Tools Safely
28:20 — Interdependence: How to Ask for Help (and Give It)
31:20 — Food Safety and Everyday Oversights
33:00 — Resources: APH Connect Center, VisionAware, and 211
35:40 — Neva’s Current Work and Contact Info
37:50 — Closing Remarks and Next Episode Preview