View report page

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 does this
by admission to its own Homes or by meeting the cost of maintenance in Homes
administered by registered Voluntary Organisations. The County Council's Welfare
Department is responsible for the County Homes and one such Home is situated
in the Borough.
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. The number of persons treated in this scheme rose from 115 in 1959
to 167 in 1960.
The National Health Service Act 1946, empowered Local Health Authorities
to make provision for a Chiropody Service. Middlesex County Council accordingly
made arrangements for clinics to be started but these had not begun to operate
at the end of 1960. A voluntary service of Chiropody is maintained by the
Brentford Philanthropic Society for old people in the Brentford end of the
Borough and served by a local chiropodist. The fee to the patient is one shilling
per foot and 72 persons had treatment in 1960.
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 1 - 5 p.m. and there is an
organiser in attendance. The old people are enrolled as members at their first
attendance, membership costs only one penny per week, and there are 250 names
on the 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 a radiogram in the concert
hall and a large billiard table is provided for the male members. Light refreshments
are available. This club also arranges summer outings (of which there
were four in 1960) and an annual Christmas party. In 1960 a free invitation
for a theatre visit was accepted by a large number of members and there were
some additional facilities for entertainment at a cheap price arranged during
the Christmas season. Exchange visits were also made with a similar club in
Oxford.
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, A special blend of tea
is also available at an economical price. Members living along are encouraged
to make use of the SeO.S. card scheme, and have the card ready and completed
with personal details for window display should an emergency occur.
This is the only club premises open daily for the use of old age pensioners
but there are other 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.
Brentford Old Folks Social Club
This club meets every Wednesday 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. and has 150 members.
The meetings are social with periodic visiting entertainers. There are 3 or 4
summer outings, a free tea once per month and two annual parties.
-35-