Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-17
Housekeeping
Aide Role Held
Misunderstood
Loss Of S., 400
Item in District
Budget DepIored
By Harriet Griffiths
By Horriet Griffiths

roles played by the District
Health Department Emergency
Homemaker Service and the
Visiting Nurse Association.
On the one hand. they are
distressed! over the House APP
preparations Committee stripping |
from the District budget for the
fiscal year starting July a $54,-
ago request to continue the
homemaker service.
On the other, they hail its
approval of a $4,000 appropria- |
ton next fiscal year for the
nurse association. which now re-
ceives $4,000.
The House committee said it
was impressed with the case Tor
re-establishment of the home
maker service, suspended by the
Health Department last Septem-
her because of a fund crisis, but
it expressed the view that many
of the same detectives" are
realized through the visiting
nurse program.
Duplication Denied.
Spokesman concerned with
health and welfare here stressed
that the two services do not
duplicate each other and that
both are proven and vitality
needed components of an ef1ec-
tive District welfare program.
They pointed out that the
homemaker service, whose aides
have been trained in homemak-
ing, goes into the homes OF low
income District residents where
the mother is i'll or temporarily
absent, in order to keep the
household going during the
emergency.
In this way, the necessity for
taking small children away from
their homes and providing foster
care for them, or keeping the
breadwinner OF the job, is
avoided.
Only families eligible for public
aid who have no relatives who
could go in and keep the home
going are given the homemaker
service.
Different Function.
The Visiting Nurse Association
staff performs a different func-
ton. It's members visit the homes
Of the sick to give professional
nursing treatment and instruc-
ton. This often enables pa
tient to remain at home instead
of spending long time in a
hospital.
The visiting nurse frequently
notes the need for housekeep-
ing aide in a home. Statistics
indicate that the nurse aSsocia-
ton makes more referrals to
the homemaker service than any
other agency outside the Health
Department.
In a letter last month urging
the District Appropriations Sub
committee to reinstate the home
maker service, Mrs. w. John
Kenney. secretary of the nurse
association. wrote:
"Our visiting nurses have been
exceedingly troubled by family
situations developing since the
discontinuance of this service last
September.
while a mother is in the hos
pital or i'll at home, children can
be kept with their father when
there is a homemaker service,
and older people who are ailing
may remain in their own place.
saving costly institutional care"
she pointed out.
Miss Clarissa Gibson, director
of the Visiting Nurse ASsocia-
ton, is a member of the Citi-
zens' Advisory Committee of the
Homemaker Service.
Mrs. Harold N. Marsh, chair
man of that committee, is on
the board of the nurse associa-
ton.
Mrs. Marsh emphasized that
there is no rivalry between the
two agencies-that the home
maker group is not a nursing
service and that the nursing as
ISOLATION does not duplicate the
housekeeping function Of the
homemakerS.
"The nurse association needs
every penny of that $50.000,"
she said, pointing out that the
homemaker service Is equally
needed.
Ferdinand v. Grayson, exec
utive director of United Com
munity Services, also applauded
the $4,000 appropriation for the
nurse association. At the same
time he urged reinstatement of
the homemaker service appro-
priation.
Mr.. Grayson recalled that he
had testified before the Senate
Juvenile Delinquency Investigat-
ing subcommittee that this Serv.
ice was one means of prevention
through helping to keep children
in their homes and families in
tact during an emergency
absence of a parent.
Miss Winifred Thompson
superintendent of the District.
Junior Village, now serving a!
executive director of the Com.
miSsionerS' Youth Council
pointed out that disqualification
of a parent is the second mos
frequent reason for admission tt
the institution.
Some of these children coulC
be kept in their homes if Their,
were means of keeping tn,
household together. she pointed
out.
"It Is always easier" she said
ito break up a home than Il
re-establish one" This is eSpe
cially true of a weak, or "margi
nal" home.
Institution officials have seer
a fearful initial separation Of ;
child and parent followed up b!
klosS Of contact and eventua