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49
sided, many old people become set in their ways and resent dependence
on their children whom they do not always look upon as adults.
Cases which attract most attention are those which come to the
notice of the department by reason of a breakdown in care of the
aged person. But it is a pleasant surprise to come across
instances in which sons and daughters and neighbours look after
the aged and infirm at great personal inconvenience. These instances
are not publicised, and it is usually only by chance that
they become known.
The practice of close co-operation with the geriatric department
of St. Ann's General Hospital has continued, in particular,
in the arrangement whereby lists of patients noted for admission
are sent to the Health Department, visited and a report on the
home circumstances sent back to the Hospital Almoner. These are
then considered in conjunction with the particulars of the case
supplied by the general practitioner and priority of admission
assessed by the hospital authorities.
The turnover of beds in the hospital is small and even quite
urgent (but not acute) cases have to wait some time for a bed.
This is due to the fact that the provision of places both in old
people's homes and hospitals is not sufficient to meet the need,
especially in the winter months. A number of cases in hospital
recover sufficiently to go to a welfare home, but not to their own
homes. Often, however, there are no vacancies in the welfare
homes. The result is that the already inadequate number of
hospital beds is still further reduced because a number are
blocked by welfare home cases which cannot be moved.
The Regional Hospital Board has contractual arrangements with
certain nursing homes throughout its area to take chronic sick as
vacancies become available.
Provision of Laundry facilities for old people
The scheme outlined in my report for 1954 has been continued
and it has been found that this service for dealing with bed linen
and other articles soiled by bed-ridden incontinent aged persons
has met a real need. But for this service it would have been
impossible for those looking after many of the cases to have coped
with the difficulties of keeping the patient at home and it is
felt that in this way it has been possible to relieve the demand
beds in hospitals or for the admission of old people to homes.
During the year 536 collections were made.