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It is interesting and pleasing to be able to continue to report an annual increase in the
percentage of children taking school meals:—
Year
Autumn Term
1958
43.69
1959
46.51
1960
50.67
1961
50.95
1962
51.21
1963
54.54
Old People
The needs of 18 special cases of old people living in difficult circumstances were investigated
during 1963, and what happened to them is recorded in the following list:—
Admitted to hospital 6
Admitted to old people's home 1
In hospital—awaiting re-housing 1
Remaining at home 10
(a) Home Help provided 2
(b) Home Help and Chiropody provided 1
(c) Home Help and meals provided 2
(d) Awaiting housing for old people 3
(e) Awaiting hospital admission 1
(/) No action required 1
The difficulties of the old persons recorded on this list were brought to the notice of the
Public Health Department staff either by medical practitioners, interested relations, neighbours
or friends, or following complaint by one or other of the statutory authorities.
It will will be noted that three of these problem cases would be able to continue to live
at home and in better health if suitable ground floor housing could be obtained for them.
The County Council has the duty, under the National Assistance Act, 1948, of providing
residential accommodation for aged and infirm persons in need of care and attention
which is not otherwise available to them; and it can do this by providing its own homes or
by arrangements with recognised voluntary organisations. The County Council's Welfare
Department administers the County homes, and the number of persons admitted to such
homes from the Borough in 1963 was 15, one of whom had been previously brought to
our attention in 1962, and one during 1963. Ten old persons were transferred from St.
Bernard's Hospital to County accommodation in Old People's Homes.
There are still six cases waiting from previous years, three from 1961 and three from
1962, who were in poor health and in need of old peoples' housing.
It has been ascertained from the Area Medical Officer that 438 Southall people were
given home help during the year, and of these 355 consisted of chronic sick or aged persons,
and of 914 persons who were assisted by the home nurses, 332 were of age 65 or over, 111
male and 221 female.
Many voluntary associations contributed to provide Christmas parcels or special
comforts for old people.
Meals on Wheels Service:
During the year mid-day meals on four days per week were provided for house-bound
old people in need of the service. In 1963, 16,456 meals were delivered (16,506 in 1962).
Two hundred and thirty-one old persons were assisted by means of this scheme during the
year. This was a bigger number of individual people helped; 33 more in fact, the reason for
this being that more short-term, or holiday period, help was given from the meals service.
The maximum number of old people receiving the meals on any one day was 92, so that both
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