BEDS FOR THE INFIRM

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28935, 1 July 1959, Page 14

BEDS FOR THE INFIRM

“Position Never More Acute” • l ■' ‘■While considerable strides have been made jn recent years in the provision of supervised accommodation for the frail, the shortage of beds for the infirm in this city has never been more acute," said the chairman of the Christchurch Aged People’s Welfare Council executive (Dr. H. R Donald) at the annual meeting last evening. “We started from scratch in a difficult problem,” said Dr Donald. “And never in the last 10 years has the problem of the aged and the infirm been so distressing as it is today. We are not keeping up with it” The task was two-fold: the care of those who were already old and the prevention of others becoming “aged in the full sense of the word.” If the right formula for treatment and advice could be found, he said, many would not be in aged people’s homes today

The council ,’s activities were increasing, he said, and involved expenditure which last year amounted to £1423 for headquarters expenses and more than £ 1900 for the occupational therapy service. “No Guaranteed income”

“To meet these heavy commitments the council has no guaranteed income other than the £2OO which each year has been received from the City Council,” he said “In the past a grant of £735 has been received from the Health Department to assist in meeting salaries of the occupational therapists, but in spite of the recommendation of the Central Advisory Committee no further payments have been received since December of last year. “In previous years we have also been fortunate in getting a grant of £lOOO from the Minister of Internal Affairs to defray basic administration costs. The last of these grants was received ,in 1957. Because of this increasing financial stringency the council has had no alternative but to retain the majority of the proceeds from this year’s street appeal.” Dr. Donald said there had been a steady increase in the demand by elderly persons for advice and assistance.

This has emphasised the relative inaccessibility of the council existing offices,” he said “For this reason, your executive has thought it desirable to seek alternative accommodation within easier access of Cathedral square and has accordingly taken a threeyear lease of a large ground-floor room in the Chamber of Commerce building.”