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Chiropody
A service was maintained throughout the year by the Middlesex County Council
whereby old people could have their foot defects treated at reduced cost or free
of charge.
Figures of the numbers taking advantage of this Service can be found on
page 59
Old Folks Friendship Club
This is a specially built club house opened in April 1955. for the use as
a social and recreational centre of old age pensioners living in Brentford and
Chiswick. The club is open Monday to Friday from 2-5 p.m. and there is a
full-time organiser in attendance. The old people are enrolled as members at
their first attendance, membership costs only one penny per week, and there are
about 270 namesonthe register The members can visit every day, if they wish,
for rest room or reading room facilities, or just to meet their friends and talk,
but many social occasions are provided for them in the way of concerts, whist
drives etc. A television set is installed in the lounge, and a radiogram in
the concert hall. Light refreshments are available in the afternoon. This
club also arranges four summer outings on which about 80 travel each time, and
an annual Christmas party to which all the members are invited - the majority
attend The members have formed their own Concert Party which not only performs
to the other members but goes to outside places and gives free performances
Through this club the members are also able to obtain information about
the special services at reduced rates which are available within the Borough
for them such as laundry shoe repairs and hairdressing and they can be given
advice on any difficulties that occur in their private lives
This is the only club premises open daily for the use of old age pensioners
but there are 9 clubs meeting in different parts of the Borough once a week to
which mobile old age pensioners become attached as members, for social and recreational
purposes
Slipper Baths
Under the scheme for the provision at the reduced rates (2d per bath) of
slipper baths for old people at the Public Baths Establishments 2, 204 baths
were taken in Chiswick and 656 in Brentford
Meals on Wheels
In the 1956 report it was stated that this service, so immensely useful in
maintaining the health of old people living alone was inadequate The Borough
Council was Willing to pay for the provision of another van to be used by the
Invalid Meals for London Association which would have doubled the service. For
quite a large part of the year it was anticipated that as soon as the Invalid
Meals for London Association had completed some extension to their Acton kitchens
the expanded service would become available However towards the end of
the year it appeared thatnotonly was it likely that the Association would not
expand the service but it became evident that very soon it would not be possible
to obtain meals for old people other than recent hospital discharges or persons
with acute illness in other words short term supply of meals was going to be
the policy in future.
At the end of the year discussions were taking place amongst various persons
about finding a substitute for the Association in order that meals for the old
and house bound and neglected persons who are our main concern. could be pro-
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