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on loan, grants towards the cost of structural adaptations to meet
special needs, etc. the fullest co-operation has been maintained with
specialised organisations in this field of welfare services, many of these
bodies acting as the Council's agents in this connection.
During the year an Occupational Centre for the physically handicapped
has been opened at Barking and this is used, amongst others,
by suitable handicapped persons from the Borough of llford. In
addition. Visiting Officers have been appointed to assist in the work
amongst handicapped persons and they will be instrumental in the
ascertainment of individual needs, giving advice and also instruction in
handicrafts, especially to the home-bound."
In llford the scheme for other handicapped persons, so far as voluntary
action is concerned, has been delegated to a Sub-Committee of the
llford Social Service Association of which the Medical Officer of Health
is Chairman.
National Assistance Act, 1948.
(a) Section 47 provides for the removal of persons to hospital
who are unable to devote to themselves proper care and attention.
No persons were dealt with during the year.
(b) Section 50 requires a Local Authority to arrange for the burial
or cremation of a person who has died or been found dead, and where
it appears to the Local Authority no suitable arrangements are being
made for the disposal of the body.
The burial of three persons was dealt wjth during ihe year as
follows:—
(a) A female, 82 years, died in a Nursing Home.
(b) A male, 44 years, killed on railway.
(c) A female, 81 years, died at home.
Miss M. J. Copping, Welfare Officer for Old Folk, reports as follows:—
"During 1958 cases dealt with totalled 678, of which 492 were
new cases. Of the remaining 186 many had been known for three or
four years, and will continue to need attention.
Of the new cases about 25% needed nothing more than friendly
advice about a particular problem, such as, "Would I be wise to go
and live with my daughter? "If I enter a County Hostel and then
do not like it what can I do about it? "My wife is in hospital and
talking of discharging herself—should I try to prevent this? "These
are common problems. Young relatives come with such questions as
" Father is getting senile and he leaves gas taps on". "Mother
refuses to wash herself—what can we do? "Sometimes they agree
to let me see the other person involved in the problem. Some wish to
keep their appeal to me a secret. Sometimes the caller has suffered a
bereavement, and seeks nothing more than comforting words. Interviews
of ths type numbered 225 and many of the cases were passed
on to Almoners, the E.C.C. Welfare Department or some voluntary
agency for further advice and assistance. On occasions their problems
are discussed wth their doctors, and ready co-operation is my general
experience.