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36
Special laundry facilities are available to Old Age Pensioners at the
Belmont Circle Laundrette and the Harrow Weald Laundrette. Pensioners
can take advantage of a reduced charge of l/6d. for a 91b. load of washing
on selected days once a fortnight. Tickets entitling the holder to this
service are obtainable at Harrow Weald Lodge.
Those needing care and attention whether from the hospital or from
the welfare service are only a small proportion of the old people in the
population. Were there more ample accommodation, there would be
more who could with advantage be helped by one of these two services.
Those who desirably should be in an institution of some sort but who
cannot be accepted are a real problem and a burden to those who have
to look after them.
At the other end of the scale are the very many who, though definitely
elderly, are healthy and independent, and who are able to look after
themselves, being no problem to anyone. In between are a group who
are just bordering on the first group and who at any time might fail
socially or medically. This is the group that so much needs help, but for
whom it would seem no local authority has any direct responsibility.
Many of them could perhaps be kept in that group with help of different
sorts, but failing that help are found suddenly to be in the group urgently
needing care and attention. It is this group which needs to be discovered
and helped in some way, so as to postpone as long as possible their
transfer into the first group. There is perhaps a later problem of doing
something to prevent the second and largest group of those who are
healthy and independent from reaching the intermediate stage.
The position as to responsibility is not very well defined. Many of
these people are far from needing the arrangements for care and attention
which can be provided by the Welfare Service. District Councils have no
direct powers or responsibilities, and it would seem that all that could be
done by them, if it can be done by an Authority, can be provided only
indirectly by the Council through such agencies as the Old Peoples
Welfare Committee.
The Old People's Welfare Committee established in this district is
comprised of representatives from all the organisations in the district,
including the Council, which are concerned in any way with the problems
of the elderly. It has two sub-committees, one concerned with meals, the
other with home visits. It co-ordinates the activities of the various local
organisations which provide services of different kinds for the elderlyThe
Council contributes to the funds of the Committee and at their
meeting in June they authorised, under Section 31 of the National
Assistance Act, 1948: 1. The contribution of£l,000 per annum in respect
of the cost of the operation by the Harrow Old People's Welfare Committee
of a kitchen and restaurant for meals for old people at North Harrow an
Belmont Assembly Halls, including the provision of meals for service to
infirm old people through the W.V.S. "Meals on Wheels" service; 2. A
grant of £230 per annum in respect of the costs of running, maintaining
and garaging the mobile canteen presented to the Council by the Greate
Harrow District Nurses Association Trust which is used in connection
with the "Meals on Wheels" service for infirm old people; 3. A grant