The Omoiyari Family Initiative
In DevelopmentHow can everyday life be redesigned so families no longer compensate for inaccessible environments?
Omoiyari (oh-moh-ee-yah-ree): Japanese concept of action-based selfless compassion and consideration, anticipating the needs and life enhancements for others.
Helping families transition from crisis to confidence. The onset of blindness or significant vision loss affects the entire family system. The Omoiyari Family Initiative helps families move from dependence on workarounds to environments designed for participation. Through rapid concierge support, home and device orientation, mobility response, assurance of what is possible, and nervous-system support, families learn to perceive and experience life alongside the member undergoing vision transformation.
The pillars
The First 72 Hours
In DevelopmentA single point of contact in the first three days after diagnosis or vision change — orientation, immediate questions, and a map of what happens next.
Family Concierge
In DevelopmentA dedicated human concierge that helps connect families to appropriate services and resources such as rehabilitation services, accessibility home audits, household adaptive tech support, transportation, sensory independence trainings, administrative and task support such as Task Rabbit and Ask Sunday, and digital literacy.
Home Audit & Device Configuration
In DevelopmentAn in-home or virtual walkthrough that tunes lighting, contrast, wayfinding, and the assistive technology already in the house — alongside blind and low vision-friendly home design considerations and arrangement for enjoyment, ease, and safety.
Cane & O&M access
In DevelopmentCoordination with certified Orientation & Mobility specialists in the family's region, with follow-through on goals set at home.
Family sensory training
In DevelopmentShort, honest sessions for partners, children, parents, and siblings — the language and practice of shared perception.
Audio description as default
In DevelopmentBringing described video, described events, and described everyday media into a family's normal viewing life.
Transportation & respite
In DevelopmentCoordinated rides and planned respite so caregiving does not quietly collapse a household.
Sensory Development Cards
In DevelopmentSmall, encouraging, gentle prompts introducing adaptive and sensory intelligence for the family and for use in public spaces.
How we would measure it
- Access speed — days from first contact to first working accommodation.
- Home readiness — the number of daily tasks a household can do without workaround.
- Caregiver burden — self-reported load on partners, parents, and children.
- Renewed participation — hours reclaimed for work, school, art, and rest.
Households, clinicians, caregivers, social workers, funders, and researchers — every one of these pillars is stronger with lived expertise inside the design.