Central Blind
Rehabilitation Center
Hines VA Hospital
PO Box 5000 (124)
Hines, IL 60141

Phone: 708-202-2272
Fax: 708-202-7949
hinesbrc@med.va.gov

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Central Blind Rehabilitation Center (CBRC) at Hines, Illinois

Testimonials from Current Veterans

I think it would be in anybody's best interest to come here. When you first come in you are assessed to find out where your needs are. They then help you reach your goals. When you're finished you can do all sorts of things that you couldn't do before.

When I go home I will be able to take back some of the responsibilities I used to have around the house, like paying the bills. So the training will make life easier for my family too. Basically, my family won't have to worry about me any more because they will realize that I have learned skills to do things on my own.

-Amos White

Any veteran who is legally blind owes it to himself to take advantage of the opportunity to come to Hines. Benefits from attending include that they will teach you many, many ways to live more productively and independently with your vision situation.

I have learned a great many things here. When you finish your training you will feel a lot more confident in coming back home and attacking your daily living situation. For example, how to move about more safely. I will be able to deal with my time in public situations, where I am unsure of the environment, much more easily. I have also learned techniques that will allow me to use my woodworking equipment more safely, a hobby that was greatly impacted by my sight loss.

I will also be more willing to accept household assignments that I haven't be able to do, or haven't been willing to do. I will probably be appointed as laundry person in my house. I will also be appointed to some cleaning and I already do a fair amount of cooking.

I look forward to my wife coming for the family education program. She will have a much better understanding of my capabilities and my limitations. My family has always been supportive and understanding. I just think this will help them to better understand my situation though.

I only have the greatest praise for the entire program at Hines. I have found every one of the instructors to be very well qualified and skillful, understanding and very professional in the way they carry out their job. I felt the overall curriculum was very well thought out. It's not just the big things, but the hundreds of little things too.

I changed my viewpoint about dealing with impaired vision as a result of this place. I think that will help me a lot.

- George Ambler

Before I came to Hines I had some training at a state agency and thought I could breeze through. I found out I didn't know as much as I thought I did.

The staff here makes a considerable effort to find out what you want and to determine exactly what your needs are at the beginning of your stay here. Then they will customize your program to fit your needs… this is not a standard program that everyone goes through. No matter what your problems are, they help you get on the right track early. They have provided me training to help me with nearly anything I could want to do when I go home.

There is a lot of specialized equipment here. If you show it will help you they will give it to you so that when you go home you will be using the exact equipment you trained on during your stay! I look forward to using the knowledge I have gained here when I return home. I work with several support groups (for individuals who are blind and visually impaired), and I can pass on some of my knowledge to those individuals.

The training here is superb. Most of the instruction is one on one… you will get a lot of personal attention. I am glad I was here to get this instruction and not struggling to do it on my own.

- Paul Kraus

I am writing this message to inform every one of all the good things that the Hines Blind Rehabilitation Center has to offer. I am convinced that word is not out to all that may be in need of this type of help.

My thoughts before coming here were that I might receive some optics that will help my vision so that I may still be able to read with the little vision that I have left. Not only are optical aids provided, but also it has opened up a whole new life for me. From the director down to the interns, your needs and care are first. In a sentence, they teach you how to live independently, on your own. Over all it brings out skills that you were unaware that you had. But most of all the courtesy and care of the staff is beyond reproach.

My words to any veteran that is visually impaired or blind is give it a try. It will enhance your life.

- Melvin S. Epps