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141
her own living. Such cases deserve all the help which can be
given locally and should attract the maximum financial assistance
available from state sources.
Throughout the year, women public health officers, who are all
qualified health visitors and nurses, maintained a comprehensive
visiting service to the elderly, the frequency of which depended
upon individual circumstances. In each case the person was made
aware of the help and services available to him/her. In 1965, the
number of visits made specifically by these officers to the elderly
was over 36,000, which total does not include those made by welfare
social workers to the elderly, blind and physically handicapped nor
the visits made by other health visitors, district nurses, mental
health officers, home help organisers or public health inspectors.
Local workers known to be active in old people's welfare work are
supplied with pre-paid reply post-cards to enable them to notify
the department of any elderly person likely to require a visit.
Receipt of such a card produces an immediate visit from the
geriatric visitor who leaves a visiting card of her own in order that
the department may be notified if and when assistance is required.
Although notification to the department by general practitioners
of elderly people at risk is still not obligatory, nevertheless,
regular contact with local doctors, clergymen, National Assistance
Board officers, home help organisers and others enables the department
to maintain a confidential register which has proved of
inestimable value in indicating day-to-day needs of any elderly
person. Moreover, the register is not only an indication of the size
of the problem but also a reliable guide to the planning of services.
As the majority of our 30,000 or so persons of pensionable age are
reasonably tit and well there is no necessity, indeed it would be
impractical, to list them all and our register, therefore, relates only
to those elderly persons being regularly visited and in receipt of
health and welfare services.
Visiting
All services relevant to those elderly with diminished physical
and/or mental activity germinate from skilled and diligent visiting.
Great emphasis is therefore placed on visiting by highly qualified
officers. The relationships established by the visitors with the old
people influence the attitude which the elderly adopt to our efforts
made to help and assist them and the first visits or contacts can
make the difference between success and failure.