Methodist Appeal To Finish Wesley Lodge

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28249, 10 April 1957, Page 7

Methodist Appeal To Finish Wesley Lodge

The cost of the new hospital Wing at Wesley Lodge, the Methodist Central Mission's eventide home, is £35,000, of which £5OOO is still needed for it to be opened tree of debt.

The superintendent of the Central Mission (the Rev. W. E. Falkingham) said yesterday that the mission was, therefore, appealipg for donations. Soon every household in Christchurch would receive a leaflet about the hospital and the appeal. Mr Falkingham said that the hospital was a community project sponsored by the mission. It would be open to all aged infirm persons, irrespective of church affiliation or financial position. Two Purposes The new hospital would be used for two purposes, he said. “The primary purpose is to provide nursing care, when needed, for those in the present Eventide Home and for aged infirm who at present cannot be admitted because of the degree of their infirmity.

One-third of the beds will be used for short-term patients, who will spend up to a month in the hospital. This will give relief to relatives and allow aged persons discharged from the public hospital to convalesce before returning home," said Mr Falkingham. An appeal made on Monday to drapery and furnishing firms has aiready resulted in one large store offering to furnish one room. A glassworks has given 44 spherical glass electric light shades, material for constructing lockers and a stool for each room. Church organisations will also be approached to provide furniture for the hospital.

The hospital wing advanced a stage further towards full operation on Monday when Sister I. Macadam, formerly sister-in-charge of the geriatric ward at the Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, began her duties as matron. All baths and most of the hand basins have now been installed, including a special bed-height bath. Another feature which will make it easy for patients to be

bathed is a shower with an approach graded so that a patient can be wheeled into it in a special chair.

The beds for the hospital can be adjusted to either nursing or ordinary height. They do not resemble an institution bed. Sixteen beds have already been given. Piped Oxygen Oxygen will be piped to each ward from a master cylinder containing 12 months’ supply. This will be the first time oxygen has been piped to the wards in a New Zealand geriatric hospital. The largest ward contains six beds, the smallest four, and there are also single rooms. Double doors from each ward and room lead on to a sun deck running the length of the building. Wheel chairs and beds will be wheeled on to the sun deck, or down a ramp on to the lawn.

Other features of the new hospital are hand basins in each ward and room, individual night lights, curtain tracks suspended from the ceiling to provide complete privacy, and plasticised linoleum which will obviate floor polishing.