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SECTION 4
OLD PEOPLES WELFARE
The care of old people has continued to form an increasing and rewarding part of
the Department's work. I have in the past often drawn attention to the difficulties
of the present arrangement, whereby a diversity of agencies are responsible for the
care of old people. Thus if one imagines a single old person in Ealing in need of
help the responsibility for providing this is at present divided between his General
Practitioner, the Geriatric Service of the Regional Hospital Board, the County Council's
Welfare Service, the County Council's Health Service, the County Council's Mental
Health Service and finally the Borough Council Services.
The present re-organization gives an opportunity of unifying at least some of these
services and I fervently hope that this will not be lost. I will never be convinced that
the medical and social needs of the elderly are anything but indissolubly intertwined
and therefore I am at a loss to understand the argument which suggests that the two
organisations responsible for these respective needs, namely, the Health and Welfare
Departments should be separated.
WORK CENTRES
The Ealing Committee for the Employment and Recreation of Elderly Citizens
has continued its valuable work during the year in the organisation of the Borough's
Work Centres. The Committee employ one paid Organiser, responsible for general
administration and obtaining work for the Centres, and one paid Supervisor at each
Centre, the remaining staff being voluntary. There are now three Centres in Ealing
situated as follows:—
T.A. Drill Hall, Churchfield Road, Ealing, W.13.
Methodist Church Hall, Ruislip Road, Greenford.
and Parkway Room, Mandeville Road, Northolt.
The West Ealing Centre caters for 60 old people, the Greenford Centre for 35
and the Northolt Centre for 20, making a total of 115 places. During the year a wide
selection of work has been obtained and I think it is of sufficient interest to give
details:—
Enclosed many thousands of circulars for three different firms.
Applied "2d. off" Selotape labels to cartons.
Collated Instruction Manuals and leaflets for Electronic firms.
Strung 64,000 labels.
Assembled Ball point pens.
"Jigged" Badges ready for plating.
Needlework of various kinds.
Made plush balls for a toy firm.
Filed bakelite parts.
Affixed buttons to cards.
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