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dreadful to see, and to a physical and mental decay and disintegration
which leads to the rapid onset of a really senile state, when all selfrespect
is lost. Old people then become careless about themselves;
they neglect their personal appearance and make no attempt to take
proper meals, and mentally then soon become hostile and suspicious.
Loneliness, one of the greatest curses of our social life, cannot
be tackled by legislation. No act of Parliament can deal with this
evil - it is a curse which can only be eradicated by society itself,
Old people should not be treated as a separate section of the community,
a section of no further use. Old people should be assisted to
maintain their place in the community and be helped to continue to
take their share in the responsibilities and in the enjoyment of the
privileges which are an essential feature of remaining an active
member of the community.
This then is the aim of the Southwark Old People's Welfare
Committee to enable as many old people as possible to continue to live
happy and independent lives in their own homes for as long as possible.
This year has been one of progress. On the 30th June we moved into
our new Headquarters at St. Alban's Hall where we have very much more
room to expand and a much larger restaurant with seating capacity for
136. With an increase in the expectation of life seems to have come an
increase in the youthful activity of the elderly and at St. Alban's
Hall we have plenty of opportunities of satisfying these demands.
Classes are held each week in handcrafts - leather work, rugmaking,
dressmaking - also Old Time Dancing. A choir has been formed and great
progress has already been made in this direction. Many lonely old men
and women have found that life has begun afresh for them. Mixing again
in society, having papers to read and discuss, and games to play,
encourage old people to remain active mentally as well as physically.
During the past year many old people have come to us for help.
They bring with them a variety of problems, often complicated, needing
tactful investigation and involving family relationships, but with
much patience and careful thought a solution is usually found. The old
people are happy to trust us, confident that we shall do everything
possible to overcome their difficulties. In many cases, where an old
person is senile or very infirm, we act as agents to draw their
pension, pay their rent and do their shopping. It is no easy task to
plan a budget covering necessary expenditure-with a small margin for
personal allowance - when there is only the old age pension.
Visiting
The regular, expected visit makes a big difference to many a
lonely homebound old person, for there are many who never see a new