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48
greatly benefit the many old people in the area. Indeed, plans were
already put in hand to strengthen the social services by way of providing
cheap holidays, an Old People's Home, and also Community
Centres. It is satisfactory to note that in the present financial year
the amount of money to be made available has been considerably
increased above the original £3,000.
While the facilities for old people in Battersea were in many ways
a pioneer service (for instance the Meals on Wheels service), this
extension of the work, backed by strong finances and a keen and
experienced Committee, will enable many new and important steps
forward to be taken, and it may be confidently expected that in the
years to come the facilities and services available for old people in
Battersea will be still further extended and enhanced. It is a privilege
to be able to acknowledge in this Report the outstanding contributions,
both of time and experience, that the members of the Old People's
Voluntary Committee have made and are making to this most important
work.
Removal under Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948.
One of the more unpleasant duties of the Public Health Department
is to arrange, when necessary, for the compulsory removal of an old
person living under poor conditions and suffering from chronic illness to
hospital. This is a duty which we try to avoid, and in most cases are
successful, for it is possible usually, in conjunction with the patient's own
doctor, to persuade the old person that his/her health requires that they
should enter hospital. Unfortunately, occasionally our efforts are in
vain, and when it is quite clear that it is in the best interests of the old
person that he should be taken to hospital in spite of his refusal to accept
advice, then a Magistrate's Order must be obtained. It was necessary to
take such action in only two cases during the year, and in one of these
after steps had been taken to obtain a Magistrate's Order, the old lady
decided she would go to hospital voluntarily. This particular old lady
did very well in hospital, and eventually was discharged back to her
home. Unfortunately, the other case died some time after admission.
In handling the problems which arise in connection with the care
of old people, particularly where the possibility of admission to hospital
arises, we work very closely with the family doctor and the hospitals,
especially St. John's Hospital, Battersea. This hospital has a first-class
geriatric unit where outstandingly good work has been done for old people
admitted. I should like to take the opportunity of expressing the thanks
of the Battersea Public Health Department to the hospital, particularly to
Dr. Sthyr, the Physician Superintendent, and his staff, for the great help
we have received. Many old people are seen by Dr. Sthyr himself in
their own homes, and everything is done to help the old person and
reassure him about conditions in the hospital. An increasing number
of old people are now being admitted to this hospital, where they do
so well that they are able to return to their own homes rehabilitated
and very much better in health, both physically and mentally, than
when they entered the hospital. Indeed, the feeling which at one time
was quite widespread that once an old person was admitted to hospital
he never came out is now far from being the case, and many old people
are admitted for possibly quite short periods, with much benefit both
physically and mentally.