BERMUDIANS who want to help with the critically important task of helping meet the housing needs of learning-disabled adults can do that, and enjoy a night of revelry, by supporting the Project 100 gala ball, the group's major fund-raising event.

Judy Panchaud White, president of Project 100, is hoping to sell all 400 of the $175 tickets for the annual black-tie event, to be held on Saturday, December 4 at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel. The theme is a "Winter Wonderland" and partygoers can dance to the music of the eight-piece Scott Romig Band from Philadelphia until 1 a.m. on the Sunday.

Mrs. White, stressing the importance of the cause, said the dramatically increased cost of housing made it more important than ever that Bermudians and residents dig deep for those less fortunate.

"There was a time when Government was helping with rent subsidies for the learning-disabled, so that they could move out of St. Brendan's," said Mrs. White, "but I don't think that anything has happened along those lines for quite a few years.

"Project 100 can't fund a new home every year, but our goal is to raise enough money so that we can help fund an additional home every three years. Between the ball, the raffle and other fund-raising projects, we try to net about $100,000 each year, and as you know, it's hard to get a three-bedroom house in Bermuda for less than $700,000."

The Project 100 team only numbers about 20 members, with Lady Vereker holding the position of honorary president. The group was formed 18 years ago for the specific purpose of promoting the well-being of those who were then described as "mentally handicapped", but are now held to be "learning disabled".

Previously, the group had targeted smaller-scale projects such as the provision of transportation, educational programmes and field trips, but some five years ago the focus changed to the more pressing need for special housing for the adult learning-disabled population.

There are 31 adults currently housed at St. Brendan's Hospital who could benefit from some form of residential home care. Thirty-two people have been moved from that hospital into residential group homes over the past decade, the most recent being the six people moved to the home opened by Project 100 in December 2002.

However, Project 100 is worried by a demographic which may exacerbate an already difficult situation. Hospital statistics reveal that there are 130 learning disabled adults in the community, with many of the dependants already middle-aged, and their care-givers, often parents, in the senior age bracket. If no replacements are found for these care-givers, the passage of time will see many of the dependants taken into institutional care.

The recent Fordham Study on Ageing in Bermuda highlighted the plight of care-givers, and Project 100 has already put in place one of the services recommended by the Fordham professors. Other than facilities at St. Brendan's, there are already two "respite rooms" available in the existing group homes owned by the Project 100 Property Trust. These rooms are of crucial importance to those families who need an occasional break from their care-giving responsibilities.

Mike Murray, manager of the Learning Disability Programme at St. Brendan's, described the invaluable assistance of Project 100, and an evolution in thinking about the treatment offered to the learning-disabled.

"We began moving our clients into the community in 1991, and to date, we have seven homes in the community, of which Project 100 helped with the last two. The concept of moving clients into the community began in the '60s in other countries, firstly in Scandinavia, and Britain and other countries followed that example."

Trinidadian Mr. Murray, who arrived in Bermuda in 1979 after training at the Leavesden Hospital in Hertfordshire in England, described what he saw as an "ideological shift" in care, from patients wrongly perceived to have a medical problem, to clients with disabilties who, with appropriate care and support, can function in the community.

"The essence is that many clients with a disability are not sick, they are not mentally ill, and can live in the community. Many more are living in the community than St.Brendan's. When a care-giver dies, it makes no sense for someone who has lived their whole life in the community being hospitalised, that's a backward step.

"Project 100 has given us a commitment that they will provide us with a home every three years, but in fact, they have given us two homes in the last three years, so that they have exceeded expectations.

"We are very happy to be associated with Project 100. With their help we have managed to move 13 clients out of St. Brendan's in the last three years. They also provide assistance with decorating the homes, and in purchasing vehicles for the homes."

With funding from Government and their own and other charitable fund-raising, and with some assistance from the families of the learning disabled, Project 100 would like to increase the pace of this special property development, so that one new group home would be available for the learning disabled every year. St. Brendan's will provide appropriate staffing for each home.

Some special people need your very special help, and all you need to do is put on your dancing shoes.