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Boroughs. To meet this task the Borough has been divided into four
operational districts and a social welfare officer appointed to each
districts The districts are roughly equal to the four geographical
quadrants of the Borough. The officers arrange admissions to old people's
homes, supporting services, e.g. home help, laundry services, mobile
meals, chiropody, etc. and, generally speaking, stay with the case until
the problems are resolved.
Whilst the district welfare officers have the care of the elderly
as their main task, nevertheless, they are simply a part of a fully
Integrated team of 10 welfare officers and specialist officers able to
deal with a wide range of needs. The social welfare officers primarily
concerned with the care of the elderly in the year under review made
approximately 3,500 visits to old people, arranged for the admissions of
101 old people into residential accommodation on a permanent basis,
arranged for 27 old people to be admitted on a temporary basis and have
kept in touch with 698 old people who require occasional supervision at
home.
This team operates a 24 hour on-call system, a social welfare officer
being on duty for emergency purposes at any time of day or night and the
whole resources of the Department can be mustered very quickly to meet
greater emergencies, such as fire, flood or other disasters.
(c) "Meals-on-Wheels"
In conjunction with the Women's Royal Voluntary Services and the
Old People's Welfare Committee, the new Borough operates a fairly
comprehensive "meals-on-wheels" service. The three main meals' centres
are at Sutton, Carshalton and Wallington each serving its respective areas
those of the three former authorities. The "meals-on-wheels" services
provide about 1,000 meals per week and whilst the service operates on
different days in different areas, nevertheless all people using the service
pay a minimum of l/6d per meal. "Meals-on-wheels" can be obtained by
contacting any one of the three old people's welfare committees, the
W.R.V.S. or the department.
(d) Voluntary Associations
Prior to April 1965 Sutton and Cheam, Carshalton and Beddington and
Wallington had their own old people's welfare committees engaged in the
support of old people in their own homes and these activities continue
in the new Borough. The variety of tasks undertaken by the voluntary
bodies included friendly visiting, holiday schemes, winter fuel and outings.
The Sutton Council of Social Service played its part by bringing
together all the local voluntary organisations in the new Borough and
providing a forum where common problems are discussed and ideas and plans
exchanged.
(e) Central Register
The Welfare Section operates a central register of old people
"at risk" and receives referrals from many sources in the Borough, This
process is gradually building up a picture of the needs of old people
and the extent to which it is possible to meet these needs.
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