View report page

(v)
Food Poisoning - In spite of the very large number of eating
places and food shops in Kingston, no cases of food poisoning occurred
during 1961 which could be attributed to lack of hygiene in the trade.
Three sporadic eases of food poisoning occurred during the year,
and there was a total absence of outbreaks. No particular food or
vehicle of infection was implicated.
Every effort is made to maintain the highest possible standard in
the many eating places in the town, which cater for thousands of
visitors and business people daily. It is to some extent a measure of
the success of the vigilance maintained and the standards practised
which go a long way towards preventing possible contamination of foodstuffs.
The Aged - As the aged increase so does the problem of their care.
The proportion of old people, it is estimated, has increased from. 4.7%
at the beginning of the century to 11.9% now, and by 1978 it is expected
to reach 14.8% of the population,, This proportionate growth of
aged persons in the population has taken place and will continue in
the future because the number of persons surviving to 65 years of age
has markedly increased.
The average expectancy of life in 1900 was, for a male 44 years,
now it is 71 years; for a female it was 52 years, now it is 73 years.
This, therefore, poses the problem of increasing the organisation
and co-ordination of existing effective services namely (A) The medical
services (B) Local health and welfare services, and (C) The hospital
services. The problems of dealing with the aged and chronic sick are
always difficult. Apart from difficulties encountered in regard to
shortage of vacancies in Old People's Homes and of hospital beds
additional complications do arise when often the patients refuse to cooperate.
Most of them prefer to remain in their own homes and to
retain their independence despite existing difficulties and hardships.
In this regard, however, the effective work done by the members of the
local health authority services, the health visitor and social workers,
the district nurse, and home helps enables many old people to remain in
reasonable comfort in their own homes.
No mention of the existing services for the aged is complete without
referring to the valuable and important work undertaken by voluntary
organisations. There is no doubt that the value of the work carried out
on a voluntary basis reinforces the efforts and work of the statutory
bodies, and is an aid to the special needs of old people extending the
rang# of all provisions and services.