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sickness—cannot be properly cared for at home and cannot be admitted to hospital
without a prolonged period of waiting. One typical case was that of an elderly lady
who was alone in the house during the day except for an occasional call by a
neighbour. There appeared to be no person available to prepare food or to wash
her or attend to her physical needs, and when seen she had probably had very little
in the way of nourishment for several days, nor had she washed or been washed for
a considerable time. She was not on any doctor's list, although an emergency call
had been made to a doctor. The London Executive Council were immediately
informed and given the appropriate particulars regarding assignment to a doctor,
and eventually it was found possible to obtain admission for her to a hospital.
Unfortunately she died two days after admission, but it was only by a happy accident
that she had not been left to die unattended at home.
The removal of the obligation upon a public hospital to accept a case through the
Assistance Officer after the passing of the National Assistance Act has created a
situation where the problem of home care and supervision of elderly persons, including
the provision of a regular meals service, is becoming increasingly important and
necessary.
Meals on Wheels Service.
During the year the Council approved a scheme for the supply of hot mid-day
meals to old people, particularly those old persons who had difficulty in leaving their
homes to get a meal or to make their own purchases. The selection of persons to be
supplied will be made on the basis of a recommendation by the Medical Officer of
Health, after enquiry, it is intended that information regarding persons who should
be considered for Meals on Wheels service assistance will be gathered from medical
practitioners, district nurses, Family Welfare Association workers, National
Assistance Board officers, local health authority departments and voluntary
organisations. The recommendations will then be forwarded to the Hon. Organiser
of the Women's Voluntary Services, who has been made responsible by the Council
for the running of the service, with the assistance of a Council grant under Section 31
of the National Assistance Act.
Cleansing of Old Persons.
Further consideration was also given to the problem of elderly persons who
have become generally careless in regard to their personal habits and state of
cleanliness and are in need of personal disinfestation. Such persons, apart from
being verminous, usually wear neglected and filthy clothing, and the bedding is
also frequently found to be in a deplorable condition whether it is verminous or
not. The home is generally neglected, and even after cleansing these persons often
continue to wear dilapidated and dirty underclothing, and return to a home where
the bedding is unclean, worn or verminous.
Having regard to these facts, and since the greater proportion of such persons
are in receipt of old age pensions or national assistance benefit, arrangements were
made, in conjunction with the Family Welfare Association and National Assistance
Board, that where elderly persons who are physically feeble and confined to their
homes were treated at the Cleansing Station, arrangements would be made to
provide underclothing to be delivered at the Station at the same time as the cleansing
was being done and for the dirty and worn bedding to be replaced. The person