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Fullwell Cross Day Centre for the Elderly
This Centre was opened on the 10th January, 1967 for the use of those
elderly living in the district and was an immediate success. At the Centre, not
only can elderly citizens enjoy a chat with their friends in warm and comfortable
surroundings or play darts, cards, shove ha'penny etc. hut a cup of tea, and
biscuits can be obtained and for those desiring a mid-day meal, this is available
at a cost of 2/-d. Approximately 40 mid-day meals are served daily Monday to
Friday and some expansion of the number of meals served is anticipated. It is
also planned to use the kitchen of the Centre for the expansion of the Meals on
Wheels Service to the Ilainault area and at the end of the year consideration
was being given to the need to provide transport for the conveyance of the more
infirm elderly to the Day Centre.
Hyleford Home for the Elderly
This new home built to accommodate 60 elderly persons was handed over
by the builders on the 5th December, 1966. Following this date when Mr. and
Mrs. Trigg took up their appointment as Superintendent and Matron, the building
had to be thoroughly cleaned, furniture delivered and placed in the various
rooms and Staff introduced to their new duties. Owing to this work, the need for
some minor building work and other problems which arose, it was the 25th
January 1967 before the first resident could be admitted.
Holidays for the'Elderly
The planned holiday for the elderly arranged for May and September proved
to be a great success and literally hundreds of letters of appreciation were
received from those people who had participated. The holiday held at Corton
Beach Holiday Camp, Near Lowestoft, was blessed with reasonably good
weather and many new friendships were formed, old acquaintances renewed and
many old people who had been leading rather isolated lives, were able to find
their way back into the community. There were lots of old people who said that
they felt much better in health after the week at the seaside and certainly staff
who made these arrangements, many of them giving up their private time on the
Saturdays before and at the end of the holidays, were well rewarded for their
efforts.
Homes for the Elderly — During this period, the Welfare Committee have felt
increasingly concerned at the number of elderly mentally infirm old people
accommodated in our homes for the elderly and the strain that their care placed
upon the staff, and consideration is being given to the ways in which this
increasing problem with all its difficulties, can be met. Some staff difficulties
have continued to be met at the homes, particularly the shortage of experienced
cooks but there was some easing of the situation and a greater availability of
labour, possibly due to the impact of the Selective Employment Tax. In spite of
the increased accommodation available, the number of old people on the waiting