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43
OLD PEOPLE'S WELFARE
The problems associated with the increasing proportion of aged persons in the community are
matters of vital concern to those associated with the health and welfare of the public. Unfortunately,
reaching retirement age appears to infer automatic classification as an "old person"
who is unfit for further work. Indeed this is very much the exception in modern times where
improved living conditions and medical advances have considerably lengthened the span of active
life. With retirement there is the need to readjust, and unless other useful objectives can be
introduced there is a danger of losing interest. To help this transition it was decided to set up
a retirement advice centre for men reaching the age of 65 years.
Those active retired people who have not taken up other employment should continue to lead
a full life, and for this purpose adequate recreational and social activities within the community
should be available to them. It is in this field that the welfare clubs play an important part
Equally important are the facilities provided by the Parks and Libraries Department for physical
and mental recreation.
The lengthening of active life has not eliminated the time when the mechanism of the body
finally starts to run down and help is needed. It is then that services must be available for those
without relatives or friends. Also help is often needed by those caring for infirm elderly relatives
or neighbours when prolonged nursing and care may prove too great a burden, Finally there
should be an adequate number of places available in hospitals or welfare homes for those who are
respectively in need of hospital treatment or who are infirm and unable to get proper care and
attention at home.
The following is a survey of the services available in Tottenham,
Retirement Advice Clinic
For many years now there has been evidence of a serious gap in the personal services.
Although a great deal has been done to ensure that children aarive at their productive years in the
best possible state of body and mind, little or nothing has been done to see that they leave their
working days behind in sucha healthy state of mind and body that they can enjoy the years of their
retirements Studies in many authorities have shown that a large proportion of men approaching
retirement have no idea how they will spend their time, in fact many have not considered their
retirement at all Also many suffer from minor ailments and minor indispositions of which they may
be scarcely aware because of their gradual onset and which could be corrected or treated were
they to seek treatment,
With the aims of remedying some of these defects a new kind of clinic began in Tottenham
and Hornsey in December, 1960, by co-operation with the Ministry of Pensions and National
Insurance, and of the Ministry of Labour. In this scheme men approaching sixty-five are invited
toattend the clinic by appointment to see a medical officer, and to discuss their general welfare,
health andinterests essential to their mental well being. In each case a physical examination is
carried out and a report sent to the patient's own doctor. If the patient wishes to work on, a
second interview with an officer of the Ministry of Labour is arranged.