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THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION
Old People's
Homes
The pressure on our old people's homes continued to increase resulting in a steady
increase in the average age (and consequently infirmity) of those admitted. In particular,
Alliston became so loaded with cases of infirmity that designation of this home as one for the
more infirm - with staffing to match - was becoming a pressing need by the end of the year.
During the year a start was made on the new home (to be called Essex Hall) which
will enable Waltham Forest residents at the Willows, a larger former Public Assistance
Institution, to return to the borough when it closes in a few months time. This factor, and
the increase in the aged in the borough since Essex Hall was planned, will mean that the
number of places per thousand elderly population will be only fractionally higher when this
new home opens than it was when planned. But it will at least mean that we shall regain
the ground we have lost in the meanwhile.
Though there are 344 places in our own homes and over a hundred former Waltham
Forest residents for whom the borough pays in other homes, the waiting list at the end of the
year was 280, of whom 143 women and 40 men were classed as priority.
The nine voluntary and private homes in the borough continued to be supervised by
our staff.
Hostel for the
Mentally Subnormal
The new hostel for the mentally subnormal did not come into use during the year due to
delays beyond our control.
Temporary
Accommodation
Accommodation for homeless families presented a real problem during the year in spite
of the two houses (for a total of twelve families) available to us and an enormous amount of
help from the Housing Department, and we were never without a number of families at the unsatisfactory
hostel at Suttons in Hornchurch. This rise in need for temporary accommodation
is general throughout London and in fact we admitted less than the average number per 1,000
population admitted by the outer London Boroughs, this latter figure being one quarter of that
for Inner London. Not admitting families is very hard work. We shall be glad when the opening
of Cecil House allows us to get down to two premises only without the use of Suttons,
but the increasing pressure on the staff dealing with this problem will need attention when
opportunity allows.
Highams House
This house, run by the Richmond Fellowship for the rehabilitation of the mentally ill,
works very closely indeed with this authority which did a great deal in the early days to get
the scheme launched.
It also works closely with Claybury Hospital, and Dr.Pippard, the Psychiatrist there
who works most closely with Waltham Forest, is the Consultant Psychiatrist for the House.
During the year the authority was responsible for the maintenance of a total of 19
patients. Our original grant of £100 per annum was reviewed in November and was raised to
£200 per annum. The fees for maintenance also went up from 14 gns to 16 gns per week.
A number of rooms, including bedrooms and the dining room, were completely
redecorated and some new furniture was purchased by the community, which replaced some of
the original furniture which had been given as gifts.
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