Life of some old people ‘appalling’

Press, 15 July 1976, Page 2

Life of some old people ‘appalling’

PA Auckland Appalling living conditions and feeding habits were apparent among some elderly Auckland people, according to Dr Kingsley Mortimer, head of the psycho-geriatric unit at Carrington Hospital.

He says he is both appalled and staggered at Auckland as an example of a so-called civilised community. He found that cheesecake was all that one elderly Auckland woman ate for months on end. Another old woman was living in very primitive conditions. her mattress stuffed with money, but she survived on packets of potato crisps. An old man was heating frozen supermarket dinners over an open brazier, or he simply ate them cold. The refrigerator in another, elderly person’s home was sprouting fungus through the door, and food had not been stored in it for a long time. These cases were the extremes, but many of Auckland’s elderly had bad eating habits, and they risked malnourishment, he said. “I would say that any persons living alone, disturbed or not, are at risk in the matter of their diet.” said Dr Mortimer. “Eating is a social practice as much as a nutritional thing.” Many elderly people lived alone, and had little incentive to prepare proper meals. Some did not even know’ how tc go about feeding themselves properly. “Many a husband is entirely dependent on his wife as to what he eats — and if she dies he cannot even get that knowledge,” said Dr Mortimer.

Some lost the ability to use domestic appliances correctly—the stove and refrigerator became obstacles to eating. They lost the ability to shop and to communicate with shopkeepers.

“Disturbed elderly people, will buy what can be bought I with the minimum of con-i versation — something which

can be picked up and not discussed, and which requires no cooking,” said Dr Mortimer. “Some have become so withdrawn they open the door only at night to get milkin, and do not eat at all.”

If old people were not adequately fed they continued to deteriorate, said Dr Mortimer.

Some started rummaging around in the medicine cupboard, and took drugs which could, lead to impaired judgment, over-sedation, and possibly some dietary mishaps. “Thousands of elderly people are self-medicating,” he said. “They have drugs that have been prescribed long ago. and they don’t know what they are. They are taking them, and going to sleep for long periods.” Dr Mortimer said he w r as amazed at the rate at which elderly people’s health could improve with regular feeding. There are 70 elderly people, on the urgent list for meals on wheels. Dr J. C. Lopdell, medical superintendent of the Extra-Mural Hospital,) says: “We haven’t got the) money to give meals to) them.” . Meals cost $1 each to prepare, but recipients were; still paying 20c —the amount; thev have paid for about 18; years. Miss J. Martin, part-time) dietician for Extra-Mural, i says good nutrition is “abso-i lutely vital” for the elderly. 1

(She says there is a real need for a full-time dietician to (survey the dietary needs of 'the elderly.

But the Auckland Hospital Board can afford to employ Miss Martin for only 16l : hours a week to look after 1 (the needs of 1148 meals-on-| jwheels patients. Today’s elderly people had .lived through war-time conditions and the harshness of the Depression, and their past experience could lead to unhealthy cuts in their food. “Thev don’t want to waste anything,” said Dr Lopdell. “They are horrified at the price of food. If you haven’t known where your next meal is coming from and you’ve been on the dole, it leaves a lasting impression. Some would rather go without their meals- on wheels than waste the meal. “And they have got a conscience because of the wars and the Depression. They keep on saying, ‘We’ve got to save power this winter,’ so they turn off the heater and put on another shawl.” Mr J. Healy, administrative officer for the Old People’s Welfare Council, says anyone living alone is inclined to “scratch a bit” for food. But he has heard of some elderly people spending a large proportion of their pensions on a fairly high standard of rental accommodation, “and paying accordingly by going without fond ”