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Retirement pensions are likely to show a rapid increase, and in 25
years they will cost nearly £700,000,000 per annum. Expenditure is
expected to outstrip income by 1954 or 1955, and the gap will increase
rapidly in succeeding years. In 25 years it is estimated that this gap will
be £420,000,000 per annum.
In this district, during the year, a considerable proportion of the
work of the department has been concerned with the care of the aged.
The Medical Officer of Health is frequently asked to intervene to obtain
admission to hospital of aged persons, who cannot be adequately cared
for in their own homes. In this connection, the standard as set out in
Section 47 of the National Assistance Act is taken as the yardstick by
which the home circumstances of these unfortunate elderly patients are
judged. This section describes them as (a) suffering from grave chronic
disease or, being aged, infirm or physically incapacitated, living in insanitary
conditions, or (b) unable to devote to themselves, and not
receiving from other persons, proper care and attention.
It has generally been estimated that the number of old people, who
must of necessity be admitted to a hospital or other institution, represents
only approximately 3 per cent. of the elderly people in a district. The
other 97 per cent. who remain at home, are helped to continue active and
in normal health by the assistance of the domiciliary services. These are
the provision of home helps and nursing services by the County Council,
and recreational activities at Old People's Clubs and Associations.
In so far as these services relieve the minor degrees of ill-health and
monotony of existence for these old persons, they are essentially preventive
in character, and are an extremely valuable contribution to the problem
of the care of the aged. One cannot help but feel that it would be true
economy to upgrade these services, and thus prevent, or postpone, more
serious illness amongst old persons, which would inevitably lead them
to seek hospital admission.
One very important aspect of the geriatric problem, and one which
undoubtedly does contribute in large measure to a proper domiciliary
settlement of old persons, is the building of old people's houses by
municipal authorities. During the year, the Corporation of Beddington
and Wallington, who thus took their place among the more enlightened
local authorities, opened eight old people's houses in Harcourt Avenue.
These homes comprise one bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom.
This provision for old people supplements that already undertaken
by the Corporation in 1949, when 12 houses of the same type were built
on the Park Farm estate. Work has already commenced on a further
building programme for 28 houses suitable for the aged in Richmond
Road.
Most authorities are agreed that if suitable houses can be built and
adequate domiciliary services provided, it should be possible to keep
many old persons at home, who would otherwise be obliged to enter a
State-aided home, institution or hospital. With the passage of time, the
domiciliary services will probably be considerably augmented, with the
provision of chiropody, physiotherapy, mobile meals, mobile libraries,
home laundry, and other home comforts, for example, bed linen, radio,
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