View report page

137
list (or admission to homes increased (rom 213 to 229, and the need (or additional
accommodation is becoming increasingly urgent.
Day Centres (or the Elderly — The Day Centre at Scra(ton Road continued to be
well patronised and the new Centre which we opened in January 1966 the
Congregational Church in Broomhill Road, has slowly increased in popularity and
is much appreciated by the old people who use it.
Services (or the Physically Handicapped — There has been a considerable
increase in the number o( physically handicapped persons registered by the
Council. At the beginning of the year 679 were registered and at the end the
number was 793. Persons are registered as physically handicapped when they
are considered by the Authority to be substantially and permanently handicapped
by illness, injury or congenital de(ormity.
The increase in the number of persons registered, demonstrates the
advantage of having a local weHare service known and used by the community.
It is hoped that all handicapped persons will eventually become known to the
Department to enable us to assist them to lead as normal a life as their handicap
will permit.
With all the physically handicapped persons now known to us as being
resident in the Borough, the need for a new Occupational Centre is becoming
more and more urgent and towards the end of the year, work was commenced on
the planning of a combined Centre for the physically handicapped and the
mentally ill at Fullwell Cross.
The Occupational Centre at Fellowship House continued to take approximately
30 handicapped people daily and whilst the facilities there are limited,
people who do attend seem to benefit (rom the social contacts they make
together with the handicra(t work which is undertaken.
Welfare Services for the Blind — These long established services have continued
to function with very little change in the pattern of service or in the numbers of
registered blind persons. Nevertheless consistent work is undertaken by Social
Welfare Officers for the blind with regular visits and the teaching of Braille,
Moon and handicrafts and whilst there is no room for complacency in any of the
services, it is felt that this section of the handicapped persons in the community
are receiving adquate services.
The Welfare Committee decided during the year that they would meet the
rental of talking book machines (or blind persons in the area (rom the 1st April,
1967 instead of meeting only part of the cost through the Essex County
Association for the Blind.
Services for the Homeless — In June 1966 the first family was admitted to
'he Council's new Temporary Accommodation Unit in Grosvenor Road, Ilford.
This accommodation which comprises ten main living rooms plus communal