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THE AGED IN THEIR OWN HOMES
In my Annual Report for 1955 I referred to a number of
surveys which have been carried out of old people living alone
and the valuable information they had revealed of the prevalence
of sickness and disablement among them. In 1956 a further
survey was undertaken in Camberwell and Lewisham of a systematic
sample (1 in 5) of all households containing persons
over the age of 65 years and assisted by the Domestic Help
Service.
There were 413 households in the sample containing 483
people aged 65 or more; 12 were aged over 90, the oldest being
98. Half of the people were concentrated in the age group
75-84 and about 75 per cent, were women. The excess of women
arises from their greater longevity.
Disabilities sufficiently severe to require treatment and
those which were not being treated were recorded (Table 1).
As was to be expected, most of the complaints, whether treated
or not, related to heart or other circulatory disease, high blood
pressure, cerebral vascular lesions, and chronic bronchitis.
There were cases of diabetes, a few advanced cases of cancer
and a few elderly tuberculous. There were larger numbers
with rheumatism or "senility". Only one was on the waiting
list of a hospital, and two had recently been discharged from
hospital treatment. Treatment in hospital is only a very small
part of the problem; the familiar picture is that of chronic
sickness —the lesser illness but major worry of restricted movement,
pain and discomfort —requiring some regular nursing
and medical care, but most of all constant companionship and
encouragement.
Only two males and nine females (3 per cent, of the total)
were permanently bedridden ; 10 per cent, were bedridden
intermittently, while 87 per cent, were ambulant. Of the men
18 per cent, and of the women 33 per cent, were confined to the
house by restriction of movement; this included a third of
those who were ambulant at home (Table 2). Cases of incontinence
were rare—only one man and two women.
It was found that 8 per cent, of the men and 12 per cent,
of the women were receiving foot treatment and a further 4 percent,
of the men and 2 per cent, of the women were in need of
such treatment though not yet receiving it. Many of those who
had received chiropody had obtained it privately.
Social and Recreational Life.
A tenth of the men and a quarter of the women were alone
at night. It was discovered that some two-thirds received