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57
services. Co-operation between the various bodies in this respect
is satisfactory and there are few cases brought to our notice that
fail to receive adequate and appropriate help.
Nevertheless, despite the admirable co-operation between all
concerned with the elderly, it seems that the time may be opportune
to form an Old People's Welfare Committee in Greenwich where the
voluntary organisations and the Local Authority would be represented
at member and officer level. In this way all available
information could be pooled and the local services co-ordinated. A
much clearer picture could then be obtained of the precise needs of
the old people.
In our experience and considering the size of this Borough,
facilities for the healthy old people are adequate; there are several
"Darby & Joan" Clubs and an Old Age Pensioners' Association
which provide company and recreation for the old folk. No active
old person need be lonely in Greenwich; it is the infirm and homebound
person who presents the problem. In such cases there is
loneliness and a feeling of being a burden on younger relatives.
To combat this a certain amount of voluntary visiting is being
done, but perhaps it does not entirely cover the need. In this
connection, the Home Help Service of the Local Health Authority
and the "Meals on Wheels" scheme operated by the Red Cross
play an important part. Some scheme for the provision of annual
holidays for such people would also be a progressive step.
The greatest problem, of course, is the provision of hospital
and institution beds for the chronic sick ; although it must be stated
that in Greenwich we can usually obtain beds with little delay and
the need, although continuous, is not clamant in this Borough.
The newly formed geriatric unit in St. Alfege's Hospital seems
to be functioning smoothly; the treatment and subsequent rehabilitation
of the elderly chronic sick have been systematized and no
call from this Department to St. Alfege's for assistance has gone
unanswered for long. We are grateful for the help they give us.
Housing of the aged is another matter which requires careful
study and formulation of a definite local policy. Thus it can be
seeen that there are many services available to the elderly and many
suggestions for expansion to be considered and it seems that the
local organisations adequately co-ordinated by the occasional
meetings of an Old People's Welfare Committee, could study the
requirements of the old people in the Borough and make recommendations
to the appropriate statutory authorities as well as
perhaps organising services on its own account.