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47
At all times the good relationship which exists between the
patient, relatives and nurse is of infinite value and something to
be guarded. Co-operation with the three legs of the National Health
Services is also essential to the success of district nursing.
Finally, the district nurse (as a person) should always be
approachable, friendly yet professional to all people who wish to
confide in her. She is before the eye of the community and the
public set store by her principles, general behaviour, appearance
and standard of work. In this respect she serves patient, family
and community.

Of these the largest proportion were suffering from cardiac
failure, cerebral degeneration, arthritis and carcinoma and the
remainder mainly from respiratory infections and post operative
conditions.
Domestic Help Service
Over the years the Domestic Help Service has brought great
relief and comfort to hundreds of old people especially those
living alone, who very often are heard to remark that "they don t
know how they would have got on without it Regular attendances
from 'their own' domestic help means so much to them, apart from
the value of often helping to keep good standards in the home and
very often in the person.
Throughout the Winter months this Service had proved very
valuable where it has been necessary for fires to be lighted daily,
this very often being one of the few comforts that is left to aged
people, since in most cases they are home bound.
In both areas there are a number of bed ridden cases where but
for service given by Domestic Helps together with Meals on Wheels
Incontinent Laundry Service and District Nurse, working in conjunction
with each other, they would not be able to remain in their
own homes.
Some of the typical problems facing old people are namely
inability to get out in severe weather conditions, (very often to
collect pensions), climbing stairs to bring in coals etc. There
is also the problem of loneliness and difficulty in enlisting help
from neighbours who all too often look upon old people as a
nuisance. All the difficulties are very often ironed out by the
attendance of a domestic help together with check visits by domestic
help organisers.