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Poor Relief
Clients who are unable to take care of
themselves and have no home or no family to attend to their needs
are eligible for admission to the Infirmary.
Click here for information on how to apply to the infirmary The
programme is geared towards the provision of nutrition,
transportation and medical assistance to these citizens of the
parish, and is occupied primarily by the aged.
Location
& contact information
The St. James infirmary is located about 5
minutes drive from the Byron Leslie Complex.
It is the second left turn from the Cornwall College
playground and is erected on the Albion property.
Facilities include two wards for males and females, an
administrative block, a chapel, staff quarters and a separate
dwelling for street people. The
matron’s quarters are located in a house at the first left turn on
the main road before reaching the entrance to the infirmary.
Telephone Matron Nora Chambers at 979-0216.
Origin
The infirmary was founded in 1865 under the
name ‘Poor House’ and in 1880 that name was changed to ‘Alms
House’. In 1960 the
present name ‘infirmary’ was introduced, more correctly
describing the function of the institution.
Residents
The infirmary presently accommodates destitute
people both male and females between the ages of 27 to 96 (the
majority are seniors) and has a capacity for about 85 residents.
Services
provided
Residents receive total care which includes a
medical doctor who visits once per week and a mental health officer
who visits and assesses all mentally ill residents and medication
issued. Clinic appointments and emergencies are dealt with at the
Cornwall Regional Hospital. The
Five Star Career Institute sends students to the infirmary as part
of their Home Health Care course.
Occupational therapy is provided (see below).
Residents receive three square meals per day, and clothing is
provided by Food for the Poor and other donors.
Whenever possible, staff try to locate relatives to ascertain
if residents can be cared for by family members for home care.
Burial services are also offered.
Occupational
therapy
The Friends of the Infirmary assist in this
area by employing an Activities Director whose responsibility is to
get the residents active in areas of work that they enjoy.
Activities include indoor and outdoor games, arts &
crafts and daily devotion. Eight
residents participate in a bocce, a ball game, which is specially
organized by the Special Olympics Jamaica for the mentally
challenged. During 2000
and 2001, eight residents participated in the bocce competition; all
came out winners and received 2 gold medals each year.
Presently they are preparing for upcoming competition in June
2002.
Current events
Recent improvements include:
- Erection of sheltered walkway connecting female ward
and administrative office.
- St. James Parish Council provided two new
refrigerators and two industrial stoves.
- Ritz-Carlton Hotel Staff painted the interior and
exterior of the female ward and planted a small flower garden.
- Apostolic World Relief members from the USA painted
the exterior of the male ward.
Facts
about the infirmary…
- The number of people on the waiting list fluctuates.
As of February 2002 there were 4 persons awaiting placement.
Space only becomes available when a resident leaves or dies.
- The length of stay of a resident is indefinite, but
usually residents remain in the infirmary for the rest of their
lives.
Few residents
are discharged to relatives, although this does happen
occasionally. In the past few years, the maximum number of
residents discharged this way is three, and sometimes
none.
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