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This procedure involves the department in an average of about five to ten visits a week and a
monthly case conference with the staff of the Housing Department. Really urgent cases can be
dealt with by telephone, and it is hoped that a fair distribution is achieved.
Table below shows statistical data:—
Applications received 502
Applications supported 164
MEALS SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY
A Working Party was set up following a report on this subject by the Medical Officer of
Health to the Social Services (and Children's) Committee in September 1969. In that report the
importance of an adequate diet for the elderly was pointed out. Many aged persons, especially if
living alone, are known to avoid the expense and trouble of cooking and soon come to live on a
simple diet which involves no cooking nor extensive shopping. They avoid fresh meat and fish,
fresh vegetables and fruit and live to a large extent on bread, jam and tinned or ready cooked
items. In many cases this type of diet provides sufficient calories for the persons'requirements but
it can be deficient in essential factors such as vitamins, salts, roughage, etc. as past surveys of diets
have shown. Preventable illness, with early breakdown and need for admission to old people's
homes or hospital, is often the result.
The meals-on-wheels service and luncheon clubs were introduced to overcome this unsatisfactory
state of affairs, the meals-on-wheels service providing a properly balanced hot meal,
delivered to the home of housebound elderly, whilst luncheon clubs provide a similar meal
together with social opportunities, for the ambulant elderly. The danger of contamination of bulk
food supplies was also pointed out in the report, especially in relation to the elderly. The highest
standards of food hygiene would therefore be necessary at all stages of preparation, handling and
distribution of meals for the elderly. Kitchens would have to be properly designed and constructed
and adequately equipped and kitchen and other staff would have to be trained in the essentials of
hygienic food handling.
Four meetings of the Working Party were held and a report was submitted to and accepted
by the Social Services (and Children's) Committee in January 1970, (see Appendix), and in due
course by the Council. The Working Party looked into the possibility of producing and delivering
meals at the weekends when it was known that some old people were completely alone, but no
definite recommendation could be made. The work of the Home Helps in this respect was noted
and the project by Bexley Unit of Service by Youth would be watched with interest.
The Working Party in recommending a trebling of the service in the first year advised that
this should be done selectively in view of the unequal supply position of the existing service. The
following distribution was suggested:—
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