View report page

54
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Old People's Welfare.—-The Council (under the provision
of Section 31 of the National Assistance Act, 1948) made a contribution
of £400.
In addition, two Council cars and drivers were made available
for distributing meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Free office accommodation and the services of a shorthandtypist
were also made available.
2. Meals on Wheels Service.—Mr. T. A. O'Connor, Catering
Manager, has kindly contributed the following :—
"This service is run by the Old People's Welfare Committee
through which it is subsidised by the Council, and
provides hot meals to the aged and infirm. The transport is
provided in the main by private cars, with voluntary labour
distributing the meals."
3. National Assistance Act, 1948 (Section 47).
The case of Mrs. I. was first brought to the attention of the
Department in 1949 through the Hon. Secretary of the Walthamstow
Old People's Welfare Committee on reference from the
Connaught Hospital. She was stated to be over 90 years of age,
blind, and deaf. Meals were provided from the Mobile Service
but no satisfactory arrangements could be made to provide Domestic
Help owing to her unwillingness to accept help.
In October, 1950, the Area Officer of the National Assistance
Board reported that Mrs. I's. room was filthy and untidy, and that
there were complaints by the neighbours of grossly insanitary
habits. Visits were paid by the District Sanitary Inspector and the
Domestic Help Organiser in an attempt to provide Domestic Help,
who again was refused entry.
In November a petition was received from twelve neighbours
as to Mrs. I's. insanitary habits and the Area Officer of the National
Assistance Board raised the possibility of action under Section 47.
A son living in Walthamstow was asked to co-operate in trying to
secure his mother's voluntary acceptance of hospital treatment. A
further attempt to provide Domestic Help again failed. The next
development was the calling of the Police by the other tenant and
the intervention of the Duly Authorised Officer, and General
Practitioner, who found the patient not certifiable.
Representations were in due course made to your Council and
finally authority to make application for compulsory removal was
obtained and an Order was made by the Court on the 30th January,
1951, for removal to Part III accommodation at Langthorne Hospital
and detention for a period of three months.