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62
The Geriatricians of the South Western and St. Francis
Hospitals continued to help the Association by taking into their
hospital infirm old people for short periods so that their relations
may have a much needed holiday secure in the knowledge
that their old folk were being well cared for.
King George VI Memorial Club
This club for the homebound elderly, which is run jointly
with Camberwell Old People's Welfare Association is now entering
its fourth year. 382 members belonged to the club during the year,
and 311 were still on the register at the end of the year. 57 of
these being people who had first joined the club in its first
weeks in 1957. Some of them have made quite startling improvements
in general health in the intervening years.
During the year there were 193 applications for membership
and a formal waiting list had to be establ ished. The usual waiting
period is about six months, but priority is given to those who
appear particularly urgently in need of the club's services. 107
members joined during the year and 114 names were removed from
the register, the majority by reason of the death of the member.
Altogether the 382 members made 11,139 attendances between them
at an average cost of 8s.9d.
The members normally attend once a week, being fetched and
taken home by the club's own ambulances. The club aims to provide
as many auxiliary services as possible in order to make the fullest
use of the transport, which accounts for about two fifths of the
total running costs. These services include a hot midday meal,
bathing, chiropody, shopping and hairdressing; some of them are
limited by the amount of voluntary help available to staff themThrough
its Adult Education Service, the London County Council
provides a daily teacher for handwork classes which have always
been a feature of the club's programme. Until this year the hand
work classes were staffed by voluntary helpers* having a skilled
instructor to organise the classes has been a great step forwardOther
activities include summer outings, parties at Christmas and
for the members birthdays the latter being collective affairs
held once a month for each club day. Similarly each club day has
a monthly concert or other entertainment.