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In this connection the Council decided to exercise
the powers of Section 31 of the National Assistance Act,
1948, to make contributions to voluntary bodies in respect
of the provision of recreation for old people.
During the year grants were made as follows
(a) St. Luke's Darby and Joan Club, Ifield Road, were
granted £20 to purchase oil stoves, etc. for
heating their premises.
(b) The Seventh Feathers Club were granted £5 towards
the cost of gramophone records.
(c) The North Kensington Old Age Pensioners' Club were
granted £10 for canteen equipment.
Holidays. The Council approved a scheme for providing
holidays for old people, in co-operation with the Family
Welfare Association. Applications are made direct to the
Medical Officer of Health, who arranges for the investigation
of the applicant's circumstances. An assessment is made, in
accordance with an approved scale, of the contribution
towards the holiday expenses, which the old person is asked
to make. Each case recommended is submitted to the Chairman
of the Public Health Committee for approval. It is then
referred to the Family Welfare Association who arrange for
the holiday, as far as possible meeting the applicant's wishes
and needs. The Council make themselves responsible for the
expenses, subject to collection of the old person's
contribution by the Family Welfare Association.
During the year, sixty-six old persons were sent away
for holidays of one or two weeks. The total cost to the
Council amounted to £256.0s.Od. Altogether eighty-one cases
were accepted under the scheme, but in thirteen of the cases
the old people concerned cancelled the arrangements after
the booking had been made, due it was thought to the fear of
travelling alone. To overcome this, arrangements were made
with the Women's Voluntary Services for all necessitous cases
to be escorted to and from the station at each end of the
journey.
Cleansing. Arrangements have been made whereby old
people, their living accommodation and household articles
are cleansed and, if necessary, disinfested. The Regional
Hospital Boards, the London County Council and the Kensington
Council of Social Service co-operate by providing temporary
accommodation, where necessary, while old people's belongings
are being dealt with at the disinfecting station. Thirty-six
old people were dealt with in 1951. Two of these cases were
rehoused whilst their rooms were disinfested and redecorated.
In the other cases rehousing was not necessary, as the old
people had more than one room and were able to manage whilst
their rooms were dealt with separately.
Institutional Care, etc. Facilities for institutional
care, hospital treatment, medical care, nursing care, ophthalmic,
dental and pharmaceutical services, sick room equipment,
convalescent holidays, financial aid and pensions are dealt
with by the responsible official organisations. These and the
various services provided by the Council are in many instances
made available to old persons through the intervention of the
Women Health Officers who act as liaison officers in this respect.
During the year it was possible to arrange for sixty-two
old people to be admitted to hospital for institutional
treatment and, in addition, thirty-five cases were admitted
to homes for the aged.