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The majority of them (1,343) live alone and some require constant observation. During the year
3,058 visits were made to 850 old people of whom 125 were married couples. In addition 50 visits
were made by the two women public health inspectors to six infirm persons other than old age
pensioners.
Special Laundry Service.—The Department continued to operate the service, begun in 1950, for
laundering bed linen and clothing of acutely ill and incontinent or very dirty and verminous old people.
During the year, 51 cases were dealt with, some over long periods, others for a short while only. Forty
of these were new cases and each was the subject of a certificate given by the Medical Officer of Health
under the provisions of section 122 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936. The work is done by
the staff of the Department's laundry at 217, Lisson Grove, N.W.8.
Bathing.—Under the provisions of section 43 of the London County Council (General Powers)
Act, 1953, sanitary authorities are empowered to make arrangements for bathing old people at their
own request or with their consent. During the year a total of 570 baths were given, 402 to women and
168 to men, under the scheme started in 1954 for bathing old persons at the Lisson Grove Centre.
A trained nurse is employed part-time, under the general direction of a woman public health
inspector, to supervise the bathing and accompany the old people on the journeys in a Public Health
Department vehicle between their homes and the Centre.
The St. Marylebone Old People's Welfare Association, acting voluntarily and in close co-operation
with the Department, continued to give invaluable service to the elderly. Some of the more important
activities are mentioned in the extract from their Annual Report reproduced below. The London
County Council's domestic help service and Department for the Handicapped, together with the
District Nurses, British Red Cross Society, W.V.S., and other voluntary societies, likewise were of
great assistance.
Services available for old people are summarised on pages 39 and 40.
St. Marylebone Old People's Welfare Association.
The Executive Committee of the Association (Chairman—Mrs. L. H. Fewster; Hon. Secretary—
Mrs. K. M. Cowan, Room 103, Town Hall, St. Marylebone, W.l) has kindly provided the following
information, which has been extracted from the Association's Annual Report, on work carried out
during 1962 :—
" Grants.—Owing to rising costs for all seaside accommodation and a larger number of people
being assisted to have holidays the special grant from the Borough Council of £450 had not covered
the 1961 expenditure. The Association therefore requested a grant of £600 for holidays for the
1962 season. This was generously agreed by the Council.
The L.C.C. Welfare Department announced that from 2nd July the Council's contribution towards
old people's meals would be Is. Id., instead of lid. for meals costing up to 2s. 2d. The cost of
each meal would now be 2s. instead of Is. lOd. and the Association Executive decided that the
amount contributed by old people should remain at lid. The outcome was a pleasing improvement
in the variety of the meals, which were provided as hitherto from the canteen of Messrs. Spencer,
Turner and Boldero in Lisson Grove. The grant for meals was paid as before through the Borough
Council.
L.C.C. grants continued for chiropody (paid to the Association). Following an award of the
Industrial Court, agreement had been reached by the L.C.C. to pay chiropodists from 1st April at
the rate of 12s. 6d. per patient for domiciliary treatments. The Association Executive agreed that
an application for increased grant to meet these higher fees should accordingly be made to the
L.C.C.
General.—In March £200 was withdrawn from the Portman Building Society for relief and general
work, apart from the grant-aided services.
Donations.—Warm thanks are expressed for donations totalling £164. It would indeed be difficult
to carry on our work were it not for the generosity of friends who help with gifts in money and in
kind. In order to expand our work in future we should warmly welcome a wider circle of interest.
Old People's Consultative Committee.—The last Report referred to the preliminary consultation
between representatives of the Borough Council and of the Association, which led to an informal
survey undertaken by the Association on the extent of housing hardship among the elderly in the
Borough. Consultations continued in what was now called the Old People's Consultative Committee,
which should prove to be an increasingly useful body. The functions of the Committee are
informal, solely advisory and without any commitment on the part of the Council. As representatives
of the Association, Miss Lumby, the Secretary and Mr. fi. Hamer were joined by Mr. J. A.
Johnson when the Committee met again in April. The meeting discussed a memorandum from the