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The names and addresses of these Officers have been
displayed in Public Libraries and this has proved of great
value in being the means of co-ordinating the voluntary and
statutory services in the area, able to deal with old peoples'
personal difficulties.
The National Old Peoples Welfare Committee had been
asked to approach the Postmaster General for permission to
display the names and addresses of these Officers in Post
Offices. After discussing the question, the National Old
People's Welfare Committee were of the opinion that it would
be more useful if the names and addresses of Secretaries of
Old People's Welfare Committees were displayed in this way,
and agreed to approach the Postmaster General for the
necessary permission-
There are many old people who are very lonely and
appreciate a visitor calling upon them, but there are also
many who do not wish to be visited. They do, however, all
appreciate knowing where to apply for help when it is
needed.
Many and varied are the tasks that have been carried
out by the Liaison Officers and Visitors who are also members
of the Committee, such as regular bathing and bed
making for infirm patients, securing domestic help, chiropody,
"Meals on Wheels" services, conveying non-ambulant old
people by wheel chair to social functions, distributing clothing,
letter writing and assisting them with their financial
problems.
Two of the visitors have on occasions performed the last
offices at death.
A case was brought to the notice of the Public Health
Department of an old lady aged 86 years and her son aged
60 years, who had allowed their home to become extremely
dirty and neglected. Their plight was only discovered when
the son, who had previously been in regular work, was taken
ill. He was found to be lying on a dirty bed with a broken
old spring supported by a wooden box. The only bed clothing
being dirty old coats.
Although the Doctor had visited the old lady, no mention
had been made of the son's illness until it was too late
to do anything for him, except get him to hospital where he
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