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21.
Borough Council, through my department for old people in the Borough includes
free baths, free chiropody (though 4/- at home), clubs (full and part-time)
with almost every amenity, home visiting (twice annually to every pensioner
by one visitor, and for emergencies, etc. by one of the three visitors),
assisted holidays, free laundry facilities for the incontinent, 10d. mid-day
two-course meals both at clubs and for the homebound (22,000 in all),
provision of bedding, clothing, furniture, etc. where needed, Christmas
parcels (670), Christmas dinner (and 2 weeks at Copthorne for 46, as well as
Club dinner for 400), Church Service at St. Paul's Cathedral, clothes mending
at one club, redecorating of premises, entertainments, talent competition,
exhibition of handicraft? (and annual sale of work also), assistance with
fuel, Harvest festival gifts distribution, home nursing requisites (including
20 wheel chairs), library books delivered to housebound, assistance with
ophthalmic and dental services where needed, lowering of gas and electric
meters where needed, a regular shoe repair service (free, by Lion Boys' Club)
S.O.S. cards for pensioners living alone, summer outings for both active and
housebound groups, various goods at reduced prices or free, wireless for the
bedridden, legal aid assistance (which will be extended further when the new
Citizen's Advice Bureau opens this year) - and in fact other help such as
collection of pensions for housebound and almost every possible assistance in
any form of difficulty. Birthday cards and Christmas cards are sent to all
club members, even if in hospital at the time. Since 1953 a register of all
known pensioners has been kept and has remained fairly constant at about
4,000, despite the fact that we are p.ble to keep up-to-date on all deaths and
removals, while at the same time not receiving information of new pensioners
unless and until they need help (or unless they are discovered during the
routine street-by-street six monthly visits to the whole Borough).
In addition to these services, and in very close liaison with our own
welfare visitors, the pensioners receive a great deal of help from the
District Nursing Association, the L.C.C. Home Helps Service (incidentally,
by local arrangement the L.C.C. Health Visitors pass on to our visitors any
old age pensioners who apply to them for help), the staff of St. Matthew's
(geriatric) Hospital, and of course the National Assistance Board. We have
appreciated the help given by the W.V.S. and Salvation Army in distributing
meals-on-wheels in Council-owned vehicles, and we are indebted to King
Edward's Hospital Fund for their annual maintenance payment of £300 towards
the running of the Holiday Home, as well as to the City of London and East
London Dispensary Fund for £250 towards the salary of the full-time visitor.