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19
Finsbury Old People's Welfare Committee
The work of the voluntary organisations is co-ordinated as far as
possible by the Finsbury Old People's Welfare Committee which consists
of representatives of most of the bodies who are concerned with the
elderly and of which I am privileged to be Hon. Secretary. It operates,
therefore, in close association with the services provided by the
Council and has received from the latter financial grants each year.
Apart from the co ordination of other voluntary bodies it has under
its aegis inaugurated the following services.
(i) Domiciliary Chiropody Service:
This service is provided free of charge for those aged persons who are
unable by reason of senility chronic sickness etc to attend personally
the Foot Clinic at the Health Centre and has proved of great benefit
to the elderly.
346 visits were paid during 1958. The ages of the persons visited
ranged, from 63 to 92 years.
This service has proved well justified in so far as it has enabled
the aged and infirm to get about at home in reasonable comfort and do
things for themselves and so retain the independence essential to their
mental and physical well being.
It is also of interest to record that as in previous years
numerous voluntary donations of small amounts were received from aged
persons receiving domiciliary chriopody service as an expression of
their appreciation of the service provided and the benefits secured.
(ii) Mending Scheme for the Aged
This Scheme provides in association with the Finsbury Employment
Scheme for the Elderly a Mending Service for the aged. There is a
definite need for this service which effects repairs to such items of
clothing as socks underclothes, etc. and is particularly useful in
respect of the male aged living alone. Substantial use was made of the
Scheme during the year. There is no charge to the aged.
(iii) The Wireless for the Bedridden Society
The Committee continued to act as Sponsor in respect of applications
received from bedridden or housebound Finsbury aged persons desiring
wireless facilities provided by the above Society.