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who died at home; a male, aged 21, found dead at Open Air Swimming
Pool; a female, aged 59, who died on arrival at King George Hospital;
and a male, aged 54, who died at home.
Miss M.J. Copping, Welfare Officer for Old Folk, reports as
follows:-
"During the year 1961 I made 702 visits to the homes of elderly
persons or their relatives. Visits to the relatives occasionally
entailed a journey to another area and usually took place during
evening hours. Most of these visits to relatives were made at the
request of the relatives themselves, and such requests are always
welcomed by me, as almost invariably they are an indication of a
genuine interest in the old person's welfare and of family solidarity.
Those relatives who have no inclination to fulfil their responsibilities,
or who are trying to dodge them, do not ask to be visited.
I also interviewed 308 persons either at the Public Health
Offices, or elsewhere to suit the convenience of the persons
concerned.
For instance I saw a few in public restaurants where we talked
while we had a cup of tea together. Others I met in the house of a
neighbour who kindly offered the use of a room for an hour to make
privacy possible for an old person unable to travel to the Public
Health Offices, and without privacy in their own accommodation.
Among these, were elderly tenants of rooms in owner occupied
houses, whose relationships with their landlords were strained
or even openly hostile. Others were living in disharmony with offspring
or other relatives and wanted to keep the interview secret.
A few were living with a senile partner, and consequently could not
have an uninterrupted conversation in their own home.
In many of the cases where strained relationships were the
primary problem the cause could readily be detected, but some
were very complex cases and several visits were necessary before
any clear picture of the situation could be formed. I try to persuade
my clients to allow me to meet any other persons involved. There
is much danger in hearing only one side of the story or in accepting
the story of outsiders. I find that the public are predisposed to
sympathise with every old person, but I am sorry to say that old age
is not invariably the period of sweet reasonableness and endearing
mellowness, that the uninitiated are inclined to suppose it to be,