SENILE CASES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16475, 20 October 1927, Page 9

SENILE CASES

“HALF-WAY” HOUSE NEEDED

1 think it is high time we had some half-way house between a hospital and ah asylum,” said tlie chairman, Mr. \V. (1. Sherratt, at the monthly meeting of the Cook Hospital Board yesterday afternoon when a letter was received from the Hospital Boards’ Association in regard to senile’eases.. The letter stated that the sub-execu-tive of the association recently had brought before it the department’s circular regarding the proposal to commit to old people’s homes certain senile eases ({including delinquents) hitherto dealt/ with in mental hospitals or prisons. The letter submitted the opinion that whilst many of the patients referred to might not distinctly be eases for confinement in mental hospitals or prisons, they were undoubtedly loss suitable for admission to old people s homes. No doubt many would’, agree with the Inspector-General’s statement that <* as a general principle, it is not right that these old people —many of whom had been hard-working, good citizens of the cai'iy 'pioneer type—should have to-end their days in ail institution whose function it is to care for the insane.” On the other hand, it* was claimed that the feelings of the large number of ordinary 1 * inmates of- the homes were entitled to greater consideration in this matter. The main point urged, however, was that having regard to the mental and physical disabilities of these cases, their liability- to suffer recurring attacks of insanity or to commit criminal acts, the requisite observation, care and control could 1 , not be exercised in the homes. Tlio admission of such eases would he. a constant source of anxiety. The writer requested consideration of the suggestion that such cases be dealt with in a special institution. Mr. 0. W. Coleman remarked that the hospital frequently had to deal with these “ half-way ” cases, which placed the medical superintendent, in a dilemma as to which institution they should ho committed. It was agreed unanimously to support the proposals as outlined in the letter.