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DOMICILIARY WELFARE SERVICES FOR ALL CLASSES
OF HANDICAPPED AND ELDERLY PERSONS
Sections 29 and 30 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, empower the Council
to make arrangements both directlyand in conjunction with voluntary agencies for promoting
the welfare of persons who are blind, deaf or dumb and other persons who are substantially
and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such other disabilities
as may be prescribed by the Minister. The Council are also required to maintain
separate registers of (a) the blind, (b) the partially sighted, (c) the deaf and hard of hearing
and (d) those with other disabilities, In addition, by virtue of Section 31 of the above Act,
the Council have a duty to promote the welfare of the aged. Such services as are required
may be provided directly or in conjunction with voluntary agencies.
The following table shows the number of persons on the registers at the 31st
December, 1965. It should be noted that all registersare recording an increase, particularly
that for the elderly where the review is continuing.
Blind 407
Partially sighted 113
Physically handicapped 482
Deaf/Hard of hearing 20
Elderly persons 935
The services for all classes of handicapped and elderly people are based upon
home visiting by social welfare officers supplemented by'community care' in daytime social
and rehabilitation centres which are provided by the Council and byvoluntary organisations.
The social welfare officers ensure that day-to-day needs are being adequately met and that
the home circumstances are satisfactory. To this end, a wide variety of services is made
available, which includes the teaching of Braille and Moon type to blind people, handicraft
instruction, the provision of aids and appliances and adaptations in the home to help surmount
the effect of disabilities, holidays, home chiropody treatment, meals-on-wheels,
mobile library service and a laundry service in certain cases of chronic illness.
During the period 1st April, 1965 to 31st December, 1965, 11,509 initial and
follow-up home visits were made in connection with the above services and in respect of
applications for admission to homes, voluntary visitors, cluband centre membership and home
help service. In addition, 1,002 persons were interviewed at Head Office in connection
with the services.

It will be of interest to note that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Old People's Welfare Committee made the following grants from its funds:-