[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Royal Leamington Spa Borough.

  • Leamington (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Royal Leamington Spa Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/36 (page 13)
    NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948 In accordance with Par. 47 of the above Act it was necessary to recommend action in the following case :— 1. Miss L. A. B— (aged. 83 years). Living alone in a ground floor flat and causing nuisance to sub-tenants in rooms over. Home helps were refused admission and offers of help from relatives were declined. The old lady, aged over 80 years, was much crippled by progressive Arthritis. When seen in October, 1954, she was in a dirty condition and her flat in a state of nuisance. She was not having proper meals or attention. An application was made to the Magistrates’ Court but the hearing was deferred until a bed could be found in late November, 1954. The Magistrates then made an order for her removal to Lakin House, Warwick and detention there for three months. The County Welfare Officer was asked to take custody of her property and a large sum in cash was found among her effects. Two other cases referred by doctors were assisted as follows :— 2. Mrs. L— (60). Living in cheerless slum cottage in a potential clearance area. Onset of senile decay had numbed all desire to do things for herself and she was in privation through lack of fires and cooked meals. A home help was supplied and made things much more comfortable for several months but the old lady failed suddenly in health and died. 3. Mr. S— (aged over 80 years). Lived with his daughter in a small unfit house. He was permanently ill with Bronchitis and Heart trouble. The daughter took ill with Pneumonia and could no longer care for him. District Nursing attention was arranged until a bed in hospital was found for him. Other reports were investigated and action taken. 4. Mr. C— (aged 83) was found to be in bad conditions resulting from incontinence of urine. It was arranged through the good offices of the local W.V.S. Office to supply the old man with a change of outer and under clothes. 5. Mrs. F—. Elderly lady semi-paralysed following a stroke and dependent upon care from a male cousin. Arrangements were made with her doctor to send her into hospital. 6. Miss G—. Elderly lady who had lost one leg by surgical amputation and cared for by a niece. Arrangements made through Health Visitor for approval by National Assistance Board to supply necessary blankets. 7. Mr. and Mrs. S—. Elderly couple (ailing wife) were rehoused from Clearance Area to new bungalow with special assistance arranged with Housing Manager, owing to bad state of their furniture. Extra bedding supply arranged and wheel chair ordered through County Health Department to enable the wife to be taken out. 8. Mrs. S— (80). Cared for as bedfast case in upstairs room by two sisters aged 84 and 78 years. She had had strokes which caused mental confusion and incontinence. The whole burden of the house was too much for the younger of the sisters and priority of admission to hospital was arranged. 9. Mrs. S— (70) was reported to be in financial difficulties. This proved to be incorrect as she had a small pension which made her ineligible for National Assistance.