BALANCE for Blind Adults

1. Open Letter to the People of Canada
2. Free Audiobook, “Meet Me Accessibly – A Guide to Zoom Cloud Meetings from a Blindness Perspective
3. ReelAbilities Film Festival Going Online
4. COVID-19 Information for People with Disabilities by CWDO
5. Audio Drama in a Dramatic Time
6. Accessible Reading Options and Accessibility Tips from the Toronto Public Library
7. From the Safari Walking Group - Taking a Virtual Outing
8. Disinfect Toronto is Providing Free Disinfection Services for the Elderly
9. Proper Hand Hygiene during COVID-19
10. Recipes of the Week
11. Stay Connected and Join Happy Hour and Coffee Connections

Free Audiobook, “Meet Me Accessibly – A Guide to Zoom Cloud Meetings from a Blindness Perspective

For those who are interested in learning about using Zoom, a free audiobook called "Meet Me Accessibly" is being offered by Mosen Consulting to help the blind and partially sighted community during this pandemic. For more information and to download the Zoom audiobook guide go to https://mosen.org/zoom/.

COVID-19 Information for People with Disabilities by CWDO

A resource was created by Citizens with Disabilities Ontario (CWDO) that pulls together existing and up-to-date information on resources during COVID-19 into one document. This document is detailed and has information on the following topics:

• Health
• How can we prevent the spread of COVID-19?
• How do I see my doctor?
• Homecare and Direct Funding
• Travel
• Mental Health
• Online Support
• Income Support
• Emergency Planning

The document is frequently updated on their website and can be found at http://www.cwdo.org/node/640.

Proper Hand Hygiene during COVID-19

Proper hand hygiene is crucial to stop the spread of COVID–19. The goal of this article is to answer any pressing questions you may have and inform you about how to achieve and maintain proper hand hygiene. Good hand hygiene is especially important for people who are blind, and therefore may be using hands to gain sensory information not achievable through vision.

How and Why Hand Washing Reduces the Spread of COVID–19
Washing your hands with soap creates soap bubbles which disrupt the chemical bonds that allow bacteria, viruses, and other germs to stick to surfaces. You want to scrub and build up these bubbles to allow every crack and crevice of your hands and fingers to be completely covered with them. You should be creating these bubbles for at least 20 seconds long, which is about as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. Most of us did not know how to properly wash our hands before COVID-19!

Step by Step Process on how to Properly Wash your Hands
According to the World Health Organization, there is an 11 step process on how to properly wash your hands. You want to wash your hands thoroughly using a liquid or bar soap (soap and water are effective, you do NOT need to use harsh cleansers to kill germs, including COVID-19) for at least 20 seconds or as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

1. Wet your hands with water, preferably hot to help create the soap bubbles mentioned above.
2. Apply enough soap to cover your hands.
3. Rub both your palms together in a circular motion.
4. Place your right palm over the back of your left hand with interlocking fingers, rub your hands against each other in an up and down motion, length wise. Repeat with your left palm on the back of your right hand.  
5. Place your hands palm to palm with your fingers interlaced, move your fingers in an up and down motion.
6. To clean your fingertips and nails, place the palms of your hands on top of each other with the fingertips of both hands towards the wrists of the opposite arm. With your palms together, slide your hands slowly apart until your fingers reach the middle of your palm. Roll your fingers in together to make opposite facing, interlocking fists, with your knuckles fitting snugly in the palm of the opposite hand. Rub the tips and nails of your fingers up and down firmly in the palm and fingers of the other hand.  Fingertips are important because germs gather at, around and under the nails.
7. Clasp your left thumb in your right fist, have your right hand move in a circular motion. This will clean your nail and thumb. Repeat with your right thumb.
8. Clasp your left wrist in your right hand and rotate to wash your whole wrist. Repeat with your right wrist.
9. Rinse your hands well with water.
10. Ensure to dry your hands thoroughly with a paper towel or clean cloth, since germs are easily spread from wet skin than from dry skin. Drying your hands well is the most effective way to remove germs without spreading them to other surfaces. In a public space, paper towel is the only option you should use. In your own home, a towel is fine.
11. Use the paper towel or clean cloth to turn off the faucet.

• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After visiting a public space, including doctor’s office, public transport, grocery stores, and pharmacies
• After returning home from an errand
• After touching money
• Before, during, and after caring for a sick or vulnerable person
• Before and after eating
• After using the toilet

• Before and after touching a surface other people have touched
• Wipe down the handle of a shopping cart before and after you use it (you can also use a Lysol or sanitizing wipe provided by the store for this)
• After handling money
• After touching elevator buttons or door handles outside your home

• Avoid touching your face. When you are out, if you wear a mask, you reduce the chances of thoughtlessly touching your face by force of habit. When you touch your face with your hands, you risk transferring germs from your hands to your mouth, nose or eyes.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow. When you use this practice, instead of coughing into your hand, you reduce the risk of transferring the virus to your hands, and then onward from there.
• Wear a mask. If possible, wear a mask or wrap a scarf around your mouth and nose, when you are out and about, and especially if you will be at risk of being within 6 feet of somebody who is not living with you, such as in a store. Note: the most effective outcome of the mask-wearing is in protecting others. BALANCE will have a future article on donning and doffing of a mask, soon!

Audio Description
For an audio description on how to properly wash your hands click here.

Recipes of the Week

This week, we have recipes for tasty Denver Scrambled Eggs and Cajun Style Beans and Rice. If you have a favourite, simple recipe you'd like to share with us and all the other readers, please forward your recipes with details on how to make the dish, to info@balancefba.org.

Denver Scrambled Eggs  

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs 
• 1/3 cup milk, half-and-half, or light cream 
• 2 tablespoon butter or margarine  
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 
• 1/3 cup diced cooked ham  
• ¼ cup white or red onion, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green sweet pepper 
• Salt & pepper to taste  

Directions:

• In a medium bowl beat together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper with a whisk  
• In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat, add the mushrooms, ham, onion, and green pepper 
• Pour in the egg mixture. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture begins to set on the bottom and around the edges 
• With a spatula or large spoon, lift and fold the partially cooked egg mixture so the uncooked portion flows underneath 
• Continue cooking over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until egg mixture is cooked through 
• Remove from heat and serve 
• Enjoy! 
• https://www.bhg.com/recipe/easy-scrambled-eggs/ 

Cajun Style Beans & Rice by Murray Powell  
Serves 2, total cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 can red kidney beans  
• ¾ cup Jasmine or Basmati Rice, cooked  
• 1 medium white or red onion, finely chopped 
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder  
• ½ of a whole nutmeg, grated or a teaspoon of powder  
• 2 teaspoons coconut milk 
• A drizzle of liquid smoke 
• 1 squeeze of hot sauce (optional) 

Directions: 

• Sauté onions for about 5 minutes on medium heat 
• Pour the kidney beans with its liquid into a pot 
• Add a splash of water, garlic, nutmeg, coconut milk, hot sauce, & liquid smoke, stir well  
• Cook on medium heat, covered until bubbling then turn the heat down lower  
• Meanwhile cook the Jasmine rice (follow instructions on package)  
• To thicken the beans, remove 2 tablespoons of beans and mash them, then put them back into the pot and stir (this is not always necessary, however it is my preference)  
• Pour the red kidney bean mixture into the rice pot and mix thoroughly  
• Cover and let sit for 3 minutes 
• Serve & enjoy! 
• Serving suggested: you can also cook hot Italian sausage, slice them and add them to the beans & rice mix for extra flavor