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184
Publicity
It was found that many old people had little or no knowledge
of the local services available to them. To help remedy this situation
16,000 copies of a booklet specially prepared as a guide to
the services available to elderly people have been distributed. In
addition, the Department issued a comprehensive guide to the
Health and Welfare Services to all local general practitioners,
hospitals, statutory and voluntary organisations and to all workers
in the health, welfare and social fields. Revision of the Guide has
been delayed on several occasions pending clarification of the
likely effects of recent legislation on the Department's integrated
structure.
Recreation Facilities for the Elderly
All the recreational facilities established under the former administration
have now become the responsibility of the Directorate
of Social Services which is gradually assuming control as and when
reorganisation becomes effective and practical, having due regard
to staffing difficulties.
Library Services
The Council's Library Service to Old People's Homes is extensive
and collections of books are changed regularly.
A mobile library, operating from Monday to Friday, caters for
elderly residents who are unable to make the journey to and from
branches of the Council's public library.
Arrangements have been made for friends, relatives and Home
Helps to borrow books on behalf of homebound persons who cannot
visit the libraries themselves. Homebound readers who have
no one to help them in this way are encouraged to contact the
Hospital Librarian at Greenwich Library who endeavours to
arrange a delivery service..
Voluntary groups in the area are prepared to collect and deliver
library books to homebound elderly persons under a special
extended loan scheme.
In Greenwich there is available at each branch library a collec­
tion of books in specially large type to meet the needs of elderly
persons with failing sight.