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The position at the end of i960 was as followst-
Number of Homes on the registers-
Maternity Nil
Others 5
Number of beds provided 78
The Nursing Homes in Wimbledon were again found to be maintained and run
in a satisfactory manner. Close supervision was paid during the visits to the
way in which the records of the Homes were kept, that proper attention was
being paid to fire precautions, and the Council's byelavra were being complied
with.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT 1948 - CAflE OF THE AGED
Under Section 47 of the above Act, power is given to the Councils of
County Boroughs and County Districts to apply to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction
for an Order for removal and detention, in a suitable hospital or
other place, of persons who
(a) are suffering from grave chronic disease, or, being aged,
infirm or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary
conditions; and
(b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving
from other persons, proper care and attention.
The 1951 National Assistance (Amendment) Act enables Local Authorities
to deal more expeditiously with very urgent cases by initial removal, for a
period not exceeding three weeks.
One old lady, for whom an Order under Section 47 of the 1948 Act had been
obtained in September 1958, was still in hospital at the beginning of i960.
This Order which had been extended during 195S and 1959, was further extended
on three occasions during i960, and at the end of the year the patient was
still in hospital.
A number of other cases were brought to the notice of the Public Health
Department during the year, but in each instance a satisfactory solution was
arrived at without resort to compulsion.
The care of the aged still presents a considerable problem. A great deal
is done to assist them by the local voluntary services such as the Guild of
Social Welfare, but in many cases the old people create their own problems by
refusing to co-operate. The District Nurses and Home Helps play a vital part
in assisting these elderly people, thereby enabling them to remain at home in
reasonable comfort. Still more could be done if more Home Helps could be
recruited.
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