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142
House Occupational Centre, there being 74 people on the
register of attendance and 32 on the waiting list. These
figures demonstrate the inadequacy of the occupational centre
and this is emphasised when it is known that the social
workers have been instructed to avoid placing people on the
waiting list unless it is absolutely necessary because of the
long delay before they are able to attend. Sales from the occupational
centre of articles made there remained at high level
and for the week ending 22nd December, 1967 sales exceeded
£105.
Those persons registered as physically handicapped, I.e.
permanently and substantially handicapped, the greatest
number come within the two groups arthritis and rheumatism
(325) and organic nervous diseases including epilepsy,
disseminated sclerosis, poliomyelitis (295). Many of those
persons registered are elderly and there is a constant demand
for assistance for them both by way of aids and gadgets and
social case work.
The Borough continued to provide holidays for the physlcally
handicapped at a wide variety of places, and a number
joined with the elderly for the May/September holiday camps
at Corton Beach. Others went to the camps arranged by the
Essex Physically Handicapped Association and quite a large
number were accommodated at Redhill and Grange Farm,
Chlgwell by the W.R.V.S.
Holidays for the
Elderly
The holidays for the elderly again proved to be very popular
with a total of 750 persons visiting Corton Beach Holiday
Camp near Lowestoft, during May and September. We know
that the holidays were appreciated because of 300 letters
received from participants and all of them indicated that the
writers had enjoyed themselves. This year we included with
the parties of elderly some physically, blind and deaf persons
and with an increased number of helpers these handicapped
persons did not present any great problem, and certainly
seemed to find the holiday beneficial. We also sent a number
of residents from the old peoples homes in the Borough and
this gave them not only a change of environment but a general
tone up both physically and mentally. At the risk of repetition,
may I say again that this service is one of the most valuable
preventive services introduced by the Borough Council and is
well worth the £10,000 which is costs annually.
Meals on
Wheels Service
This service which is operated in the Ilford part of the
Borough by the Welfare Department staff assisted to a small