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ELDERLY PERSONS:
The Council has continued its very active concern and support
during 1963 in connection with all schemes designed to assist in the
case of the ageing, towards their better health and to enable them to
enjoy their later years.
Some of these Schemes have been established as part of the Council's
general health services, and others have been encouraged and developed
by means of generous grants to voluntary organisations responsible for
them, amounting in all to £11,190 during the financial year 1962/63.
The work of these organisations has been co-ordinated as far as
possible by the Finsbury Old People's Welfare Committee, consisting of
representatives of most of them and of the Health Committee, and of
which I have been privileged to be Honorary Secretary. It has operated
therefore in very close association with the Services provided by the
Council and has received from it financial grants towards its expenses.
In addition to co-ordination it has also undertaken responsibility for
the services indicated with the initials F.O.P.W.C. in brackets below.
(a) Visitors: A Nurse Visitor and Assistant Nurse Visitor have been
employed whose duties involve the regular visiting of aged persons,
particularly those living alone, who arc likely to be in need of care
and attention
The main duties of the staff of the Finsbury Old People's Welfare
Committee are to aid all the aged to obtain such benefits as might be
available from any source, and to give personal help, comfort and
friendship wherever possible In this and other ways information has
become available as to most of the elderly in need, but occasionally
othersare found whom had they been known earlier might have bee n
helped. The staff consists of a Social Worker and two Assistant
Social Workers
(b) Meal Services (i) club Meals: Many of the elderly, particularly
those who live alone, are apt to take insufficient food, not only
because of expense but also because of the difficulty and trouble
involved in preparing a satisfactory meal for one. Dinner services,
therefore, have been instituted through voluntary associations throughout
the Borough. A grant is given to the associations by the Council
to cover their expenses and further grants are made by the Finsbury
Borough council and Finsbury Old People's Welfare Committee to enable
the meals to be supplied at a cost of elevenpence per head to the
elderly. During 1963 21,840 meals were served from Meal Centres, as
against 20,608 in 1962.
The following centres were in operation for 3 to 3 days weekly
throughout the year:
(i) Women's Voluntary service, 68 Exmouth Market, E.C.1.
(ii) Field Lane Community Centre, Cubitt St, E.C.1, in connection
with Field Lane Institution, 16 Vine Hill, S.C.1.
32.