[Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Monmouthshire County Council.

  • Monmouthshire (Wales). County Council.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Monmouthshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/108 (page 17)
    9 17 GERIATRIC SERVICE. The year 1957 showed a natural follow-on of the work of the previous year. There was a steady flow of notification of cases for domiciliary physio- therapy by the general practitioners of the County. The tendency to notify cases particularly those of residual hemiplegia at an early date following the onset of the condition, was maintained and the resultant good effects were felt in the community concerned. It is now no unusual sight to see a person who has been treated by the domiciliary physiotherapist after some months walking unaccompanied in the streets, depending for assistance in balance upon a well selected walking stick only. The number of cases notified in this and other categories such as arthritis increased slightly on the previous year. During the year the Health Visitors have, where asked by the Geriatric Officer and Almoners, visited the homes of several old people particularly where it was thought advisable to keep an eye on a patient recently returned from hospital or one waiting to enter. It has been found of very great value to have this closer co-operation of the Health Visitors, District Nurses and Welfare Officers when dealing with the cases as a whole. It is believed that earlier home supervision of lonely old people with an increase of all the ancillary services in the home such as increased hours of some home helps, visits by health visitors, encouragement of friendly visits by voluntary social workers, domiciliary physiotherapy and night companions or attendants will all help to prevent the senile deterioration which one finds with so many old people. Keeping the aged healthy in mind and body is also of paramount importance when one is faced with the difficulties of hospital- isation, if and when domestic arrangements break down. Mi. Stratford Leach assisted by Mr. Holley was again in charge of the operation of the domiciliary physiotherapy. Night Attendant Service. The Night Attendant Service was set up in 1948 when it was found that insufficient hospital beds were available for the elderly sick. It has been proved to be needed for: — 1. 2. The elderly sick living alone and needing care at night. 1 he elderly sick whose relatives become fatigued and overwrought through lack of sleep, caused by the patient needing attention at night. It is 1. intended to be a short term measure to cover situations such as: — Where the patient is dying and is in need of constant care.