FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1977
+THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT IS PAYABLE TO OLD PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WITH THE QUALIFYING AGE BEING SET AT 60, WHILE THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE WHICH IS NON-MEANS- TESTED IS PAYABLE TO ALL OLD PEOPLE OF 70 OR ABOVE, SHE STRESSED.
MRS. GOODSTADT POINTED OUT THAT APART FROM CASH ASSISTANCE TO OLD PEOPLE, MEASURES TO HELP SOLVE THEIR HOUSING PROBLEM AND THE PROVISION OF PERSONAL CARE AND ATTENTION WERE IMPORTANT.
ON CASH ALLOWANCE, SHE SAID THAT THE TWO GREEN PAPERS HAD PROPOSED TO PROVIDE FURTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO OLD PEOPLE TO MEET ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ARISING FROM OLD AGE.
+AN OLD PERSON AGED 60 OR ABOVE, WHO IS WITHOUT INCOME, UNABLE TO WORK, AND HAS NO CHILDREN TO RELY ON, WILL BE ENTITLED TO, ON TOP OF HIS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OF $200 PLÚS $63 RENT ALLOWANCE A MONTH, A MONTHLY OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT OF $100.
+ IF HE IS PERMANENTLY ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT OF $100 TO HIS MONTHLY PAYMENT AFTER THE FIRST 18 MONTHS.+
ON THE QUESTION OF HOUSING, SHE SAID THAT ONLY 18 PERCENT OF THE OLD PEOPLE WERE AT PRESENT LIVING ALONE AND AGED 60 OR OVER, AND 26 PER CENT OF THOSE IN TWO-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS WERE LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
+THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS AGREED THAT OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, PROVISION WOULD BE MADE FOR 10,000 ELDERLY PERSONS IN ONE AND TWO- PERSON HOUSEHOLDS TO BE REHOUSED IN PUBLIC HOUSING MAINLY THROUGH THE PROVISION OF 5,000 HOSTEL PLACES.+
THE GREEN PAPER ALSO PROPOSED TO RELAX THE PRESENT RESTRICTIONS SO AS TO ALLOW UNRELATED ELDERLY PERSONS EXPRESSING A WISH TO LIVE TOGETHER TO APPLY JOINTLY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING THROUGH THE WAITING LIST, SHE ADDED.
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TURNING TO THE PROVISION OF PERSONAL SUPPORT SERVICES MRS. GOODSTADT NOTED THAT NEEDY OLD PEOPLE PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO WERE WITHOUT SUPPORT OF FAMILY MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE TO ENDURE VARYING DEGREE OF HARDSHIP, OR MIGHT HAVE TO RESORT TO INSTITUTIONAL CARE.
+PERSONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE DOMESTIC HELP. PREPARATION OF MEALS, LAUNDRY AND ESCORTING FOR MEDICAL CONSULTATION. FOR THE ELDERLY INFIRM, HOME HELP SERVICE WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PERSONAL CARE SUCH AS HELPING THEM TO COMB THEIR HAIR, WASH THEIR FACE AND GET THEM DRESSED.+
AS THIS SERVICE WAS AT PRESENT PROVIDED AT A LIMITED SCALE, SHE CONTINUED, THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSED TO EXPAND IT FROM THE EXISTING 20 HELPERS TO 80 IN TWO YEARS AND BY THAT TIME, ABOUT 800 ELDERLY PERSONS WOULD BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM IT.
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