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centres and a day centre for the elderly mentally disordered are scheduled. At
present one patient attends the day centre at the psychiatric unit at the North
Middlesex Hospital and two patients attend the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
day centre at Clapton. The Council has approved the payment of fares to
patients attending day centres.
Social Centres or Clubs
There is a very active and successful club operating in the Borough, which is
held on the premises of the Junior Training School. The club meets every Monday
evening from 7.30 p.m. to 10.0 p.m.
The mental welfare officers who run the club endeavour to create an atmosphere
that engenders amongst the members feelings of reassurance and security. The
average attendance at the club is between 25 - 30 persons.
Further clubs, two in existing Council premises and three in proposed new
premises, are in our plans for the future, one being envisaged early in 1966.
Residential Accommodation
During the year work has proceeded on the adaptation and equipping of a
fine house, in spacious grounds, as a hostel for men and women, providing 26
places. The intention is to provide accommodation for persons, discharged from
psychiatric hospitals, who require living accommodation with supportative and
supervisory care.
The hostel will be in charge of a married couple, with the positions of warden
and housekeeper, who, with a resident assistant warden, a part-time cook and a
part-time cleaner, will comprise the full staff.
In 1965, the Council accepted financial responsibility for nine patients resident in
hostels provided by voluntary associations.
MENTAL SUBNORMALITY
The Borough is within the catchment area of South Ockenden and Harperbury
Hospitals, which admit patients requiring hospital care for mental subnormality.
The work of the service provided by the Council for the mentally subnormal is
undertaken by the same staff who deal with the mentally ill.
Domiciliary Service
The total number of subnormal persons in community care by the end of 1965
was 428. The mental welfare officers paid 955 visits and held 57 office interviews,
and, by their supervision and support of the patient and the family, facilitated their
integration with and enjoyment of community life.
The importance of providing an adequate and continuous counselling service for
parents of subnormal children from the time when a diagnosis of subnormality is
first made is stressed in Ministry of Health Circular 24/65.
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