Why on earth would we want to make them 'have something to do'? My god, if I were given a generous dole (as we most certainly should give to the disabled), I wouldn't have any trouble filling each day with activities more salubrious than the humiliation of paid employment.
They should all be given a few hours of physical therapy and enjoyable 'classes' - like fingerpainting and whatnot - on the public dime rather than being sent to toil among dirty laundry. Such jobs should be given to the ablebodied at unionized rates (and only with the implementation of a humane 20 hour work-week).
I live with a disabled person who is physically unable to work. It drives her insane.
There's a fine line between empathy for the disabled and plain old patronizing condescension.
When I say "they don't want to sit around all day", I speak from personal experience with disabled people... not from the able bodied 'plenty to do' perspective.
These jobs are designed for disabled people... they have extra supervision and are generally menial, repetitive work for the mentally disabled... or work that is customized to deal with physical handicaps.
Like I said, they should be paid more. But the government should pick up the cost. My sister's fiance's brother has Down Syndrome and works at the "Occupational Development Center" which is for people with disabilities that contracts out to other companies for work. For example, right now, they are producing parts for an ATV company. The less handicapped workers are learning valuable skills in welding and other parts of the assembly process while also having their specific situations tailored to... something that wouldn't happen if they were just working for the ATV company itself.
The brother cannot do welding because it would present too much of a hazard to him... so his work is more menial. But ask him once if he likes his job. He loves it. He loves every minute of it. And the money he earns pretty much goes to video games and movies. His father receives the disability money and cares for him even though he is 34 years old.
It's perhaps not ideal... but it's closer now than it ever has been before (just locking them up and letting them be bored all the time)