View report page

NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948.
SECTION 47.
Section 47 provides for the removal to suitable premises of
persons in need of care and attention. One such case was dealt with
during the year, that of a woman aged 78, and I append a brief history
of the case.
The case first came to notice of the District Sanitary Inspector
on the 25th May, 1948. The woman was then living at home with
her husband; she was feeble, mentally weak, and in far too poor a
condition to look after herself. On the 22nd December, 1948, her
husband having been admitted to hospital, her son, who had a fourroom
flat in the district and whose family consisted of seven adults,
took her to live with him. The extra burden of looking after her
caused considerable family tension, and she returned to her own home
on the 8th April, 1949, to live alone, her husband having died in hospital.
During all this time she had been regularly visited by the District
Sanitary Inspector, who had made repeated, but unsuccessful attempts
to persuade her voluntarily to enter an Old People's Home. On the
3rd May, 1949, in company with the District Sanitary Inspector,
I visited her and found that her condition had deteriorated to such
an extent as to warrant application to a magistrate for a Dentention
Order. This was made at Tower Bridge Magistrates' Court on the
12th May, 1949, when the Magistrate made an Order for a period
of three months. She was removed to Newington Lodge, Southwark,
and at the time of going to press is still there and stated to be happy
and comfortable.