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This left a sum of money available for new clubs which might
qualify for grant, but by the end of the calendar year no further
applications had been made.
It is hoped that such old people's organisations as can will not
only provide the usual afternoon's recreation with a little tea, but will
also make arrangements to provide lunch either on the day the club
meets or another day. To this end the Lewisham Old People's Welfare
Association is prepared to cooperate by conveying the meals in bulk
from the central kitchen, where they are obtained, to the luncheon club.
The health department during the year continued to take a detailed
interest in the work for old people generally and remained in the closest
touch with the Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association (LOPWA),
which Association has offices in the department. LOPWA is, so far as
the borough council's work for old people's welfare is concerned, the
main body in the area and has affiliated to it the various other bodies to
which the Council makes grant. LOPWA is responsible for the
Meals-on-Wheels service to housebound old people.
The laundry service carried out by the borough council for the
small number of old people living at home whose infirmity is such as to
make them incontinent of urine or faeces was continued and expanded
during the year, nearly 27,000 articles being cleansed. The service was
highly appreciated ; it can only be used, however, where section 122 of
the Public Health (London) Act applies. I have reported in each of the
last two years that I have been in touch with the regional hospital
board and the local group hospital management committee to find out
if it were possible to help early cases of incontinence by admission to
hospital for rehabilitation. For this purpose it would be desirable to
set up a geriatric unit in a local hospital, but I regret to say that no
progress has been made in this direction.