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Two full-time social centres for the elderly—Willesden Green and Kensal Rise Senior Clubs—entered
their seventh year of successful operation, the former adapted and the latter in purpose-built premises. Each
Senior Club has an enrolled membership approaching 500, who pay a nominal membership fee of 1/- per
year. The amenities provided include rooms for billiards, television, hobbies, reading and spacious main
club rooms for meals, refreshments, whist drives, concerts and other entertainments. Many of the social activities
within the clubs, as well as seaside outings, theatre trips and visits to places of interest, are organised and
financed by the members themselves through their House Committees. A third full-time club, the "49" Club,
Church Road, Willesden, smaller but providing similar amenities, which was taken over by the Council in
April 1966 from the former Willesden Old Folks' Association, was extensively re-decorated and improved
during 1967. In the Wembley area, Council finance continued to support two further full-time centres with
similar amenities, but for men only, at Barham Park and Kingsbury Veterans' Clubs, in premises provided by
the Council.
Once again demands for assisted holidays increased in 1967. Arrangements were made for parties
of pensioners to have two weeks' holiday at various South Coast resorts. Six hundred and fifty nine holidays
were arranged at a charge of £4 all-in to each applicant and in addition 46 grants were made either for
privately arranged holidays for persons who for good reason could not participate in the group arrangements,
or to persons going on group holidays organised by bodies other than the Council.
The Department also arranged with the Women's Holiday Fund, seven summer holidays and six
Christmas holidays for elderly ladies. A grant of £50 was made towards the cost of holidays for elderly Brent
patients in Shenley Hospital.
For the elderly who can get about, more than 40 afternoon clubs operate in the Borough and the
Department maintained contact with them, both to circulate information and to help and encourage where
possible. During the winter months most of these clubs have monthly concerts provided by the Council
through the Entertainments Department. In addition a series of variety matinees was promoted at the Town
Hall, attended by several hundred pensioners, those from the more outlying areas being conveyed to the Town
Hall by free coaches. Several clubs received grants from the Council to pay the rent of premises for meetings
and to help with Christmas arrangements.
The sale of welfare foods at reduced prices' was again extended during the year. Complan, Horlicks,
Ovaltine, Bovril, Marmite and tea are sold at cost price and delivered regularly to 35 clubs, clinics and other
outlets, sales amounted to almost £5,000.
In September, two outings were arranged into the country for just over 100 elderly housebound
people, including a number confined to wheel-chairs. Special coaches, minibuses, and cars provided by the
Council, conveyed the old people from and to their homes. Council transport also conveyed housebound persons
to the two Senior Clubs on two afternoons per week throughout the year. In response to various requests
during the year, the Council made free transport available on five half-days each week to convey nonambulant
members to and from six other old people's clubs.
At Christmas, 2,170 food parcels were distributed to those most in need over 70. This was a joint
effort between the Council and the Brent Christmas Comforts Fund for Old People, which received donations
in cash and kind from the staffs of local industrial concerns, businessmen and private individuals. Partly
with the help of a grant from the Council, some 550 parcels were also distributed in the Carlton and Kilburn
Wards by the South Kilburn Old Folks Fund.
The Medical Officer of Health continued to act as local representative for such charitable organisations
as Wireless for the Bedridden Society and the Steiner Charity, which make free radio and television sets
available to the bedridden and housebound, and for the National Society for Cancer Relief in the payment of
weekly allowances to elderly patients.
Facilities for officers of the Department to be available at various centres for interviewing elderly people
to help with a diversity of problems were maintained, and the Department's Social Workers concerned with old
people's welfare continued their numerous visits to assess needs for the various services as well as to assist
in many ways particularly those old people at risk.
OLD PEOPLE'S CLINICS
Sessions for the elderly in the Borough continued to be held weekly at 2 Clinics. Again the attendance
at Mortimer Road was relatively poor, but of course, it is recognised that the Neasden Clinic has been much
longer in existence.
Forty-three active 80 years plus elderly people attended, and men were outnumbered 2—1. Fortytwo
sessions were held and 232 attendances made. Eleven new cases were examined and appreciated the general
medical check up, including hearing and vision tests. Arthritic conditions were still the most prevalent and
disabling ailment found.
The doctor in attendance discusses social and health problems, and made the following arrangements :
No. of Patients
Referred to Social Worker for visits 16
,, for Council aided Holiday 16
,, to Council Chiropodist 10
,, to Council Physiotherapist 10
,, to Home Help Organiser 5
,, to Housing Manager 4
,, to Chief Public Health Inspector 3
,, to Chief Mental Welfare Officer 2
„ to Jewish Welfare Board 2
,, for membership of Senior Club 2
,, for admission to Old Persons' Home 1
,, to Ministry of Social Security 1