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75
The needs of the elderly have become a major consideration in welfare
policy, and as would be expected, members of this group are more readily
seeking advice and help as the services become more widely known. The
provision of a handbook for distribution which is still in great demand
provides information hitherto not readily available, and more and more
elderly persons are becoming aware of the services now operating. Consequently
the case load of this group has rapidly increased. It has been
mentioned that there are 450 elderly persons registered but these are
persons who do not come within other categories of registration and the
total number of elderly persons known to the Department is far in excess of
this figure. The present case load per social worker is now 176, which is in
excess of the recognised workable load.
One of the major problems facing the elderly is that of suitable
housing but with the close liaison and co-operation of the Housing
Department many of these problems have been resolved and 51 cases were
investigated by the social workers in this connection. Another 17 cases of
other categories were also dealt with in a like manner.
It has, therefore, been a year of steady progress and the foundations
already prepared will enable future plans for expansion to develop in a
smooth constructive manner.