The impact of social distancing on the psychosocial well-being of visually impaired and deafblind persons: A human-centered design leading to effective solutions

About 300.000 persons in the Netherlands who suffer from a visual impairment or deafblindness experience severe consequences of the social distancing guidelines introduced to control the COVID-19 virus. Social distancing leads to limitations in daily activities for these target groups, such as entering public spaces and shops, using public transport, and receiving physical help from others with navigation and communication. These limitations lead to stress, anxiety, feelings of loneliness and loss of autonomy. Thereafter, this has a great impact on their psychosocial wellbeing. A panel of experience experts, representative for the target groups, will be actively involved in developing effective solutions for increasing the psychosocial wellbeing in a social distancing society. By conducting participatory research according to Human-Centered Design, including (group) interviews, observations, co-creation sessions and diaries to record personal experiences, several prototypes will be developed and tested. The two of three most successful prototypes will be developed into more elaborated prototypes that are developed further for implementation. The consortium consists of experts on developing (digital) innovations with the target group (Saxion, NHL Stenden and Windesheim), the patient association for persons with visual impairment and deafblindness (Oogvereniging) and expertise centers for visually impaired persons (Bartiméus, Royal Dutch Visio and Robert Coppes Foundation). In close collaboration with the target groups the project will result in two to three working and effective prototypes in the short, but feasible time of one year. Keywords: Social distancing, Visual impairment, Deafblindness, Psychosocial well-being, Experience expertise, Human-Centered-Design