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Visiting Comnittee has got into its stride with the result that
many more oldpeople have been'discovered' and registered through
the lists sent in by the various organisations in the borough.
We have come to realise, to our dismay, how many old people are
unknown to us - how many live out their lives alone,without kith
or kin, often without friends; some too shy or even too proud to
seek companionship; some too handicapped to leave their solitary
homes. For this last group the Friday outing has been expanded
to bring in 32 housebound old people each week, and this has
been achieved only through the close co-operation of the W.V.S.
to whose helpers we offer sincere thanks.
MEALS SERVICE
Restaurant To look in at the restaurant at St. Alban's Hall
any day of the week makes one realise how worthwhile this service
is and what a great need it fills. The hall is set out with
tables for four people and it is already full by 12.15 for the
first service. The menu is well thought out and varied from day
to day, to include some of the old-fashioned boiled puddings
which the old people enjoy but which they would have difficulty
in preparing for themselves. One feels that if this is their
only substantial meal of the day, they are well set up, and for
the very reasonable charge of 1/-. A second service follows,
then the cup of tea (for 1d.) without which, for the old people,
no meal would be complete. It is small wonder that so many take
advantage of our service and that one sees so many new faces.
There is normally a drop during a spell of very bad weather when
the more frail hesitate to risk frozen or sticky pavements and
crossing dangerous roads; there is also a drop during periods of
group holidays, but in other weeks there is an average of 180
daily in the restaurant.
Meals-on-Wheels Watching the vans being loaded with meals
to take out to the sick and permanently housebound, one wonders
how all such people fared in that other age before Meals-onWheels
were thought of. The demands on our service increase
every week, and are especially heavy during the winter months
when there is a greater incidence of illness among the elderly.
Most of our vans are over-loaded, yet how can one reject an
appeal for a dinner for an old lady of 88 who has just been
discharged from hospital, still far from well and unable to cope
with pots and pans. A regular check is necessary to ensure that
the service is still needed, whether an old gentleman could not
get himself as far as St. Alban's Hall or the nearest luncheon
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