THE AGED
79 Because Chinese tradition has always attached importance to the care of aged members of the family, the care of old people in Hong Kong ought not on the face of things to be such a problem as it is elsewhere. It is important that the changes brought about by industri- alization and urbanization should not encourage any weakening in this sense of respect for the aged; but the number of old people who are without relatives in Hong Kong, or whose families lack the resources to provide for them, is certain to increase, and the welfare of aged folk is likely to become increasingly a community responsibility. (This is reflected in the consideration now being given by the government and voluntary organizations to the practicability of introducing some basic elements of social security, such as pensions to the aged). There has never been enough room in the existing homes for the aged to accom- modate all who need care. Existing accommodation for between two and three thousand old people is now taken up and there are plans for further expansion. The opening of the Kwong Yum Home for the Aged with a capacity of five hundred took place in November. The Social Welfare Advisory Committee has recommended to Government the grant of $200,000 from the Lottery Fund to the Heung Hoi Ching Kok Lin Shea, a Buddhist organization, towards the cost of construction of a home for the aged with a capacity of a hundred places. Although there has been no sustained effort to break down the isolation of the aged apart from some part-time clubs for aged blind run by the Social Welfare Department, groups such as kai fong associations do run parties for old people from time to time.
RECORDS
80 A list of voluntary organizations and institutions for the disabled and the aged is printed at Appendix 20, and the total registrations with the department in various categories of disability is at Appendix 21, where annual registrations for some past years may be compared. It is necessary to emphasize that these figures are of voluntary registration by applicants for the rehabilitation and welfare services provided by this department. They include some who have been referred by outside agencies for another reason and are found to be within the definitions shown. In the cases of the blind, deaf and mentally defective the declared aim is to have a comprehensive register, but there is still insufficient staff to achieve this. The total number of Hong Kong residents within
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