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There is of course in existence the Disabled Drivers
Association, for owners of petrol or motor driven vehicles, which
is an independent association formed by disabled persons for the
benefit of disabled people, and this association has a branch in
North London. Its activities are very wide ranging, including a
cultural society, social evenings, theatre outings, group rallies
and oar rallies, a holiday home in Norfolk and holidays arranged
abroad. Advice is also given on the day to day problems which
disabled drivers may encounter. The popularity of this association
is shown by the steadily increasing membership.
Structural Adaptations to Property
The homes of two handicapped persons were adapted to help
them overcome the effects of their disabilities:
(a) a physically handicapped man, wheelchair-bound,
suffering from multiple sclerosis, wa3 assisted
with a grant of £233, half of the cost of structural
adaptations to provide ground floor toilet facilities.
(b) a physically handicapped man, who had a serious
injury in a road accident when he was ten years of
age, when he suffered the loss of his left arm and
has since had many operations to his legs. His
wife also suffers from epilepsy. Assisted with a
grant of £357 towards the cost of structural
adaptations to provide ground floor toilet and a
shower cabinet.
Possum Installation
In the latter part of the year a Possum unit was installed in
the home of a severely handicapped man. This equipment, supplied free
by the Department of Health and Social Security, has to be installed
by the local authority under its powers under the National Assistance
Act. The structural alterations and electrical adaptations were
carried out by this department's technical instructor and his assistant.
The unit enables a severely disabled person to operate a range
of electrical equipment by mouth or other small physical movements and
gives 'on/off ' control over a number of electrical functions, including
an alarm bell, an intercom link to the front door coupled with a door
lock (to enable the user to interrogate and, if necessary, let in
visitors), heat, telephone, radio and light. Possum is designed to give
the client an increased degree of independence.