View report page

The Council's Old People's Welfare Visitor made a total of 3,475 visits to the
homes of aged persons during the year, compared with 2,716 visits in 1954, and
2,520 visits in 1953. In addition to the greatly increased number of visits which
were made, it was possible for her to spend more time with each person than hitherto.
It was not necessary during the year to invoke the special procedure laid down
by the National Assistance Act for the compulsory removal to a suitable home of
an elderly person found to be in need of care and attention. However, a number
of elderly persons were considered to be in need of special attention and were persuaded
to enter an old persons' home or hospital for treatment without recourse
to the statutory provisions.
Cleanliness of Old People.
Under the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1953 in any case
where an aged person is found to be verminous or is in need of cleansing in order
to prevent injury or danger of injury to health and is so feeble that he is unable
to avail himself of any facilities for cleansing himself, the Council may cleanse the
person concerned, with his consent, free of charge, at his home or at a Cleansing
Station.
During the year arrangements were made for the cleansing of 22 such persons
in their own homes, in cases where the old people were unable to cleanse themselves,
because of their frailty and due to lack of suitable bathing facilities at the home.
Holidays.
The holiday scheme for old people in the Borough was again very popular,
and by means of these arrangements 86 old persons living in the Borough were able
to have a holiday during the year. Forty people went away in the month of
May, two in June, and 44 in August or September. Holidays for six other persons
were arranged through the Women's Holiday Fund.
The detailed arrangements of this scheme were again made by the Woolwich
Council of Social Service with the help of a grant from official sources.
Seventy-seven of the visitors stayed at guest houses at Westgate. Of the total
applications for holidays only seven could not have a holiday during the year.
Almost all parties travelled by coach to and from the resort.
A grant to the holiday scheme to enable some disabled old people to have a
special holiday was made during the year. Such a holiday entails extra expense
for accommodation with the provision of nursing and other care, and also the cost
of ambulance transport through the auspices of the British Red Cross Society.
The patients and their families often provided a large part of the cost for such a
holiday, but sometimes there was difficulty in finding the whole amount, and the
Woolwich Council of Social Service suggested to the Council that the sum of £25
a year might be reserved to help meet the cost of holidays for these paralysed and
disabled old people. The Council readily agreed to this suggestion, and as a result
seven persons were able to have a holiday during the year at various seaside resorts.
Letters of thanks have been received from several old persons who went away during
the year.
Lunch Clubs.
The Plumstead and Eltham Lunch Clubs operated fully throughout the year.
Meals for the Plumstead Lunch Club are supplied from the Borough Council's
restaurant at the Plumstead Baths. On the 1st January the supply of meals to
the Eltham Lunch Club was obtained from a local caterer, instead of from the County
Council's Eltham High Street restaurant which closed at the end of 1954.
The Borough Council continue to make a substantial grant to the Woolwich
Council of Social Service towards the running costs of these two Lunch Clubs.
Workrooms for the Elderly.
During the year the Council considered the possibility, with the financial
assistance of the Employment Fellowship, of establishing in the Borough a scheme
for the employment of elderly persons. The Council were interested in such a
scheme as it enabled elderly persons, within the limits of their reduoed working
capacity and in good conditions, to give some useful service to the community.
The scheme would not be self-supporting, but would be valuable in providing congenial
occupation for elderly people.
18