ABSTRACT
Departure highlights the distinction between residential work with children and with adults. In period between 1970 and 1974 there were fluctuations in trends but general picture is that about 50 per cent of residents leaving residential homes died in the home, about 37 per cent left for long-stay periods in hospital and remainder either returned to their past homes or moved to sheltered accommodation or to some other setting. Another aspect of departure was that, while in reality it was likely to be at death or for hospitalisation, for those who had not accepted the necessity of living in an old age home their dream was of returning to their own house or their family. Menzies suggested that in caring for the ill there were benefits and losses arising from the defence systems used by staff. The positive side of caring for the dying at The Pines was that the physical care was provided with openness, tenderness, indeed with love.
