CARE OF THE AGED

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1920, Page 1

CARE OF THE AGED

(To fche Editor.) Sir, —With regard to the treatment meted out to the inmates of the Kumara Old Men’s “Home,” which was first exposed by Mr O’Brien at his meet ings during the late election campaign, and which appeared to disturb the tranquility of the members of the Committee to such an extent that they said a. lot of unpleasant things about him, just a few days before election day, obviously with a view to injuring his candidature. A glaring example of such treatment occurred only a few

days ago, when an old man, 92 years of age, who has been in the institution for ’tho' last twelve or fifteen years, and who is naturally failing in mental as well as physical abilty, was handed over to the local Mental Hospital for treatment. A mental hospital, with its environment of the worst cases of lunacj, is not a fit place to put these old men into, even though they may he bordeiing on what is commonly called their second childhood, a state through which we must all pass if life lasts long enough. It is apparent that an old fellow at that age (92) cannot possibly bo a violent case, but the authorities evidently desirt? to shift some of the n-mat-es, who are perhaps a little difficult to look after, into an institution that is supposed to he established for the treatment of lunacy, and not senility Tho fact of the establishment of o “ men’s homes presupposes that the ok peoplo need looking after; yet when a case of senility occurs that is a little difficult, tho unfortunate man as passed on to tho lunatic asylum, to lio hcided with tho worst cases of lunacy ’ , Nothing that can bo done foi « Pioneers of the West Coast » .......i, when WO consider that it theso’men who blazed the trail that led to the settlement of this distnc an made possible for this comforts and conveniences that wo ei ' I am etc., F. W. RUDKIN.