View report page

Two Sub-Committees have been appointed, consisting of
representatives of interested voluntary organisations - (l) a Meals
Service Sub-Committee, which is responsible to the main Committee
for carrying out the administration of the meals service for old
people, and for providing regular consultation with the voluntary
bodies organising the meals service; and (2) an Old People's Welfare
Co-ordinating Sub-Committee set up to maintain regular contact with
voluntary bodies working for the elderly in the Borough. This SubCommittee
comprises representatives of 20 local organisations active
in old people's welfare work.
An early meeting took place with representatives of local
voluntary organisations to consider how the voluntary work might be
expanded and developed sufficiently to meet the growing needs of the
elderly in all parts of the Borough.
I am pleased to report that those voluntary organisations who
previously assisted with the meals, holiday, friendly visiting, and
other schemes, have continued to work in close co-operation with the
Borough Council to the great benefit of the old people of the Borough.
It has also been possible to enlist the aid of several other voluntary
helpers.
Visiting of Old People - Owing to the large increase in the
number of elderly persons requiring help, the Council's Old People's
visiting staff was increased at the end of the year to four Nurse
Visitors and one Welfare Assistant; consequently, many more visits
than ever before are now being made. The Visitors are also endeavouring
to find other elderly people who require health or welfare assistance
but who do not seek assistance of their own accord.
The Council's Visitors are responsible for arranging as required
appropriate health and welfare assistance in conjunction with the
family doctor and many other workers. In this work attention has
been concentrated on those elderly people who cannot get out of doors,
and who without the mobile meals, home nursing, home help and other
domiciliary services would require admission to a hospital or to a
County Council or other Home. Nevertheless, there will still be a
great need in many instances for a friendly visitor who would have time
to spend an hour or more weekly with the old person.
During the year 7,797 home visits were carried out by the
Council's Old People's Visitors. The greatly increased visiting of
old people in the Borough by the Council's staff has been widely
welcomed, particularly by the hundreds of old people visited for the
first time.
-29-