CENTENARY HOUSE
BACKGROUND
During 1980/1981 a needs assessment undertaken by the social worker and committee members of APD, confirmed that a need existed in this Province for affordable housing for adult persons with physical disabilities. At that stage no such housing existed in this Province and therefore, the application for subsidization was submitted to the Department of Health and Welfare during 1981 and approved in 1986. Due to the availability of other vitally important support services it was decided to build the House in Polokwane. The House was formally opened on the 1st October 1988 and takes residents from anywhere in the Limpopo Province as well as from all cultural groups.
As the House is still the only such House in this Province it was decided to, with funds received from the NLDTF, build on a double room (4 residents each) at two of the house. Therefore, the number of residents in the House increased from 44 to 54, with a waiting list of approximately 25. Originally the House was planned for persons with physical disabilities but the need and demand for accommodation providing supervised care to persons with mental disabilities called for their admittance as well.
Although it is encouraged that persons with physical and/or mental disability stay in the community and make use of community based treatment, there is a group of persons with physical and/or mental disability who can’t function successfully without fulltime support. Factors like an ability to handle money, mental and psychological limitations, physical dependency and a lack of and/or inadequate support from relatives or other people in the community, who also don’t have the facilities, knowledge or financial means to give specialized attention/care cannot be avoided. Therefore, the emphasis for admittance to the House is not so much on the accommodation but whether the applicant needs specialized care and rehabilitation. Preference is also given to persons in the sub-economic group.
Although one of the admission policies is restricted to not admit persons older than 55 years of age, once admitted residents can stay on until they pass away, even if they exceed the maximum age limit for admittance. As a result care and nursing services has been increased and will have to be upgraded even more in future to enable the House to provide in the and increased and intensified needs of the residents that comes with getting older. This will automatically make our service delivery more expensive because of the extra care staff that will be necessary. The House is also in the process of transforming and equipping one of the houses, into a “high care unit”, which will enable them to care for those who, need fulltime care.
Although, the current residents are admitted on a permanent basis the Screening Committee decided that the admittance of someone on a temporary basis will also be considered should be need arise.
Centenary House Resident Committee
The Committee was established in 2008 with representatives from each of the 4 houses. The Committee’s main focus is to arrange recreational activities, represent the other residents and to form unity in the House. Planned recreational activities include dances, outings etcetera.
Back (Left to right): Willie Jooste, Johannes Pretorius, Wanda de Lange, Anton Nel and Hannes Joubert Front (Left to right):Gabriel Maserumule, Jacobeth Sebola and Samuel Ngoepe
Trix Nortman Protective Workshop
background
During 1980/1981 a need assessment undertaken by the social worker and committee members of the APD, it was confirmed that a need existed in this Province for affordable housing and workshop for adult persons with physical disabilities. At that stage no such housing and workshop facilities existed in this Province and an application for the approval of subsidy was submitted to the Department of Health and Welfare during 1981 and approved in 1986. Due to the availability of other vitally important support services it was decided to build the Workshop/Day-care Centre in Polokwane and it opened on the 1st October 1988. Due to the numerous applications for persons with severe intellectual/mental disabilities who can’t do protective work but just need supervision and stimulation it was decided to add day care to the services delivered by the Protective Workshop. The age for admittance to the Workshop or Day-care Centre is 18 to 50 for person with physical and/or intellectual disability. Currently the number of disabled from the community attending the Workshop and Day-care Centre is 22 as well as the residents from Centenary House.
Although it is a Protective Workshop/Day care centre it is still needs funds to exist. However, the Workshop/Day-care Centre is trying to sustain part of its funding base with Transport and Day-care fees, National as well as provincial fundraising campaigns such as Casual Day, Tendering for the swimming pool contacts of the Local Municipality so that disabled residents of Centenary House and day-workers can work at the entrances and Applying for funding from for instance the NLDTF however, but one must bear in mind that funding received this way means that it is pre-allocated and can not be used for running cost or expenses incurred by service delivery and it will never be enough to enable the Workshop/Day-care Centre to become self-sustainable unless it gets new contracts and broaden its services, therefore the workshop is busy with feasibility & sustainability research to see where they can improve and broaden their services.
Currently the workshop is preparing vegetables for Centenary House and a group of ladies are knitting blocks with donated wool, which is then sowed together to make soft toys. The able bodied men are assisting in the gardens.
Centenary House Care Shop
Background
The Centenary House Care shop was established in 2007 as a result of an increased demand for more assistive devices, products and services for persons with disability and the elderly who struggled to obtain these devices, products and services.
Products/Services
The Care Shop offers a large range of Nappies, Linen savers, Waterproof ladies panties, wheelchair spares and other assistive devices that are kept in stock. If the requested item is not in stock, it will be ordered for the client. A handy catalogue is available. If you don’t want to buy a wheelchairs, commode, crutches, walking frames and other assistive devices, it is also available on rentals. We guarantee the lowest prices in town.
Seating Clinic
Centenary House Care Shop offers a free Seating Clinic to the public every second Monday of the month. A qualified seating specialist will assist you with a professional assessment, advice on old or new products and mobility as well as the recommendation and prescription of assistive devices.