HOMES FOR THE AGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 227, 25 September 1929, Page 11

HOMES FOR THE AGED.

"AN EXCELLENT SCHEME." CATERING FOR THE SENILE. SOCIAL WORKERS' OPINIONS. RELIEF FOR MENTAL HOSPITALS. Social welfare workers and others in Auckland, whoso work brings them in close contact with the destitute aged, arc keenly in favour of the measures the Government propose to introduce to make provision for the establishment of rest homes for the elderly and infirm who are unable to take caro of themselves. It is generally felt that the scheme is a step in the right direction," and by reason of the fact that it will be possible under it to commit the aged to the proposed homes instead of mental institutions as at present, that a different complexion will be put on the mental hospital statistics for the Dominion. "I think it is an excellent scheme, and it will lower the statistics for our mental hospitals quite appreciably," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., who has been a consistent advocate for a scheme something similar to the one suggested. "The scheme will affect a lot of old people who become senile and have to be committed to our mental hospitals. It is expensive to keep them there, and they occupy valuable beds. Provision for Vagrants. "I do not quite know the exact nature of the scheme not having seen the Government's bill, and consequently cannot say whether it will make provision for the vagrant class of aged. The trouble with them, however, is that they will not stay in any institution. I had a scheme for getting rid of them on an island, such as Rotoroa, instead of always having them in and out of gaol. I doubt whether the rest homes would cater for them, and I really think the scheme is intended to relieve the mental hospitals and the Salvation Army homes. Y<3u have no idea the number of old people that we have to commit to the mental hospitals because they are senile." "I am glad tho scheme has been proposed, and favour the name of. the new homes, which I hope will make provision for the class of old people that we have nowhere for when they come before the Court at present," observed Field Major Annie Gordon, of the Salvation Army. "One's heart aches for them. I think the reference to rest homes will make the old people feel better and more inclined to go to the institutions. I am thankful that something has been brought about, as social workers are up against a certain type of humanity that will not stay in tho present institutions, and has to bo sent to prison because there is nothing else for him. I think we owe a great deal to Mr. Hunt for having the scheme introduced, for ho has talked about the need for institutions apart from the prisons time and again. The scheme is indeed very fine." Scheme Overdue. Rev C. G. Methodist City Missioned felt that"the scheme was longoverdue. Provision should be made in the legislation it was proposed to introduce for individual huts for the inmates of the rest homes, and the men should be encouraged to work, certain privileges being given in accordance with tho amount of work done. "I am sure the scheme will have the whole-hearted support of all the members of the board," said Mr. William Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board. "It is very much needed indeed. It is only quite recently that in writing to Sir Joseph Ward I asked him to put into operation the scheme for the aged which he outlined \vhen

speaking in the Town Hall on the occasion of his last visit. Institutions arc badly needed for men who are unemployable, and men who are not able to look after themselves. We get cases that aro not even lit to admit to the infirmary. An bland in the Waitemata Harbour was suggested as a possible site for a home for such cases, and I think it would be ideal. We get men we don't know what to do with —men who are not fit to'associate with the respectable old people we have in our homes. The scheme, if put into operation, will relieve the public of what-has become an untold burden. Quite recently I visited the doss house in Auckland, and in my opinion 25 per cent of the men who were there were not employable. I also think it is deplorable that there is such a number of men who have seen active service that have to go to the doss house for shelter."