 Who is the Tenth Man? The Tenth Man is the one man and ten in your community who needs or will need psychiatric care. He may even spend some part of his life in a mental hospital. Perhaps it will be the last part of that man's life. If he's an old man, for example, and feels that life holds nothing more for him. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ralph Bellamy. Our story is called The Old Folks at Home. It concerns an old gent who felt definitely not at home when he came to live with his granddaughter and her husband in the big city. Strange that Grandpa Barrett should feel ill at ease since Maj really liked the old man and tried hard to make him happy. And when Maj took anyone under her wing, she did a thorough job. Hi. Huh? Where's Grandpa? Grandpa? I don't know, dear. Didn't he go out for a walk a minute ago? Oh, well, how should I know? I've been busy putting the baby to bed. Well, I guess he did go out for a walk. Hank, you really ought to watch him more carefully. Oh, Maj, you worry too much about him. Grandpa won't get into any trouble. He may be old, but he's not senile. Nevertheless, I promised Aunt Edda I'd look after him. She was going to put him in the Old Folks' home. Well, we've saved him from that anyhow. But you know, Maj, we're not doing all we should for him. What do you mean, Hank? Well, we've provided a home for him, but, well, maybe it lacks something. What could it possibly lack? He has his own room, complete privacy. No responsibilities. That's just it. No responsibilities. Nothing to do. Well, you don't even let him help around the house. Help around the house? Why, Hank only last night at the supper table knocked over the water pitcher. So what? I knocked it over last week. Does that make me senile? Oh, you're impossible. I'm only trying to point out that... I think I hear his step in the hall. Have a nice walk, Grandpa. Well, not so nice. Now, it's pretty crowded in this town. Folks don't care if the jostle you're right off the sidewalk. Now, Grandpa, you'll just have to learn to jostle them right back. No. No, I'm too old to pick up any new city ways. We'll have to get you a playmate, someone to talk to. Playmate? Don't talk to me as if I was a child. Oh, I'm sorry, Grandpa. I just meant someone for you to talk to. You know, someone more your own age. You know, it's a funny thing. Don't see many old folks around in this neighborhood. I saw in the paper the other day something about the increase in the number of older people on account of improved health conditions, you know, but I never see any of them around here. Maybe they all hang out in the park. Hank. Huh? What park? There's one about 10 blocks south of here. Well, why didn't you tell me? I'll have a stroll down here tomorrow and have a look at it. But it's 10 blocks. Well, 10 blocks ain't far. For gosh's sake, stop treating me as if I was delicate or something. Grandpa, we just don't want you to exert yourself. Don't want me to enjoy myself, you mean. Come, Grandpa, you know we want you to be happy in our house. Well, then leave me be, Hank. Leave me be. Good night. Don't slam the door, Grandpa. You'll wait to... Oh, Hank. We've got to make him happier, but what can we do? You heard what he said, Madge. Leave him be. Hi, Pop. Oh, hello, obviously. Nice day. Yeah. How come you're not at the club? Oh, I don't belong to any clubs. I'm sort of new in this town. Just moved into my granddaughter. I get it. Feeling kind of lonesome too, I guess, huh? Oh, no, no. I'm sort of glad I got a lot of time to myself. I want to read up a bit and I want to think some things out. Yeah. Well, if you get tired of reading and thinking and feel like a bit of socializing, the clubhouse is that big red brick building on Main Street across from the park. Just ask for Miss Lindsay and tell her I sent you. Well, thanks very much, officer, but I don't think... Gray, did you say that place was? But I tell you, I did look for him in the park. Well, I don't say that it makes much difference, Madge. If he doesn't want to tell us where he goes every day, it's his business, I guess. I wouldn't mind if he just tell me. After all, Hank, anything can happen to a man who's practically 80. Oh, he's a healthy old duck, and wherever he's going, he's having a good time. He's been as happy as a lark all week. Well, I'm not happy as a lark. He was late for supper last night, and from all indications, he's going to be late again tonight. And on top of that, he won't tell you where he spends his time. I think you're smart. Oh, forget it, Madge. Let the old boy have his fun. After all, it's what we all want, isn't it? Yes, but... No, I'm not giving up. I'm going to trail him tomorrow. I'll find out what he's up to. Good morning, Mr. Barrett. Good morning, Jake. Where is everybody? Oh, they'll be along soon. Not everybody gets up as early in the morning as you and me. See, Jake, how long has this club been operating? Oh, it's been going on for more than a year now. Sure was a good idea. Who started it? The welfare department. The welfare department? Within this charity? No, not exactly. I look at it this way. They have libraries and parks for people, don't they? So why not a place for us older folks? Yeah, yes, I guess you're right. Why not? Certain years of godsend. I know it was a lucky thing for me. I found out about this place. Having something to do and people to talk to kept me from blowing my top. I don't know when I felt so good. Here I can work all I want to on my painting. Ever in my life did I think I'd make an artist. But look, look here. Yeah. See, gosh, that one of the parks sure is good. How do you like that spot of color right there, the little girl with the balloon? Yeah, just like real. Miss Lindsay showed me how to do that. And next year, I start sculpture. Miss Lindsay sure is a wonderful girl. I love her like she was my own daughter. We couldn't have a better leader. She knows what we like. No fussing, no fretting. But the thing she gets done. Well, she got me interested in working with the jigsaw. You know the electric one? Of course I know it. I made four ship models on it last year. I'm making a hanging sheriff. I saw it. Very nice. Won't manage to be surprised when she sees it. Good morning, Mr. Barrett. Mr. Field. Good morning, Miss Lindsay. Miss Lindsay, is it all right if I start the bandsaw? Of course it is. You know where the switch is. Oh, sure, sure. Well, I'll be getting back to my still life. See you later, Mr. Barrett. Okay, okay. By the way, Mr. Barrett, have you told your granddaughter about the club? Do I have to? No. But I just thought she might be worried. Turn nation, that's her. Man, how did she find out? Grandpa, what is this place? What are you doing here? Hello, mad. Oh, is this your granddaughter? Grandpa, don't you know we've been worried sick not knowing where you've been? What are you doing with that electric saw? You'll cut yourself if you're not careful. Get off at once. Oh, it's quite safe. And he's very efficient with it. Well, sure, Madge. Oh, I don't believe you've met Miss Lindsay, our leader. How do you do? No, I'm so glad to meet you, Mrs. Dobson. I guess you too would have met sooner. But, well, Madge, I didn't want you to find out about the club until I'd finished this. Grandpa, what's that? It's a hanging shelf for knick-knacks. It'll be real nice when it's finished and polished. Well, if you're really interested in this sort of thing, we'll buy you a saw like that and Hank can help you make things with it. Why can't I use this one? Surely you don't expect to come here again. Who would bring you? My own two legs would bring me. Same as they've done for the past two weeks. Well, talk about it at home. Get your hat, Grandpa. You mean I can't come here anymore? That's right. Miss, what's the charge? Oh, there's no charge. This is a municipal community center. Oh, I see. Well, thank you. Come along, Grandpa. Well, Miss Lindsay, I don't want to go. Can't you do something? Well, I really shouldn't interfere. Does this club mean as much to you as all that? Well, it's everything to me. It's home. Well, I'll go and talk to her. Thanks, Miss Lindsay. Uh, Mrs. Dobson. Yes? Mr. Barrett's collecting some things to take home. Would you step into my office for a moment? I'd like to talk with you. Quite very well. Oh, won't you sit down? Thank you. Uh, I was so upset at seeing Grandpa with that saw. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name. Miss Lindsay. Oh, Mrs. Dobson, I'd be awfully interested in knowing exactly what you have against this club. Well, I have nothing against the club. It's very nice, I suppose, but it's just that it's not for Grandpa. It's for homeless people and people like that. Oh, this club was intended for lonely people. But Grandpa's not alone. My husband and I are very fond of him. It's possible for a man like Mr. Barrett to be lonely, even among people who love him. And we will get him one of those saws if that's what he wants. Oh, there's no need for him to go to strangers for things his own family can provide. If he likes to keep busy with little tasks like that, I'll let him mind the baby sometimes. Oh, I guess I have coddled him too much, just because he's such a great responsibility. I hope you don't think I'm rude, Mrs. Dobson, but I can't help feeding that you are making too much of the responsibility of Mr. Barrett. But he's so old, does everything have to stop simply because of that? Remember, he's led a very active life. It's difficult for him to sit around and do nothing. Besides, he needs companions of people who are of the same age. Yes, I suppose that's true. You see, one of the advantages of this club is that it gives old people a place where they have a status. Most of our members feel that they really belong here. Won't you let Grandpa Barrett stay with us? Well, I don't know. Oh, he'd think we were trying to get rid of him. Oh, no, he wouldn't. And you needn't feel guilty because you can't relieve grandpa's loneliness. My dear, it's only because you're not 80 years old that you can't understand. What are you going to tell him? I guess it'll be all right. Good. Come in, Mr. Barrett. Well, I... I'm already madge. That is, if you're still going to make me go home. You'd rather stay, wouldn't you, Grandpa? Well, madge, making me sit around on a cushion and treating me like I was a piece of china or something, it's going to hurry me into my grave. I know it will. But here, I can do things. Here, I've got friends. All right. All right. That's plain enough. You can stay. Can I really? Yippee, wait till I tell Jake. Maybe next year I'll take up painting. Grandpa Barrett and Jake Fields were lucky because they happened to live in a city which supported a community center for the agent. There, they were able to defeat the feelings of loneliness and rejection, which might have led to quick deterioration and a possible mental collapse. But not all of our old folks are so fortunate. Far too many of them are left to their own devices. Is it right to neglect them? Look around your community and decide what ought to be done. Remember, the old folks enjoy socializing just as much as the young ones do. Nobody likes to be lonely. You have just heard Ralph Bellamy as narrator in The Old Folks at Home, a presentation of the National Mental Health Foundation and other organizations dedicated to the preservation of mental health.