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27.3.4.4 (d) Social Club
The 'Wednesday Club' for Camden's mentally handicapped people
moved from Tonbridge Club, Cromer Street, W.C.1 to Exhibition Hall, Camden
Street, N.W.1 during 1967, where it continued to meet on Wednesday evenings
throughout 1968. There have been considerable changes during the period under
review. The membership has risen to about 40, although the new arrivals do
not consist only of adult subnormals. For some time an audience of local
children stood at the door of the hall and banged on the windows during club
time, generally causing a disturbance, until it was decided that the solution
might be to let them in. There were in the beginning the inevitable resentments
of the established members, and the curious looks from the junior members, but
by lengthening the duration of the club sessions and allowing the children in
for the first half, quite a high degree of integration developed, and each group
seems to benefit from the presence of the other.
The club depends to a great extent on voluntary helpers, and there is
is now a group of 10 who attend there regularly. They lead the members in
various activities - football, knitting (e.g. squares for a blanket for Cxfam),
needlework (a lot of the junior boys enjoy this!), painting and billiards.
At Christmas a Nativity Play was produced with the aid of three
voluntary helpers and was performed at an "At Home" for parents, social
workers and others. Junior members of the club sang the carols and the senior
members acted out the Nativity. This was a great success. The enthusiasm
shown has led to plans for producing a new play. There have been several
outings - a (wet) day at Littlehampton during the summer, which was enjoyed
partly perhaps because there was a Fun Fair; and a very successful day on
the National Boys' Club camping site in Ashdown Forest. A log cabin had
been put at the disposal of the club members and with that, a trek through the
forest and various outdoor games, everyone returned home tired but happy.
Some of the male members and helpers went on a fishing expedition and
the occasion was made memorable by the fact that all the members caught fish
while none of the helpers managed to catch a thing. For the girls there was a
Christmas shopping expedition in Oxford Street with a quick look at Carnaby
Street.
Plans have been made to spend more time outside the club premises
in future, and possibilities include weekends away, bowling and bingo visits
and a visit to a television show. Thought is also being given to the possibility
of starting a small group of very severely subnormal adults, since they have
very limited social opportunities.
DOMICILIARY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
27.4.1 1967 was the first full year of the operation of this service and there were 31
referrals. 23 people had been discharged by the end of the year (including 6 referred to
a day centre by the therapist) and about 20 patients, with disorders ranging from severe
subnormalities to schizophrenia, were receiving visits at 31st December. There were
10 new referrals during 1968 and 14 patients were discharged (these included some
referred to a day centre by the therapist for further help). 13 patients were receiving
visits at 31st December 1968, during which year 836 visits were made. Each person
referred has an individual plan of treatment, which may include such items as daily
activities (cleaning, cooking, shopping and going on outings); making dresses, furnishings,
toys or rugs; mosaic work, carpentry, etc. For the mentally subnormal, there have
been additionally practical lessons of general knowledge, telling the time, drawing,
painting and understanding the value of money.
27.4.2 The main aim has been to maintain and improve each individual's full function
in the community. There has been good liaison with the mental health social workers,
hospitals and day centres. Patients discharged from hospital having improved with
treatment are immediately taken on in order to maintain the improvement and, if possible,
to continue treatment. Close co-operation is needed to persuade patients to go to centres
and also to maintain their attendance.
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