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29
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
The year has seen many changes of Staff, but with two locum
therapists, the work was carried on without any long breaks. An
average of 33 patients received treatment throughout the year.
Of these, 10 attended the weekly Class session and the rest were
visited in their homes.
There has been an improvement in Class attendance, reaching
an all-time peak of eleven on one occasion. A photograph of the
Class at work was shown at the Town Hall in the November Exhibition
of Public Health Services.
Six Occupational Therapy patients left for re-training; one
young man became a hair dresser, three went to the Industrial
Rehabilitation Unit, and one young girl went to the Royal School
of Needlework at Leatherhead. Another young girl obtained employment
at a local Engineering Works, and one man at a local
store.
There is still a great need to find a market for the
patients' work and failure to do this often means that a patient
who would benefit from treatment has to give up making things.
The Show-Case continues to help, but is not sufficient. It is
felt that if a few of the bigger stores in Croydon would cooperate
in selling some of the patients' work, and also most
important, not insist on too rigid a time schedule, this would
provide an excellent outlet. Stoving routine is always carried
out, and this could be emphasized to them.
One profitable line which has appealed to both sexes is the
making of model Galleon Lampstands, and these have sold well.
A very high standard has been achieved by some patients in the
making of soft toys. Two patients have continued to paint small
models for Herald Miniatures.
Finally, the third session with the car has proved most
valuable, and has meant that outlying districts could be visited
more frequently.