London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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75
WELFARE OF AGED PERSONS
In 1931 the percentage of Hackney residents aged 65 and over was 7.2, and in 1921 it was 5.8.
| Age Distribution of Hackney Residents | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | 222,142 | 215,333 | 171,342 |
| 0-4 | 19,032 | 14,992 | 13,974 |
| 5-9 | 20,105 | 16,220 | 11,408 |
| 10-14 | 20,519 | 15,804 | 9,248 |
| 15-19 | 20,432 | 19,988 | 9,201 |
| 20-24 | 19,734 | 22,308 | 12,213 |
| 25-29 | 19,062 | 21,123 | 14,380 |
| 30 - 34 | 17,534 | 17,165 | 13,106 |
| 35-39 | 16,003 | 14,421 | 14,263 |
| 40-44 | 14,816 | 13,616 | 14,206 |
| 45-49 | 13,568 | 13,266 | 12,813 |
| 50-54 | 11,530 | 12,389 | 10,990 |
| 55-59 | 9,332 | 10,538 | 9,199 |
| 60 64 | 7,468 | 8,385 | 8,242 |
| 65-69 | 5,605 | 6,410 | 7,094 |
| 70-74 | 3,778 | 4,525 | 5,506 |
| 75-79 | 2,162 | 2,549 | 3,312 |
| 80 - 84 | 1,012 | 1,152 | 1,547 |
| 85 - 89 | 356 | 408 | 521 |
| 90-94 | 79 | 63 | 108 |
| 95 and over | 15 | 11 | 11 |
Despite the extensive health and welfare legislation of the post-war
period, responsibility for the care of aged persons is still not very clearly
defined. The County and County Borough Councils are the welfare authorities
under the National Assistance Act, and responsibility for various parts of the
National Health Service Acts is divided between County and County Borough
Councils as local health authorities, regional hospital boards as hospital
authorities, and executive councils as the authorities responsible for the
general medical and general dental services The duties of local sanitary
authorities in regard to the care of the aged are very limited, being in the
main confined to taking action under Section 47 of the National Assistance Act,
1948, and Section 1 of the National Assistance (Amendment) Act, 1951, which
Provide for the compulsory removal to suitable accommodation of persons whose
physical state and environmental conditions justify such action. Nevertheless,
complaints regarding aged persons, and requests for assistance, are normally in
the first instance made to the health departments of local authorities.
This problem of aged persons being unable satisfactorily to fend for themselves
is one which touches the deepest sympathies of individuals, voluntary
organisations and public bodies. Unfortunately, nowadays families are in many
cases, through no fault of their own, unable to provide for the care of elderly
relatives as in the past. One cannot speak too highly of the services provided
by voluntary organisations up and down the country, and in this Borough
the Hackney Association for the Welfare of Old People continues to carry out
extensive welfare work of the highest order. The Hackney District Nursing
Association provides an excellent nursing service for aged persons suffering
from illness or disability in their own homes. the Home Help service provided
by the County Council plays a part of paramount importance, and as a result of