Milford chronicle., 1957-12-13
Christmas Seal Sale Aids
In Rehabilitation
Program
CONTINUED from page one)

continued from page one)
| habilitation offered to Delaware
ans who are victimized by the dis
ease is more than a theory; it is
working, down-to-eaI b activity
| that is carried on daily at the EN-
lily P Bissell Hospital.
The stage for the local "rehab''
program actually has seven diff
ferent sets = woodshop, sewing
room, home economics depart
ment, barbershop, beauty shop,
commercial room, and a notions
stores or canteen.
| Each year the Delaware Anti
tuberculosis Society make grant
of money available to the program,
/ to be used in the rehabilitation of
tuberculosis patients.
The patients are referred to Mr..
| Smith after they have built up
their work tolerance to two hours
per day, through the occupational
| therapy program. Then the patients
are interviewed, during which
their former employment is dis
cussed and tentative plans are
made for a suitable future form
of employment.
| Those able to return to their pre-
vious jobs undergo personal ad-
| justment training and are reac-
quainted with their work. Others.
unable to return to their former
| trades, begin a training program
/ aI1 <~f Il MT
Depending on their interests and
aptitudes, the patients begin their
| training in. any of the seven work
shops located in the hospital.
| Others, such as the television re-
| pairman mentioned earlier, may
| enroll in correspondence courses
or other forms of instruction.
Efforts are made to give recog-
milton to patients who excel in the
rehabilitation program. Two fash
ion shows have been held during
the past year in which patients
modelled articles of clothing which
they made in the sewing class. At
the same time, products con-
structed in the woodworking shop
were also displayed.
A visit to the Emily P. Bissell
Hospital is all that is needed to
realize the effectiveness of this
training. Six modern sewing ma
chimes, five of them electric, are
installed in the sewing workshop.
Two days each week the patients
are taught by expert instructors of
the Singer Sewing Machine Com
pany. The cloth is purchased by
the patients themselves if finan-
cially able, or from the Patients
Fund if the patients cannot afford
the purchases. The latter fund is
partially supported by the sale of
Christmas Seals. Materials such
as Zippers, tape and needles are
purchased by Mr.. Smith with
funds from the state and federal
government and independent con-
tributors.
The woodworking shop, natu-
raj point of interest for the male
patients, is equipped with an ex-
tensive line of both hand and pow
er tools. Here also is paid in
structor, retired cabinetmaker.
The patients, some being intro
duced to woodworking tools and
others being reacquainted, make
small articles such as window box
es, chests and smoking stands. At
the present time many of the men
are constructing toys to give their
children at home at Christmas.
The barber and beauty shops
serve as both functional and in
structional departments of the En-
lily P. Bissell Hospital, since pa
tients have their hair cut and set
while at the same time their fell
low patients are learning the bar
bering and beautician trades.
Here also, the barber and beau
tician supplies are purchased from
funds received from the sale of
Christmas Seals.
Success of the program lies in
the fact that all who have COM
pleted these training courses at
the Wilmington sanitorium are
now either practicing or are pre-
private life. All applicants who
apply for this training program
must first be approved by the State
BOdrQ OF Health.
Instruction in the homemaking
course is provided by regis
tered dietition and home econo-
mist who is regularly employed by
one of the general hospitals of
Wilmington. She visits the Emily
P. Bissell Hospital twice a week
and instructs the student-patients
in home economics.
Commercial training is given to
patients who have previously
worked in the commercial field
and who need refresher courses
before returning to work. This
particular vocational rehabilita-
tion program also prepares pa
tients for entrance into business
schools upon their discharge from
the hospital. AS a result, shorter
periods of time are required for