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RESIDENTIAL CARE OF THE MENTALLY DISORDERED
Collier Lodge. As a short-stay hostel for 26 persons with history
of psychiatric illness, mostly men and women on discharge from
Goodmayes and Warley Hospitals. It is a mixed hostel and the
age range of the residents is between 16-62 at present.
The hostel serves as a half-way house between the hospital and
community with emphasis on working and social rehabilitation.
The hostel placement offers an opportunity of assessment and support
for the patient who is leaving hospital but whose return home
is neither possible or desirable.
Staffing. Since the hostel was opened for admissions of residents in
February 1965, the first Warden and his wife (an Assistant Warden),
both trained mental nurses, worked for most of the year without
assistance of other staff. Early in December, the couple left,
and a female resident Assistant Warden was transferred to the
Hostel from one of the Council's Old People's Homes.
Selection Criteria. The Warden and the Senior Psychiatric Social
Worker/Senior Mental Welfare Officer interview all applicants
who are expected to be free from florid and disturbing symptoms,
employable and preferably already settled in work to which they
can continue to go from the hostel. They are expected to express
positive desire to come to the hostel and assessment is made as
to their ability to relate to others in a social group; thus social performance
of the applicant is more important than his past illness,
duration of his illness or number of hospital admissions.
The residents have individual interviews with the Psychiatric
Social Worker who with the Warden also leads weekly group discussions
about the everyday problems as well as problems arising
from living in a hostel group. They are also encouraged to attend
the "THURSDAY CLUB" which provides "after-care" facilities.
The allocation of places in the hostel is determined by the
Minister of Health as follows :—
To the ESSEX County Council — 13 places, the remaining
13 places to be shared by Barking, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham
Forest, Havering being administratively responsible. The
experience in regard to hostel placements has been that so far there
has been a shortage of suitable applicants for a short-stay care,
who are well stabilised. Those who have been interviewed and not
accepted, were likely to require indefinite hostel placement, were
alcoholics or known to have been socially disruptive and aggressive.
(The under-occupation in short-stay hostels for mentally ill has
been frequently reported, and it appears that a new hostel begins
to enjoy full occupancy after twelve to eighteen months in operation.)
There are other factors limiting the full use of hostel
places:—
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