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11.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT. 1948. SECTION 50.
In ten instances the Public Health Department was called upon
to arrange the burial of a person who was either without any
known relative, or the relatives were unable to meet the cost of
arranging a private funeral.
The total cost of the burials was £110.14s.9d. and £86.17s.1d.
has been recovered from the estates of the deceased, from relatives
or from death grants.
CARE OF THE AGED.
Much publicity has been given in recent years to the problem
of the aged and as the facilities provided by the Council and
voluntary societies became more widely known, so more cases
requiring assistance come to light.
In 1964, 275 cases were reported to the department, an increase
of over 80 per cent compared with the previous year. It is obvious
more of the department's time is being occupied with problems of
the aged and the continued expansion of such services as meals on
wheels, home helps, flatlets for old people, holidays, etc. must be
anticipated.
In two cases it was necessary to obtain a magistrate's order
for compulsory removal to hospital. One lady, aged 87 years, finally
entered a home voluntarily and the magistrate's order was not enforced.
The other case, a man aged 92 years, was senile and unable to look
after himself. An order was obtained for his detention in hospital
for three weeks, but as he subsequently agreed to remain in hospital
it was not necessary to renew the order.
PUBLIC HEALTH LAUNDRY.
This service has now been in operation for eight years. The
number of persons requiring assistance showed a very slight decrease
during the year and varied between 24 and 30. At 31st December
1964 five of the patients had been having the laundry service for
more than four years, two for more than two years and six for more
than one year.
The soiled articles are collected, laundered and delivered twice
a week and the total number of articles dealt with during the year was
15,261.