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Meals on wheels
The Meals on Wheels Service for the elderly housebound through sickness
continued to expand during 1964 293 persons were recommended for and obtained,,
this service, whereby meals are delivered to the homes on five days a week,
The food is cooked at Acton Municipal Kitchen and is delivered in hot containers
in four specially equipped vans, one of which was given by the members of the
Brentford and Chiswick Round Table the other three being purchasedby the Welfare
Organisation which later became the Borough Council Welfare Sub-Committee,,
The fourth van was provided in 1964 because of the heavy demand on the three
vans already in operation
The number of meals delivered during the year was 37 652 compared with
31 203 in 1963 26 874 in 1962 and the number of people helped with this service
was 293 in 1964 compared with 238 in 1963 and 204 in 1962 A special arrangement
was made whereby at Christmas when the Meals Service was not in operation
a frozen Christmas dinner was suppliedto any recipient of daily meals who would
not otherwise obtain a meal on that day. Only 50 of these were needed, however,,
as good neighbours or relations were willing and indeed axnious to give help
at this special season
Of the 209 people on the active meals list at the endofthe year 119 had
been requested by private practitioners, 28 by hospital almoners,, 44 by the local
Home Help Organiser 8 by Welfare Officers and 10 were requested from other
sources, ie Old Polks Fund Secretary Health Visitors, Home Nurse, or relations
As the Meals Service is at present only available to old age pensioners
living alone and housebound through illness, it is more a serviceof rehabilitation
and treatment than one of prevention and it is necessary to have medical
grounds for providing the meals To make the service truly preventive, meals
should be available for anyone elderly and living alone as the desire to cook
and take well balanced meals tends to fade under these circumstances, and malnutrition
gradually develops

Laundry for the Incontinent Aged
The scheme for the provision of laundry facilities for the incontinent aged,
was carried on throughout the year Old people in need of this service were
brought to the notice of the Public Health Department staff from various sources,
then arrangements were made for the Departments van to call each weekto collect
the soiled linen deliver it to the laundry, and to transport the clean linen
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