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Social Welfare
has been enhancing the physical settings and facilities of 237 elderly centres. By end-2017, about $816 million had been approved under the Lotteries Fund for 215 elderly centres. Upgrading works on 143 of the centres had been completed and these had reopened for service with a new look.
Residential Care
At the year end, there were 27,378 subsidised residential care places at residential care homes for the elderly (RCHES). A Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly was launched in March to offer elderly people an additional choice and provide an incentive for RCHES to enhance their services. A total of 3,000 vouchers will be issued in batches from 2017 to 2019 under the pilot scheme.
RCHES are licensed under the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance. The department provides practice guidelines and staff training on the proper care of elderly residents. It set up a working group in June to review the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance, Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance and related Codes of Practice.
Carers of Elderly from Low-income Families
A Pilot Scheme on Living Allowance for Carers of the Elderly Persons from Low Income Families, managed under the Community Care Fund, provides eligible carers with a living allowance to supplement their expenses so elderly people with long-term care needs may, with their carers' help, receive proper care and remain living in the community. The whole scheme will apply to 4,000 carers.
Dementia Community Support Scheme
In February, the Food and Health Bureau, the SWD and the Hospital Authority launched a two- year pilot Dementia Community Support Scheme. The scheme provides services for elderly people with mild or moderate dementia and their carers through 20 district elderly community centres via a medical-social collaboration model and is expected to cover 2,000 people.
Services for Persons with Disabilities
Rehabilitation services are provided by government departments and NGOs to meet the different needs of people with disabilities, develop their capabilities and help them integrate into society.
Children with Special Needs
At the year end, there were 1,980 integrated programme places in kindergarten-cum-child care centres; 1,834 places in special child care centres, including 110 residential places; and 3,304 places in early education and training centres for children with special needs. Small group homes provided 64 places for mildly mentally handicapped children who could not receive adequate care from their families.
Children with special needs who are on the waiting list of SWD-subvented pre-school rehabilitation services may apply for a Training Subsidy Programme to acquire self-financing
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