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145
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.
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 61 new cases added to the
register during the year, 47 (77%) were over the age of 65 years
and only 1 (1.6%) under one year. Registered Blind cases at 442
(173 males and 269 females) showed a decrease of two from the
previous year.
With regard to the partially sighted, of the 21 cases newly
registered, 16 (76%) were over 65 years of age and there was one
under the age of 15 years.