Veterans Connect and Build Skills at Blind Rehabilitation Center Tea Party
By Megan Kon, Public Affairs Specialist, VA Southeast Network
A special tea party at the Blind Rehabilitation Center offered Veterans both social connection and an opportunity to practice independent living and low-vision skills.
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The idea began with a Veteran who shared that, as a child, he wasn’t allowed to join tea parties because they were considered “for girls.” As an adult, he hosted tea parties with his daughters and granddaughter, but vision loss made it harder to continue the tradition. When staff offered to help him recreate the experience during his rehabilitation stay, the tea party became a meaningful goal throughout his four-week program.
Veterans prepared cookies, cake, tea sandwiches, and desserts while practicing kitchen safety, measurement, organization, and the use of assistive technology such as Meta smart glasses to read recipes. A supervised shopping trip allowed them to apply orientation and mobility skills while using magnifiers and lighting tools to read product labels.
During the event, Veterans used residual vision skills and magnifiers to play games like I Spy and trivia, and used their sense of smell to identify different teas. A highlight was the Veteran who inspired the event sharing his personal connection to tea parties and the joy of reconnecting with a cherished tradition.
Participants described the tea party as enjoyable, meaningful, and confidence‑building. The activity strengthened independence while fostering camaraderie, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment.