SENT TO SEACLIFF

Evening Star, Issue 25201, 14 June 1944, Page 4

SENT TO SEACLIFF

S&SftE SENILE GASES LACK OF ACCOMMODATION " It is a shame that old people are being sent from the Dunedin Hospital to spend their last days' in the Seacliff Mental Hospital," declared Mr A, Steven, the agent of the Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society, at a meeting of the society yesterdcy afternoon.. " I do not think it right that this sort of thing' should continue," Mr Steven added. He said he knew of a man 92 years of age who had been sent from the Dunedin Hospital to Seacliff. " I think, the Hospital Board should make provision for "elderly people of the class I have mentioned, because it is not right that they should be branded as insane." Dr J. Thomson, medical superintendent of Dunedin Hospital, said that patients sent from the Hospital to Seacliff would all be certified insane. He understood that there was legislation providing for the care of such people as those to whom'Mr'Steven had re-' ferred, but nothing had been done owing to the lack of money. Mrs C. O Mathias said she considered it a disgrace that such patients were sent to Seacliff. She hoped that when the new building was' ready at -Seacliff provision would bo made for dealing with certain classes of senile cases. She added' that she thought it was wrong that old peorjle should be sent to a mental hospital as was the case to-dav. Mr J. Taylor said he thought that provision should be made at Talboys Homo for both men and women of the tvpe referred to by Mr Steven. *lt was decided that Mr, Steven should interview some members of the Otago Hospital Board to ascertain what provision the board was making for such cases.