View report page

30
this a great deal of work and persuasion was necessary.
The Domestic Help Organiser was contacted and a domestic
help was provided daily. In addition the next door
neighbour, who was extremely helpful, undertook to do the
old lady's shopping and to call in every day. The Red
Cross Commandant also visited weekly.
The old lady's physical condition, however, deteriorated
and the neighbour referred to above, not hearing her
moving around, and finding the doors secured, gained
access with the aid of the Police. On further visitation,
the old lady was found to be in a very weak state, and as
she had no doctor attending her, the neighbour, on the
advice of the Health Department, called in her own
medical practitioner to give medical attention, and every
effort was made to get the old lady into hospital,
fortunately with success.
Case No. 2
This case, an old lady aged eighty-nine years, was
living alone. She had indicated her willingness to go into
institutional accommodation and efforts were being made
by the District Officer to get her admitted. Unfortunately
before anything could be done she fell ill with acute
bronchitis and was confined to bed. She was visited
regularly by one of the visitors and her step-daughter came
to live with her temporarily. At the request of the visitors
arrangements were made through the District Officer for
the old lady to be provided with a bed rest and a rubber
ring. Her doctor was also calling in frequently. The old
lady subsequently died and at the request of the stepdaughter
all the bedding etc., which had been used, was
removed by the Health Department and destroyed.
Case No. 3
This was the case of an old lady aged eighty-one years
living alone, which came to the notice of the Health
Department just before Christmas. According to the
report of the visitor, she was confined to bed and had to
fend for herself relying for food on what could be left near
at hand by the Domestic Help who was going in daily.
The Senior Sanitary Inspector visited the house and made
the necessary arrangements to see that the old lady was
not left alone over Christmas. A doctor was also in
attendance and he was, fortunately, successful in getting
her admitted to hospital so that the arrangements made by
the Senior Sanitary Inspector were not necessary.