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geriatric services was satisfied by the decision of the Council to
appoint the Consultant Geriatrician at the Greenwich District Hospital
(St. Alfege's Wing) as its geriatric adviser on its own services
for the elderly. This appointment has led to a situation where each
elderly person now receives appropriate care from the appropriate
authority.
Geriatric Units
Since 1st April, 1965, close links with the Geriatric Units in the
Borough have been further strengthened and regular discussions at
the St. Alfege's Hospital Staff Meetings give rise to greater understanding
of common problems.
Holiday Relief for Relatives
Many families provide full-time care for seriously infirm elderly
relatives and well deserve any possible support in this task. The
Council therefore decided to give increased publicity to its scheme
for providing temporary accommodation for such old people, in
order to enable their relatives to take a holiday. A total of 62
elderly people were admitted to the Old People's Homes under this
scheme, generally for a period of two weeks.
With the aid of voluntary helpers from many organisations, a
number of elderly people were enabled to enjoy a fortnight's holiday
at Little Oyster Holiday Camp in the Isle of Sheppey during
August or September. This was a substitution for the Council's
Avery Hill Holiday Scheme previously organised and operated by
the Department's Public Health Officers for selected categories of
aged persons.
Nutritional Supplements
A scheme is in operation throughout the Borough for the sale
to bona fide retirement pensioners, at preferential rates, of various
nutritional commodities.
Distribution is effected mainly via Old People's Clubs, which
make regular purchases of foods such as Ovaltine, Marmite,
Horlicks, Bovril, Ribena, Complan and Supro for resale to their
members at a discount price. Sales are also made from the
W.R.V.S. Offices at Woolwich, Citizens' Advice Bureau at Eltham,
the Burney Street Welfare Centre at Greenwich and certain Lunch
Clubs.
Supplies are restricted to persons of pensionable age and only in
sufficient quantities considered reasonable for that person's own
consumption. For this purpose, the old person is issued with a