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There are still many elderly people waiting for Part III accommodation. Much
can be done to reduce this, by encouraging them to remain longer in their own home,
with the assistance of voluntary organisations, Home helps and the District Nurses.
Much is being done in Middlesex to interest the husbands of Home Helps. During
the last six months 37 Housing Associations for the elderly have been formed in
this Country, bringing the total up to 286.
In a recent address to the National Old People's Welfare Council, Dr. A.M.
Exton-Smith, Secretary of the British Geriatrics Society, stated that old people
were making a much greater claim on the hospital services now than at the start
of the National Health Service. At the present time, more than 50 per cent of
patients in general wards of hospitals were of pensionable age and over, and this
was twice as many as in 1948. He referred to the debate in the House of Lords in
December 1961, during which figures were quoted showing that there were over one
million people of pensionable age in England and Wales confined to their homes and
a further 98,000 confined to bed. It was obvious from these figures that old people
would provide a major challenge to the Health Service during the next twenty years.
Flatlets:
Mention was made in the last Report of our proposal to build a block of flatlets
for elderly people who are still capable of looking after themselves in suitable
accommodation. I am pleased to say we hope to start building in April 1963.
(The estimated cost is £21,094. There will be 12 single flatlets and two double
flatlets for married couples, together with Warden's accommodation). We are greatly
indebted to the Hendon Borough Council for a grant of £2,500 towards these flatlets;
also they have kindly arranged a mortgage."
STAFF MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
During the year under review 116 new entrants or employees of the Hendon
Borough Council were medically examined for superannuation purposes.
Of this number 114 were passed as fit, and a decision on two others was deferred
for a further six months.
The number of examinations in respect of each department of the Council was
as follows:-
Town Clerk's 12
Borough Treasurer's 10
Borough Engineer's 55
Borough Librarian's 17
Borough Housing 22
Medical Officer of Health's -
116
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