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A combination of medical care and social activity is proving an effective way of
dealing with most of the problems of the elderly handicapped. This work would
be greatly facilitated by legislation to enable local authorities to operate such centres
themselves rather than relying on charitable agencies.
The members of the Committee of the Ealing Day Treatment Centre for
1962 are:—
Alderman Mrs. D. Gundry.
Councillor J. F. Barlow.
Councillor J. T. Bartlett (Vice-Chairman).
Councillor R. R. Clay (Chairman).
Councillor K. G. Reeves and
Councillor Mrs. D. I. Williams.
Dr. Barbara Bailey.
Dr. C. A. Osborn.
Dr. F. H. Scoones.
Mrs. D. M. Collins—British Red Cross Society.
Mr. L. G. Love—St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Miss E. Tippetts—Women's Voluntary Services.
MEALS ON WHEELS
The whole of the Borough is covered by a Meals on Wheels service which
comprises a hot two course lunch to house-bound old people. The British Red
Cross Society supply the Ealing and Hanwell area while the rest of the Borough,
namely, Greenford, Perivale, and Northolt are supplied by the Women's Voluntary
Services. The total number of meals served during the year was 25,300, of these the
British Red Cross Society supplied 15,645 and the Women's Voluntary Services
9,655. The question of frequency of meals has long been discussed. Ideally, of
course, everyone, be they young or old, should have three hot meals a day. In the
case of old people it is not always appreciated that appetite usually falls off very
much and they cannot cope with large meals. Many Meals on Wheels Services
throughout the country supply an average of two hot meals a week to each individual,
and the value of this relative infrequency has been questioned. I am sure, however,
that even two good meals a week do supply the minimal nutritional requirement of
an old person. In addition it encourages them to maintain a similar standard in
their own catering. To the purely nutritional benefits, of course, must be added the
value of somebodv calling and taking an interest in them and giving them the feeling