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DOMICILIARY WELFARE SERVICES FOR ALL CLASSES OF HANDICAPPED AND ELDERLY PERSONS
Sections 29 and 30 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, empower the
Council to make arrangements, both directly and in conjunction with
voluntary organisations, for promoting the welfare of persons who are
substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital
deformity or such other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister.
The Council are also required to maintain separate registers of (a) the
blind, (b) the partially sighted, (c) the deaf and hard of hearing, and
(d) those with other disabilities. In addition, a register is kept of
those elderly persons who apply for assistance, or on whose behalf such
application is made.
The following table shows the number of persons on the registers at
31st December, 1968:-
Blind
418
(420)
Partially sighted
134
(134)
Physicallyhandicapped
1,352
(1,046)
Deaf/hard of
hearing
6 7
( 52 )
Elderly persons
4,493
(2,591)
Total of all Registers
6,464
(4,243)
The services to all classes of handicapped and elderly people are
based upon home visiting by social welfare officers, supplemented by
'community care' in day time social and rehabilitation centres, provided
by the Council and by voluntary organisations. The social welfare
officers ensure that day-to-day needs are adequately met, and that the
home conditions are satisfactory. To this end, a wide variety of
services is made available, which includes the teaching of Braille and
Moon type to blind people, homecraft instruction, the provision of aids
and appliances and adaptations in the home, holidays, home chiropody
treatment, meals on wheels, mobile library services and a laundry
service in certain cases of chronic illness.
During the year 11,290 (11,384) initial and follow-up visits were
made in connection with the above services and in respect of applications
for admissions to homes, voluntary visitors, clubs and centre
membership and other miscellaneous services. In addition, 1,432 persons
were interviewed at head office.
During the year the folio-wing grants by the Council were made to
voluntary organisations who make a significant contribution in respect
of specific services
Blind Associations
£.
s.
d.
National Library for the Blind
140
0
0
Nuffield Talking Book )
Library for the Blind )
230
0
0
Southern Regional Association for the Blind
100
0
0
Royal National Institute for the Blind
230
0
0
Handicapped Associations
British Epilepsy Association
40
0
0
Information Services for the Disabled
45
0
0
Deaf and Dumb
Royal Assoc. in Aid of the Deaf and Dumb
75
0
0