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The assisted holiday scheme for elderly people to go for a fortnight to the seaside during off-peak
months was extended to include those in the Wembley part of the Borough. Five hundred and sixteen such
holidays were arranged during the year at a charge of £4 each to the applicants, and a further 11 through the
Women's Holiday Fund. Through this Fund 12 holidays were also arranged at Christmas for elderly women
who live alone.
For the elderly who can get out, more than 40 afternoon clubs operate in the Borough. During
the winter some 30 of them enjoy monthly concerts provided by the Council through the Entertainments
Department. In addition, for the first time this year a series of 5 variety matinees was organised at the Town
Hall. Several hundred pensioners have attended these, those from the more outlying areas being provided
with free transport. A small number of the clubs received financial assistance from the Council to pay for
the rent of their premises and to help with Christmas arrangements.
The sale of welfare foods at reduced prices was extended during the year. Complan, Horlicks,
Ovaltine, Bovril, Marmite, and tea, are sold and delivered regularly to 26 clubs, clinics and other centres, and
annual sales amount to close on £3,000.
In August and September, 3 outings into the Country were organised for about 150 housebound
elderly people, including a number confined to wheelchairs. Special tail-lift coaches, minibuses and cars
were provided by the Council, and on each occasion a number of cars were also provided by voluntary drivers.
In September, a programme of regular weekly visits by minibus was initiated to get small numbers of elderly
housebound to Willesden Green and Kensal Rise Senior Clubs.
At Christmas, 1,842 food parcels were distributed among those over 70. This was made possible
in part by gifts in kind and cash donations of £372 from various local organisations, the rest of the cost being
provided by the Council. In the Carlton and Kilburn Wards, a further 588 parcels were distributed by the
Luke Old Folk's Fund.
In October, substantial gifts of packaged foods from Harvest Festival offerings at local schools were
distributed with the meals-on-wheels.
The Medical Officer of Health acts as local representative for the Wireless for the Bedridden Society,
which has 24 radio sets on loan to elderly people in the Borough ; to the Steiner Foundation, which has made
available 29 television sets, licensed and maintained ; and to the National Society for Cancer Relief in the
payment of weekly allowances to a number of elderly patients.
Cases of hardship due to lack of fuel in cold weather were helped from emergency supplies kept by
the Council for the purpose.
Facilities for interviewing elderly people to help them with a wide variety of problems were maintained
during the year, and the Department's Social Workers visited elderly people in their own homes to
assess and help with a diversity of problems.
OLD PEOPLE'S CLINICS
Two Geriatric Clinics are held weekly, one at Neasden Clinic, Balnacraig Avenue, N.W.10, from
9 a.m. to 12 noon on Mondays, and the other at Mortimer Road Clinic, Mortimer Road, N.W.10, from 9 a.m.
to 12 noon on Wednesdays. A doctor and nurse are in attendance.
All senior citizens can come to these clinics to discuss their physical and mental health, and their
social problems. Transport is arranged for those who find difficulty in getting to the clinic. Friendly cooperation
has been maintained with family doctors who are informed after each session of their patients' visits.
Communications with hospitals are made as and when required, and correspondence with statutory and
voluntary bodies is initiated when necessary.
The wide range of services which the Council provides e.g. home help, domiciliary visits by health
visitors and social workers, aids to assist mobility and adaptations in the home, clubs, meals-on-wheels,
domiciliary bathing, holiday scheme, short and long stay residence in old people's homes, chiropody, physiotherapy
and home nursing, are explained at the clinic sessions, and those required are provided. Housing
is very important in the lives of everyone and the elderly are no exception. Their accommodation is discussed,
advice given, and help provided where possible.
Food supplements are sold at reduced prices and these have proved highly popular. Physiotherapy
is available at the Neasden Clinic, and chiropody is provided at both clinics.
During 1965, 79 sessions were held. Altogether 107 patients attended (70 for the first time), and
they made a total of 325 attendances. The majority of patients were in the 70 - 80 year age group. A very
large percentage were women.
VOLUNTARY SERVICES FOR THE AGED
Apart from those services for the elderly in the community which were taken over by the Council
on 1st April and which are referred to in the previous section, certain services continued to be operated by
voluntary organisations, in some instances with financial support from statutory sources.
The Willesden Old Folk's Association continued to run the '49' Club which was the first of the five
full-time Clubs for the elderly in the Borough. In February it celebrated its thirteenth anniversary. The
running expenses were partly met by a grant from the Council.