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It has become increasingly difficult to find vacancies in
voluntary and other authorities' homes for both young and elderly
persons who are physically disabled and the problem becomes more acute
as time passes and the ideal solution would be to erect a purpose-built
home for physically handicapped within the administrative area of the
borough and, whilst such a proposal has been made in the Council's ten
year plan, the continued financial restrictions do not make this a
possibility for a very long time. The local voluntary organisations
have helped in some small measure in providing facilities for admission
of elderly persons, but here too vacancies have been hard to secure.
Domiciliary Services
Support for the Aged and Disabled
There are those whose age, infirmity or other circumstances
make it essential that they receive full care and attention in a home
or in hospital, but the majority of those elderly or disabled people
who need social help can of course manage in their own homes if such
partial support as they need is available to them.
Emphasis has been placed on those branches of the service
which contribute in positive ways to prevent, or at least postpone, the
need for admission to a home or hospital. It is felt that such
measures should be seen as part of a wide community effort embracing
all the services, such as home helps, district nurses, health visitors
and other statutory and voluntary workers, as well as families, friends
and neighbours, who help to support and sustain those who would find it
difficult or impossible to manage otherwise.
Although preventive social services are costly, it is well to
keep in mind the hidden savings in avoiding the much heavier costs of
residential care, quite apart from the human gain in keeping people in
their own homes with their families, friends and neighbours.
Registration and Inspection of Private Homes for the Elderly
The three registered voluntary old people's homes and the
voluntary home run by the British Red Cross under its own Charter
continued to operate during the year.
There were thirteen registered private old people's homes
within the borough at the end of the year. One new home included in
this figure was registered during the year under review.
All homes have been regularly inspected, many of them in
conjunction with the fire prevention officer, and 36 visits were made
during the year.
Temporary Accommodation
The National Assistance Act, 1.948, Section 21(l)(b) placed on
local authorities the duty of providing temporary accommodation for
persons in urgent need, being need arising in circumstances which could
not reasonably have been foreseen, or in such circumstances as the
authority may in any particular case determine: