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From those bald facts it is of interest to consider
in some detail each of the parts of the service.
The Elderly
The six Old People's Homes provide care and
attention for approximately 15 persons for every
thousand of the borough's elderly population. Plans
to increase this ratio must of necessity be long term
but it will always be true that the greater emphasis
will be upon the care of the elderly in the community.
However, increasing use was made of the Old
People's Homes to provide short stay accommodation
for elderly people normally cared for by relatives at
home. The committee accepted the policy that
wherever possible if relatives required a holiday or,
because of some crisis, some relief, short term care
was often the means of avoiding permanent care.
Day centres can be a focal point, but these facilities
were available only for a small minority of pensioners.
The Senior Citizens Club run by the Heston and
Isleworth Old People's Welfare Committee opened
six days each week providing luncheon and other
facilities, whilst the Friendship Club run by the
Brentford and Chiswick Old Folks Fund was not able
to cater for lunches. More day centres will be opened
as opportunity and finance permit.
The Holiday Scheme for the elderly, operated by
the former Brentford and Chiswick Borough Council,
was extended to cover the whole borough. One
hundred and fifty-six holdiays were provided.
The Blind and Partially Sighted
Nearly 70% of the total registered blind persons
are over the age of 65 years. Social activities and
provision of holidays continued on much the same
scale as previously. Whilst the numbers on the register
showed little change at the end of 1965, it is significant
to note that only 4 of the 24 newly registered
blind were below the age of 60, whereas all 21 new
partially sighted registrations were below the age
of 60.
The Physically Handicapped
It was apparent that the creation of a new welfare
authority would not of itself produce miracles.
However, steps were taken to improve the services
wherever possible. One notable example concerned
the supply of aids to daily living. The decision to issue
all items on permanent loan had the effect of
streamlining the supply organisation and overcoming
many of the difficulties inherent in the former
system.
Holidays were arranged for 58 physically handicapped
persons but because of the general shortage
of suitable holiday homes some difficulties were
encountered in placing the very severely handicapped.
Work centres operating at Eldridge House and
Douglas Road on five mornings each week maintained
the overall output of outwork for industry. Efforts
to find a building suitable for conversion to a full
time work centre had been unsuccessful at the end
of the year.
The number of persons on the register had
increased to 703 by the end of 1965, but there were
indications that this in no way represented the
potential total of registrations. It is anticipated that
there will be an annual increase for the next few
years levelling off from 1970.
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Although provision had been made in the departmental
establishment to appoint a senior welfare
officer for the deaf, such was the national shortage of
trained officers that no appointment had been made
by the end of 1965. The total needs of this group of
handicapped persons were largely unknown and apart
from clubs organised by voluntary associations to
provide for social activities, Hounslow, in common
with the majority of other London boroughs, had to
mark time.
Homeless Families
Two hostels providing temporary accommodation
for 21 families were not seen to be providing any
solution to the problem of rehabilitation. The decision
to close the larger of the two, with the wholehearted
support and co-operation of the Housing Committee,
resulted in the re-housing of some families by
December 1965.
T ransport
Gardening, pets, cookery, dancing and other classes
were attended by some of the blind and physically
handicapped. Social activities, club meetings, handcraft
classes, holidays and other requirements created
a constant demand for transport specially designed
to carry wheelchair cases. It was found, however,
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