View report page

42
OLD PEOPLE LIVING AT HOME
(Report by the Medical Officer of Health.)
Introductory.
It is common knowledge that people are living much longer than they
used to do, and in recent Annual Reports I have shown the extent of the
increased expectation of life.
For various reasons, mostly legislative, "old age" is considered to begin
at the age of 60 in the case of women and at 65 in the case of men. The care
of the elderly has become a social and economic problem of great magnitude
and, after unsuitable or inadequate housing, loneliness is the most distressing
feature of old age.
Like all other members of the community, old people prefer to be at
home and every endeavour should be made to minister to their comfort
there; but there is no more distressing and tragic picture than that of the
old person, handicapped by physical and mental deterioration, neglected and
lonely, and unable to attend to the most elementary of human needs.
The greatest need of the moment is for an expansion and co-ordination of
the domiciliary services available for old people.
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
During recent years there has been added one more (Geriatrics) to the
already long and increasing list of medical specialities; but Local Health
Services are, or should be, as much concerned with the care and welfare of
Old People as they are with Children under School Age.
Unfortunately, as in the case of other Health Services, there are several
independentiy constituted Authorities concerned—the Local Sanitary
Authority with the prevention and control of disease in old people; the
County Council as Health Authority with their care and after-care; the
County Council as Welfare Authority with the provision of Homes, Hostels
and certain other services; and the National Assistance Board with supplementary
financial assistance. There is no statutory liaison between these
independent authorities, and any co-operation that exists is effected by the
exercise of tact, goodwill and patience—generally at officer level.
The existence of so many Authorities, dealing with different aspects of
the same problem, results in overlapping of services and duplication of
effort ; but it has the risk that old people may remain neglected or unknown,
especially if they do not conform exactly to one or other of the administrative
set patterns.
No matter how efficient the services, they will avail little unless we
know where they are required.
WHAT WE KNOW
1. The Census of 1951 disclosed that there are in Leyton some 12,803
persons over 65 years of age; these figures give us some idea of their ages
and marital status.