CARE FOR THE AGED

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 32, 7 February 1921, Page 8

CARE FOR THE AGED

WHAT DENMARK "DOES

LESSON TO NEW ZEALAND.

Lecturing on the claims of the aged and helpless.on the community■■ at .the Empress Theatre yesterday, Miss England declared that the institutions in. New Zealand compared very unfavourably with those of some other countries, notably Denmark. She held,, that as a community we. were lacking in respect for old.age, not realising that, men and women who during their' working life had kept themselves, by their own labour, helped to build up the prosperity of the country, brought up families, and generally shown that they possessed the qualities of good citizens, had earned the right to a!. full measure of comfort and care in their days of infirmity.and old age. An old age pension, even if increased, would not suffice to meet the need. It. was impossible to ensure for every old person care and hospitality among relatives. Workers in these days wandered all over the world; labour tended to be more mobile; men and women of character sought work away from the land of their birth. To their adopted country they gave valuable-ser-vice through long years, and yet because they', had not "married found themselves in old age absolutely alone in the world with no claim on the care of any one. This she/ knew to be the case among women workers of all kinds, and society should realise the claim of all such people. New Zealand had only.a few pri-vately-endowTed benevolent , homes, besides such institutions as the Ohiro Home: which provided a rough and ready way for those of,the pauper class.

The methods of Denmark in solving the problem were described by Miss England. That small, progressive, democratic State, she said, whose prosperity w^as entirely due to practical common-sense j. thrift, and co-operative institutes, fully, recognised the honourable service, rendered by less fortunate fellow-citizens during the working years of their lives. J

In Denmark, she said, no respectable old person need ever become a pauper. By the law of 1891 the local authorities arebound to provide him with relief, if he applies for it and can show that his destitution is owing to no'fault of his, own. Such old people are looked upon' as veterans of industry, and take much the same place as invalided soldiers, retaining their vote', and; other citizen's -rights. The homes themselves are models of comfort, and the smaJl rooms pretty and cosy. .In Copenhagen there are two lar^e homes^ but each village has its own or part of one, as.it is usual for three Neighbouring villages to combine, The cost is divided between tW State and the commune, the average cost per head being about a shilling a day. Everywhere the food is particularly good and most carefully chosen to suit old age and infirmity. Our hard beef and puddings without milk would horrify a Dane both--because of our inhumanity and extra va- : gance.. No homes in the world cost the State less, and yet nowhere- is so much done to render old at»e hannv. • for these pensioners of the State are treated not only with kindness, but with sympathy; their feelings are considered, their tastes consulted,, and their self-respect carefully preserved and honoured.