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family commitments, need rehabilitation and resettlement in
appropriate employment and, during this interim period of shock
and helplessness, the individual and family need the fullest support
from our services in order to face the future and adjust to the
changed circumstances.
Onset of blindness in old age tends to be insidious and perhaps
for this reason is less subject to emotional stress. Unfortunately it
is often accompanied by the loss of other faculties which merely
intensifies the need for the supportive services.
As in other spheres, social workers in this field are in great
demand especially those designated 'teachers', the paucity of which
is lamentable. Progress has been made in training social workers in
the special 'teaching' skills but a sufficiency to meet all demands is
unlikely within the next few years.
Investigations into some modern innovations such as 'ultra
sonic' aids and the 'long cane' hold out hopes that eventually the
mobility of many blind persons will be substantially improved.
Registers— Registers of blind and partially sighted persons are
maintained. New cases which come into notice are referred from
many sources including the National Assistance Board (now the
Ministry of Social Security), general practitioners and hospitals.
Subject to the consent of the person concerned, an examination by a
Consultant Ophthalmologist is arranged. For this purpose the
Council employs a part-time ophthalmologist and examinations are
arranged either by a domiciliary visit or by transporting the patient
to the departmental Medical Examination Room. At appropriate
intervals, similar arrangements are made for re-examination of
persons already on the partially sighted register. Registration marks
the point at which case work service begins.
In connection with the blind, of the 41 new cases added to the
register during the year, 30 (73%) were over the age of 65 years and
only one under one year.
With regard to the partially sighted, of the 40 cases newly
registered, 26 (65 %) were over 65 years of age and there was none
under the age of 15 years.