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OLD PEOPLE'S WELFARE
Only 20 new cases were reported to the Department during 1959 and in
no case was it necessary to use compulsory powers of admission to a home or
hospital.
There is little doubt that the lower number of complaints for the second
year in succession is largely due to the increased amount of home visiting
carried out by the staff of the Old People's Welfare Council.
The Secretary of the Old People's Welfare Council reports that over
7,600 visits were made during the year. These were needed by the increase
in the number of old people becoming housebound during winter months. Parallel
with this has been an increase of calls at the office which amounted to 3,462.
Domiciliary visits, besides being a great help and comfort to the people concerned
are also a means of advice on home safety, and special attention was
paid during the winter to potential dangers from oil heaters and advice given
to very many old people.
The various kinds of assistance offered or organised by the Old People's
Welfare Council include the distribution of gifts of coal paid for by the Hornsey
parochial charities and by residents of the Borough. Seven hundred Christmas
parcels bought from voluntary donations were distributed at Christmas time
and four hundred old people received gifts of harvest fruit and groceries given
by the school children of Hornsey. Hobbies are catered for by the provision
of bulbs and plants to old folk who are interested, and in addition nine elderly
people were provided with budgerigars and cages.
Old people willing to carry on some form of part-time work in being
helped were able to help others, as fifty elderly sick were given help in the
home by other old people, who although unable to do heavy housework were able
to carry out many household duties for a small payment.
Sixty-three retired active gentlemen were found jobs of various kinds,
such as light clerical work, gardening, hairdressing of housebound people,
cleaning, minor home repairs and decorating. There is, in addition, a home
employment scheme for the elderly. During 1959 there were twenty-five
elderly people on the register who made articles for sale from materials which
were in the main given by Hornsey tradesmen and residents. Half the selling
price of the article is given to the maker and the other goes towards the various
costs of administering the scheme. The money earned is very useful, but the
most important part is the feeling of well-being caused by doing something of
value. Knitting, sewing, embroidery and jewellery making were some of the
crafts practised. Although this scheme is in its early days it promises well
for the future and is something of which the Old People's Welfare Council is
rightly proud.
Holidays and outings were not forgotten and for the first time a party
of old people were entertained at Clacton over the Christmas holiday. Two
weeks holiday at Westcliff and Margate were enjoyed by 228 people at a nominal
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