[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Barry Borough and Port.

  • Barry (Wales). Borough and Port Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Barry Borough and Port. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/60 (page 21)
    During the Year the Barry Corporation continued their long- standing* practice of making financial grants on a membership basis to Old Age Pensioner Organisations in the Area. The Authority also expressed its interest in the co-ordination of Services for the Elderly by nominating the Chairman of the Health Committee as their representative on the Glamorgan Old People’s Welfare Committee. In addition, the Secretary of the Barry Old People’s Welfare Committee and the Medical Officer of Health attend the South East and Central Glamorgan Area Committee with the Chairman of the Health Committee. During 1967, the Barry Corporation, through the W.R.V.S., provided a Meals on Wheels Service on 7,272 occasions to house- bound old people. The Darby and Joan Luncheon Club at the Dinam Hall served 5,191 meals to elderly people. The Luncheon Club is open for four days during the week. The Barry Old People’s Welfare Committee, in an endeavour to improve their long-term policy of regular visiting of old people in their homes, decided in March, 1966, to institute two Pilot Street Good Neighbour Schemes in areas where it was thought there was a high proportion of elderly people. Street Good Neighbours were appointed on a voluntary basis in each of the streets involved and the Good Neighbours keep themselves aware of all old people living in the street and supply the Secretary of the Committee with an up-to-date register and also, through cards provided, inform the Secretary or myself of any statutory or voluntary help required from time to time by these elderly people. In view of the success of the Pilot Scheme, the co-operation of the Street Good Neighbours and the requests for assistance received, it was decided in the latter part of 1967 to extend the Scheme to cover all parts of the Borough of Barry. Visits were made to numerous organisations in the Town to explain the Scheme and enrol Good Neighbours. By the end of the Year steady progress was being made. During National Old People’s Week, 328 housebound senior citizens were visited and presented with gifts by the Mayor and representatives of the Committee, whilst those able to get about were provided by the Council, through its Entertainments Com- mittee, with a week of concerts and whist drives at the Barry Memorial Hall. The Old People’s Welfare Committee assisted in this project by providing transport to return those attending to their own homes.