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194
Avery Hill Holiday Scheme and their relatives afforded a much
needed break.
As in previous years, guests for the scheme were selected for the
following reasons :—
1. In order to allow dependants' relations to have a holiday.
2. Those living alone and room-bound.
3. Those suffering from a disability which precluded them from
taking a holiday at the Greenwich Hotel at Westgate.
On Saturday, 8th August, 61 guests whose average age was 78,
ranging from 69 to 96 years, were assembled at Avery Hill. Their
main disabilities were as listed below but several had additional
problems such as partial sight, extreme deafness, aphasia, frailty
and hemiplegia :—
Crippling Arthritis 13
Cardiacs 7
Post Strokes 4
Emphysema
(oxygen cylinder) 1
Parkinson s Disease 3
Post-fractured Hips 3
Diabetics 3
Hypertension and
Confusion 6
Four were wheelchair bound and 6 could only walk with Zimmer
aids. Almost all required medication of some kind and this was
supervised by the Public Health Officers and the Nursing Staff
engaged for the duration of the holiday.
In accordance with these arrangements, use was made of the
College students' ground floor single rooms to provide our 61
homebound old people with very comfortable quarters as well as
day and night nursing assistance and care. The holiday stay included
a full recreational programme and the department's special
transport conveyed the elderly to and from their homes and to the
social outings arranged during the fortnight.
For the first time ever, the services of qualified nurses and a
professional compere were sought, a move which proved to be
highly satisfactory. A completely successful holiday would not
have been achieved without the invaluable voluntary assistance
given by 20 members of St. John Ambulance Brigade, 11 from Task
Force, a B.R.C.S. officer and 6 individual adults.
Besides the usual official visitors and observers some 200 guest
visitors were met and entertained during the fortnight.
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.