Old age problem solved!

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33516, 23 April 1974, Page 18

Old age problem solved!

After struggling for Cen- ; turies with the problem of; 1 caring for the aged, a solution has been found whereby i care can be given more;; efficiently in a natural ;t environment, i.e. in the aged.l persons own home. Up until now an old i peoples’ home or hospital is z often the only place left for,:

a person, for whom the daily burden of living becomes too heavy. A modern trend in caring for those who are starting to find independent living a struggle, is the service centre in the community at large. People come from their home to the centre and get meals, help with a bath, or; hair wash, laundry service, advice etc. A more efficient and for the aged person, a more; convenient way is where the service centre is built in a complex of ownership flats, or rental flats, whereby the people engaged by the service centre go to the occupants of the flats, when their assistance is required. Services given are meals, domestic help, nursing care, laundrv services, handyman jobs, emergency treatments,; rubbish disposal, window! cleaning, gardening, etc.; Fees for these services vary; according to the degree of help required. This form of care; for—and accommodation of the aged have become so: popular in Europe that 800,000 of those service flats; are already occupied and' 80,000 persons are on waiting lists for one of these; units. The ideal service centre is the one that provides service to such a degree that the people can stay on in their flats for as long as they live/ ;so that the need to move; into an old peoples’ home or ihospital is eliminated. The, ’very latest type of service flats are having this ideal, type of centre built in. Christchurch is to be the; ■first centre in Australasia to have this exciting new concept of service flats by August next year. These flats; are now being offered by the; exclusive Sole Agents Sherris and Wilson Ltd. Prices vary from .$24,000 for a single unit to $39,000 for a two bedroom flat of 1240 sq.j I ft. The service fee varies: from $lO per week to $35 per week for the full ser-i vices. You are cordially invited to phone us at Sherris and Wilson Ltd. telephone 50-039: or our Fendalton branch 517-067 when one of our representatives will arrange to call on you with the full information. I — A DVT. i