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Home Workers Scheme
The home workers scheme is organised by the Home Industries
Department of the Royal National Institute for the Blind at Reigate,
Surrey. Blind home workers are employed in a variety of occupations
and supervision of these workers is carried out by visiting officers
of the Home Industries Department.
The Council is responsible for two home workers, one of whom
does radio and electrical repairs, and the other is a piano tuner.
Sheltered Workshops
The Council is responsible for one employee in a sheltered
workshop at Waterloo, under the auspices of the Royal School for the
Blind.
Residential Accommodation
The number of registered blind and partially sighted persons
in residential accommodation as at 31st December 1968 was as follows:
In homes for the blind 7 women, - men
Total 51
In other homes 35 women, 9 men
Every effort has been made to place blind persons in the
homes of their choice, but it is hoped to integrate a percentage of
blind persons into the Council's old people's homes when new purposebuilt
homes are available.
Social Rehabilitation
The main centres for social rehabilitation are situated at
Old bury Grange, Bridgnorth, Manor House, Torquay, and America Lodge,
Torquay. These centres are administered by the Royal National
Institute for the Blind, and it may be found that after a short period
of social rehabilitation a blind or partially sighted person is
suitable for an industrial rehabilitation course. Old bury Grange
caters for social rehabilitation mainly for housewives and men in the
upper age group, and a period of such rehabilitation is often a great
help in enabling a newly blind person to settle down to normal
domiciliary environment.
One newly blind man and one newly blind lady were sent for a
period of social rehabilitation at Old bury Grange, Bridgnorth, and one
newly blind lady was sent for a period of industrial rehabilitation at
America Lodge, Torquay, during the year.