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return to work or continue happily in their own homes. Others have
been referred to social services such as National Assistance, W.V.S.
and the Housing Department.
We find that many remaining partners are undecided about their
future and tactful advice at this stage may prevent them breaking up
their home which later they often regret.
Home Accidents
A considerable number of people continue to be followed up
after home accidents. Our liaison with our local hospital has been
good and for many years they had been sending us particulars of
these monthly. Information was brief giving details of admission,
discharge and transfer to other hospitals. Many elderly people were
helped following their discharge and discussion on the prevention
of avoiding further accidents was one of the health visitor's aims.
The local link with the hospital was made more difficult when
all such reports went to Chelmsford for information, with the ultimate
object of reducing the incidence of home accidents. Our former
procedure was more efficient, and reports now come to us first, as
an early visit may assist the person recovering from an accident.
We continue preventive education against home accidents, taking
part in all the RoSPA campaigns locally. Group discussionsin welfare
centres were ideal, one health visitor doing this for three months at
a time, taking such objects as "Dangerous Pills", "Safe Materials*
and "Water Safety" etc.
Hospital Discharges
Information from hospitals outside the area vary; from hospitals
dealing with children it is good and the Almoner always telephones
if the matter is urgent. The health visitor visiting the local hospital
ward knows of the discharges weekly.
Geriatric Wards — notices here again vary from a detailed report
by the Almoner to a slip of paper which requests the health visitor to
visit and she does so, not even being aware of the patient's illness.
This sometimes can lead to confusion and unnecessary overlapping.
General Hospitals — unless the patient has an urgent problem
or is likely to require considerable care and relatives need support
we are not likely to hear of these. I feel, however, that we do know
of such very ill or helpless cases usually where hoists, walking
aids, laundry service and other facilities come within our province.