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(4) Occupational therapy for the disabled ex-Service pensioners and for
the Chest Clinic cases.
(5) The provision of a library service for home-bound tuberculous patients.
(6) Home visiting in cases of distress and the provision of urgently
required clothes, food and household articles or home nursing.
(7) The provision of volunteer workers to travel to and from hospital
with sick, aged, blind people or children.
(8) The supply of instructors and examiners in First Aid and Home Nursing
for adult and youth groups and for Civil Defence volunteers.
(9) Red Cross Home for the Aged. Administration of Red Cross Convalescent
Home for Patients from the Geriatric Ward at West Middlesex Hospital.
(10) Attendance at permanent and temporary First Aid Posts when required.
In addition, there is a flourishing Junior Red Cross Unit at Chiswick,
some of whose members help at the local hospitals.
WELFARE OF THE BLIND AND PARTI ALLY-SIGHTED
The County Council is responsible, under the National Assistance Act, 1948
for the provision of welfare services for the blind and partially-sighted.
There are resident in the Borough 103 blind and 28 partially-sighted persons.
20 of these are in full time employment; one is in a Workshop for the Blind and
one is a Home Worker, and both receive augmentation and supplementation of
earnings from the County Council, There are also 4 partially-sighted and 6
blind children under the age of 16 years, 9 of whom are at Special Schools. One
young blind person over 16 years of age is still at school and one partiallysighted
young person is at a Technical College.
The County Council provides a Home Teaching Service for the visitation of
blind and partially sighted people in their own homes, the object of which is
to enable partially sighted and blind people to lead as full and active lives
as their handicap allows The duties of the Home Teachers include advising
blind and partially sighted persons on all problems relating to their welfare
and of all the available social services, assisting them in overcoming the
effects of their disabilities, giving instruction in Braille and Moon systems
of embossed type and in handcrafts Deaf Blind persons also receive the services
of a special Home Teacher for the Deaf Blind, A handcraft class is held fortnightly
at Christ Church Hall, Turnham Green.
The majority of blind persons are either not capable of employment owing
to age or infirmity, or for some reason are not available for employment. Amongst
the latter are housewives who may receive instruction in carrying out their
household duties from the Home Teachers or in residential courses of social
rehabilitation.
An Old Time Dancing Class for the Blind is held weekly in Ealing and a
number of blind residents in the Borough attend. The County Council works in
close co operation with Voluntary Organisations, including (a) The Middlesex
Association for the Blind, who maintain a Holiday Home at Littlehampton, two
Residential Homes for the Blind and assist individual necessitous blind persons
and (b) the Social Club for the Blind which meets fortnightly at Christ Church
Hall. This Club is maintained and managed by a voluntary Committee, The meeting
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