Cost Of Keeping Old Persons In Hospital

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 17

Cost Of Keeping Old Persons In Hospital

The cost each year to keep elderly persons in hospitals in Christchurch was a minimum of £60,000. said Dr. H R. Donald, chairman of the executive of the Christchurch Aged People's Welfare Council, when he presented his report at the quarterly meeting of the council last evening. Dr. Donald said that the finding pf accommodation for elderly persons was “as hard as ever." He said hospital beds were limited and 30 per cent, of the elderly persons in hospitals required only simple nursing care and supervision. “On social and economic grounds it is unfair," Dr. Donald said. He said that there was no hope at the moment that the position could be improved The Mayor (Mr G. Manning), who was chairman of the meeting, said that the Christchurch City Council hoped to open more pensioners’ cottages in the near future. Dr. Donald reported that

the advent of television had made a great difference to old persons. In the hospitals they were stimulated by watching television and became “more alive,” he said. A central club was required for the elderly persons of Christchurch, Dr. Donald said. The site and size of the club must be carefully considered. “We must think of the years ahead ” Dr. Donald said an attack must be made on preventing old people from becoming lonely. The classes conducted by the council transformed elderly persons. They became cheerful and very interested, he said. The chairman of the finance committee (Mr W. H. Larcombe) told the meeting that the council could still do with a lot more money. A full report of the council’s finances was not available yet but would be released at the annual general meeting. LANGFORD HOUSE Modernisation Planned About £2BOO left by Dr. Catherine Newman to the Christchurch Aged People’s Welfare Council will be used by the council to modernise Langford House, Dr. H. R. Donald told the quarterly meeting of the council last evening. He said the home was at present sub-standard. Many old patients of Dr. Newman might be willing to contribute to a fund for work on the home, he said. The work would cost about £6500 A wing of the building would be named after Dr. Newman, “This would be a permanent memorial to the work done by Dr. Newman for the elderly people of Sydenham.” he said.