London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Richmond upon Thames 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
This page requires JavaScript
treasured things were said to be disappearing from her home. Various members of the
Health Department Staff continued to visit from time to time and each time offers of
help were politely, but equally firmly, refused. To use compulsory powers to have this
old lady transferred to a welfare home would have been cruel even more so because
of her blindness. The tenant of the upstairs accommodation, an elderly widow with a
disability, was persuaded to provide some food for her each day and this arrangement
continued for a while until the accusations became too unbearable for this source of
help to be continued. Eventually the old lady began to deteriorate physically and
mentally and after much persuasion agreed to have a home help. Finally, in November,
1966, arrangements were made for a district nurse to go in daily and now the old lady
is well fed and kept clean and tidy.
Compulsory Admission to Hospital.
During the year an old lady was admitted to hospital under Section 47 of the
National Assistance Act, 1948. She died shortly after admission.
Residential Accommodation.
Mr. J. D. Elliott, D.P.A., A.I.S.W., Chief Welfare Officer, comments:—
"The following table shows the number of persons, analysed by age and sex, who, on the 31st December, 1966, were either accommodated in one of the Homes under the control of the Welfare Committee or for whom the Committee had accepted financ;ai responsibility in a Voluntary Home:—
| Age | Borough Homes | Voluntary Homes | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | W omen | Men | Women | ||
| Under 30 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| 30—49 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 |
| 50—64 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
| 65—74 | 17 | 52 | 17 | 10 | 96 |
| 75—84 | 31 | 151 | 14 | 36 | 232 |
| 85 and over | 24 | 121 | 7 | 41 | 193 |
| Total | 74 | 329 | 42 | 96 | 541 |
94 of the persons shown in the table above as being in Borough Homes were accommodated
on behalf of other Local Authorities but a further 41, not included in the table,
were accommodated in other Local Authorities' Homes on behalf of the Council,
making a net total of 488 persons for whom the Welfare Committee was responsible
as at the 31st December".
My thanks are dud to Dr. James Andrews, Consultant Physician to the Geriatric
Service, South West Middlesex Group, for the following personal comments:—
"The Geriatric Department of the West Middlesex Hospital cares for a population
of 446,000 and includes the part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
north of the river (Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton and Hampton Wick).
Probably the most pressing needs with regard to local authority services for the
elderly in Richmond upon Thames, are:—
(i) For day centres to be established which, besides taking elderly people direct
from their homes, would act as "holding units" for handicapped patients discharged
from hospital who need care through the day and psychological stimulation to keep
them both mentally and physically active. In addition this has the socially desirable
features of providing relief to relatives. Diversional therapy should be organised,
35