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93
REPORT OF THE CHIEF WELFARE OFFICER
This is the fifth report on the work of the Welfare Service in
the London Borough of Bromley.
Residential Care
Throughout the year work continued on the construction of
the new residential home, Belle Grove, Mickleham Road, St. Paul's
Cray. It was hoped that it would have been completed and handed
over during the year under review, but due to a delay with the
Contractors, it is now expected to open early in 1970.
The acommodation available for permanent residents in the
eight homes remained, therefore, at 394.
Throughout the year the waiting list for residential accommodation
has remained at approximately 140, and the number awaiting
admission from hospital has not been less than 30 at any one time.
The total number of long-term admissions during 1969 was
105, of whom 42 or 40% were admitted direct from hospital.
The number of residents in voluntary homes throughout the
country at the 31st December, 1969, for whom the Council has
accepted financial responsibility was 242.
Short-Term Care
136 people were provided with short-term care in the Homes
during the year and of this number, 43 were people who lived
alone.
Community Care
Meals-on-Wheels—152,000 meals were provided by the Women's
Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross and the Old
People's Welfare Committees. The Council supports the meals
service by providing a subsidy of 1/- (l/2d. as from December, 1969)
for each meal provided.
Day Centres—During the year, work commenced on the purposebuilt
day centre at Masons Hill, Bromley, which will provide
facilities for up to 150 clients as well as supplying 60 meals per
day for the Meals-on-Wheels service. The centre will be completed
in 1971. This centre will supplement the day centre facilities now
provided at Beckenham, West Wickham, Orpington, Bromley and
Mottingham by the Old People's Welfare Committees.
The booklet jointly produced by the department and the Old
People's Welfare Joint Committee "Services for the Elderly" was
reprinted and widely distributed throughout the Borough. It contains
information of all services available in the Borough provided
by the statutory and voluntary organisations.