Specifications include, but are not limited to: The New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED), Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), is seeking proposals from qualified entities to develop, market, provide training and educational services for a total of six, five-day retreats within VR/Older Individual who are Blind or Vision-Impaired (OIB) designated municipalities around the state of NH between January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025, with an optional one-year extension of three additional five-day Retreats. Each Silver Retreat (Retreat) will host no more than 12 participants and at no cost to the participants or VR/OIB staff. These Retreats will allow for participants to become fully immersed in the acquisition of nonvisual blindness or low vision skills. A secondary aspect of this program is the peer support that participants will gain as they spend time with others living with vision loss. A requirement of the residential program will be that the participants be independent in their daily living and medication management skills (i.e. do not require assistance with these tasks). While participants will gain knowledge and skills in daily living tasks, this program cannot provide for any 1:1 assistance or any medication/medical management. The attendees will need to be able to stay independently overnight for the duration of the program. Trained professionals in their content area will lead the Retreat workshops and there will be staff on hand 24/7 throughout the Retreat to assist participants and VR/OIB staff.
