Hello... I'm Here (2024) Video Installation, Festival of the Mind, Millennium Galleries.
This immersive artwork is a collaboration between multi-disciplinary artist Sarah Jane Palmer, and Dr Gemma Arblaster and Dr Fiona Wilson from the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery (AHPNM), University of Sheffield. It has been created in partnership with the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB) and students from the School of AHPNM.
One in five people will live with sight loss in their lifetime, particularly as they age. Almost two thirds of hospital admissions are of people over 65 years old and it is likely that they have some form of vision impairment with greater risk of falling, longer stays and higher rehabilitation needs. Some people may also acquire a vision impairment during their hospital admission.
This artwork powerfully demonstrates how a person with vision impairment may experience hospital. Different vision impairments are ‘shown’ to illustrate some of the different ways a person may experience vision impairment. Our work aims to promote awareness of vision impairment and promote positive care practices and ‘vision aware’ care.
Our research has contributed to co-created outputs including ‘top tip’ resources for people with vision impairment preparing for a hospital stay, guidance for hospital staff; the development of educational resources and ongoing collaborations with a local hospital trust.
Funded by the Participatory Research Network, University of Sheffield.
