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homeless families and a Main Unit caters for the more intractable
cases.
At 2 Centres and several voluntarily supported clubs, social
rehabilitation of persons with differing physical handicaps is promoted
by tuition, training and the introduction of pastime activities.
Blind people are offered a service of Braille and "talking" books
obtained from the National Library for the Blind and allied
organisations, and sheltered employment is provided at the
Greenwich Workshops for the Blind where mattresses, baskets and
"fend-offs" are manufactured. Substantial assistance is given to
the severely mentally handicapped child by the Borough's modern,
specially designed "Junior Centre" and older persons in this
category are encouraged to become self-supporting at the Council's
3 Industrial Training Centres. A recently opened Hostel caters for
the long and short term care of 25 subnormal girls and boys
between the ages of 3 and 16 years.
Sixty-five "Old People's Clubs", each of which receives a little
financial assistance from the Council, cater for the elderly residents
of the Borough and, in seven instances, Council premises are made
available free of charge. In addition to the eighteen luncheon
clubs, which are responsible for dispensing almost 275,000 meals
a year, and the supplying of meals to three other establishments,
viz. two for handicapped and one for elderly homebound, there is
an effective "Meals-on-Wheels" service. Daily deliveries are made
to over 735 homebound persons and the number of meals provided
is at the rate of 188,200 annually. Plans are being finalised for the
introduction, early in 1971, of a "week-end" meals service catering
for approximately 60 to 100 persons, a scheme which will bring to
½ million the total number of meals being supplied by this department's
services during the year. A Day Club for the homebound
and 4 Day Rooms have been founded to ameliorate still further
the lot of the retired person.
More recently, realizing the substantial benefits accruing to the
aged from a satisfying holiday, the Council purchased two firstclass
hotels at Westgate-on-Sea for the exclusive use of its elderly
residents and holidays have now been made available to them
throughout the year at nominal cost.
In suitable cases, arrangements are made for the elderly to be
bathed either in their own homes or at the Council's Bathing
Centres and a special "incontinent laundry" service has been
introduced for the cleansing of soiled bed linen and clothing of the
bedridden.
By appointing a Geriatric Advisor, the Council has demonstrated
its fervent support of "preventive medicine" and, furthermore, has