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PREVENTION OF ILLNESS. CARE AND AFTER-CARE
REPORT OF THE GERIATRIC LIAISON OFFICER
A greater understanding of Local Authority services for the elderly
has I feel been of great help to the General Practitioners and hospital
staff, thus enabling a continued and co-ordinated service on patients
leaving hospital.
Home assessment visits continued to advise on the care of the
elderly and the follow-up observation of patients discharged from hospital.,
these forming a major part of my work.
Cases Visited 1970 No. of Cases
Referred by Geriatric Consultants on
discharge from hospital 213
Referred by General Practitioners 14
Referred by Consultant Physicians on discharge
from hospital 129
Miscellaneous Referrals 390
Revisits to cases 709
Total visits made 1,455
Geriatric Clinic - Porters Avenue Clinic
The number of attendances of our geriatric courses in 1970
were 44. 37 clients asked for a medical examination but since 2
were already under hospital investigation, only 35 were examined.
Their ages ranged from 63 to 73 years.
Marital State of those examined Female Male
Married and living with spouse 18 8
Widow or widower living alone 7 1
Widow or widower living with
relations 1 0
26 9
Medical History
13 patients had been attending their General Practitioners
regularly. 9 had not consulted their General Practitioner for more
than a year. This group is really interesting since they underline
the 'raison d'etre' of the clinic. Only 1 was really healthy and
in good condition. Another 2 could be considered fairly well if
one disregarded their gross obesity, one 20% and the other 35% overweight.
The latter patient also had very bad varicose veins which
were the reason for consulting her General Practitioner one year
ago. The remaining 6 patients were hypertensive, 4 severely so.
One with a B.P. of 210/105 and with hypertensive heart disease;
another with a B.P. of 210/70 and with complete heart block; the
third one with a B.P. of 230/40 and with hypertensive cerebral symptoms;
and the fourth with a B.P. of 205/100, grossly obese (50%) and, had
hypertensive heart disease
50