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They have allied themselves to all those who care for the comfort and
well-being of our Increasing population of old people, and in this are
doing excellent work.
They keep what amounts almost to a continuous census of the defective
and physically handicapped children of pre-school age, and in this way
greatly ease the task of care, ascertainment and placement of these unfortunate
young ones. And at all times both in the clinic and the home,
they spread the doctrines of prophylaxis and better health.
Some of them find time to attend courses of social studies so that
they can fit themselves the better to accomplish the many tasks of education
and research for which their wide training prepares them.
The families of the borough owe them a great debt which is in part
repaid by the visible results of their work in the fine children of East
Ham, happier, healthier and physically the superior of their counterparts
of a generation ago.
SECTION 25 "HOME NURSING
The Home Nursing Service has proved to be one of the corner stones of
social medicine. In fact, without their invaluable aid the family doctor
would find his burden of work too onerous, and many an old person would
receive infrequent scant attention but for their humanitarian ministrations.
The details of the work are clearly set out in the dissected schedules,
and the reduction in the total number of visits in 1953 and 1954, compared
with the figure for 1952, should not be construed as a lessening in the
volume of work.
Fewer routine visits are paid to chronic sick and old people who do not
need actual nursing care, leaving more time to devote to the host of aged and
Infirm who require skilled nursing, and the acute and sub-acute sick being
nursed at home.
'Charnwood' is used largely for the residential staff and is the focus
of administration.
mere is some difficulty in finding a suitable resident assistant
superintendent who would ensure the comfort and well-being of the nurses at
all times, and see to it that a comfortable home is indeed provided for
this hard-working section of the nursing community.
The nurses are encouraged to attend refresher courses in subjects
allied to their work, and lectures and demonstrations are arranged locally
to keep alive their clinical Interest and keep them abreast of current
medical and nursing problems.