"We all want to live long
but nobody want to be older"
prof. Jovan Marić
The Housing for mentally handicapped persons »Curug« in Curug was founded on May 6th 1955 by Zabalj county, as an Institution for municipal care for elderly persons in social need. The initial name of the Institution was »Housing for seniors and retired persons Curug«, and it was located on the outskirts of Curug, on the premises of previous »spital«, a vintage hospital for infectious diseases.
Due to the non-existence of specialized institutions for assisted living aimed to adults with chronic mental disorders, the »Housing for seniors and retired persons Curug« took care of these cathegories of patrons, too. Such combined operations had lasted till 1974, when a first categorization of patrons was performed. As the metally handicapped persons gradually outnumbered the other patrons combined, in 1989 the Housing has been officially registered as a close-type institution for protection and social care of persons with mental dissorders. According to its regulatory acts, the institution provides patrons with assisted living and healthcare, as well as with occupational and vocational therapy according to their remaining ability and the overall conditions.
Since 1991, according to the Public Service Act, the founder’s rights of the Institute have been transferred to the Serbian Government.
The capacity of our Institution is about 200 patrons. Usually, all available space is occupied and often an interested person should wait several months for a vacancy. The decisions about the admittance and categorization of each particular patron (diagnosis: Psychosis and psychosomatic disorders) in our Institution are performed by a team of specialist according to the regulatory acts. The team consists of a social worker, physician, neuro-psychiatrists, the principal nurse, an occupational therapist and an attorney. Currently, out of the total number of 195 patrons, 26 persons are permanently disabled and immobile. The services provided to all users are with no time limits. The Institution provides care for patrons from the whole territory of FRY. In addition, we accommodate several refugees from Croatia and Bosnia as well as the users from ex-Yugoslav republics that had become our patrons prior to the disintegration of ex-Yugoslavia. For a number of such users, nobody has been paying cost of care and medicines for several years.
Since the establishment of the Institution, 1955, till 1974, there haven’t been any significant adaptations and improvements on the premises. However, due to permanent increase in demand for the housing, it was necessary to augment the capacity so that activities to extend the amount of space available to patrons have been initiated. Since then, two new residential pavilions have been built, the existing premises have been adapted, and a new kitchen with a dining space have been erected along with auxiliary facilities such as laundry, barber shop, storage, garage and mortuary. Also, an egg producing farm, the facility for growing swine, barn, workshops, and a power station with 55KW auxiliary generator and accompanying installations have been built, a central heating system has been installed, the bathrooms have been remodeled and additional investment in equipment was undertaken. Finally, due to the donations of Italian government, a new waterproof septic tank, which cost 100.000DM, has been completed this year.
Regardless
of its specific purpose, our Institute was not spared of the economic
difficulties and problems that exist in the State. A permanent concern for
providing at least bare survival of patrons has been including efforts to ensure
sufficient quantity and assortment of food, medicine, garments, foot-ware,
diesel oil and cleaning and personal hygiene supplies.
The Department of Social Policy of the Serbian Government does its best to ensure an uninterrupted function of our Institute, but in spite of these efforts, it is a non-questionable fact that in the absence of donations, the status of patrons and employees of our Institute would be much worse.
In the last 10 years period, the Institute was heated owing to international humanitarian organizations, particularly CARE INTERNATIONAL, which was providing 12.000 liters of diesel oil monthly to supply necessary heat to six objects with a total area of 2231m2, by using a furnace with a power of 400KW having a capacity of 100.000 kcal/h. However, due to the announced cancellation of this donation for the upcoming heating season of 2001/2002, there is necessary and URGENT task to provide diesel oil to heat the premises of our Institution.
Due to the proximity of the winter season and the importance of heating, especially for our patrons, people with chronic mental illness that are in permanent need for assisted living, even a slight possibility to dwell with no heating is a direct attack to health and ultimately to the mere existence of these persons who, even in regular conditions, have difficulties with properly dressing themselves. To avoid potential disaster, we from the bottom of our hearths, appeal to your understanding and generous help.
GRATEFUL EMPLOYEES AND PATRONS OF THE The Housing for mentally handicapped persons »Curug« in Curug
MANAGER,
Zdenko Drempetic
This letter is translated by Mr. Dragoljub Pokrajac from Washington State University.
Documents about housing in Serbian language - Documents
We also need next medication on monthly basis:
Mazepine a 200 mg. 55 scat.
Melleril a 25 mg. 120 scat.
Melleril a 100 mg. 60 scat.
Trixifen a 25 mg. 120 scat.
Largactil a 100 mg. 60 scat.
Largactil a 25 mg. 120 scat.
Metoten a 5 mg. 30 scat.
Artane a 5 mg. 30 scat.
Akineton tbl. 30 scat.
Akineton amp. 30 amp.
Our address:
Dom za dusevno obolela lica "Curug" u Curugu
Curug
Vojvodina
Yugoslavia
Tel. +381 21 834 096 or +381 21 833 006
E-mail: mmilan@bigfoot.com
WWW: http://domcurug.tripod.com