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(2) Occupation Centre. Idleness and loneliness are souldestroying
and unfortunately too many handicapped people
are both lonely and idle. All too often the lack of occupation
for the handicapped person places a very heavy burden on
relatives who have to care for that person. An occupation
centre would serve two purposes—it would give handicapped
people an incentive to do something useful and at the same
time get them out into the world to enjoy the company of
other people.
The Essex County Council has been pressed for some
time to provide an occupation centre but has successively
declined to buy St. Margaret's Hall and the Barking Labour
Hall for this purpose. The Association has now put forward
the proposal that Eastbury House would be an admirable place
in which to hold an occupation centre for handicapped people.
(3) Residential Homes. One great fear of parents with physically
handicapped children today is that no one can say to them
"we will take over the burden of your handicappe child when
you feel you are no longer able to carry on", Very often
"the child" is in fact an adult who may be quite Lelpless and
very heavy, and it is difficult to get them away 7 for even
temporary periods let alone for long terms. T same difficulty
also arises with the handicapped person who lives alone
and is just about able to cope with life with some outtside help,
e.g., domestic help, district nursing, kindly neighbours, etc.
Again the aged husband or wife with a severely handicapped
spouse must face old age with some dread.
The Association has been engaged in the arrangements to
get a number of handicapped persons into homes (almost
without exception these are run by voluntar bodies, e.g.,
Spastics Society) and such arrangements are exttremely lengthy
and complicated even though there is goodwill all round.
The plain fact is there is, as yet, insufficient suitable
accommodation and very often a chronic sick word is the only
immediate answer.
(4) Holidays. The Association's van has made possible for
physically handicapped people to take holidays more than
ever before, because it can obviate many difficulties arising
from transport. Again a holiday journey to Brighton, for
example, for one person can now mean that a group of other
handicapped people will also enjoy a day trip to the seaside
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