THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1910
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FIRST TRAINING CENTRE FOR SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN OPENS ******
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (THURSDAY) RENEWED HIS SUPPORT FOR A MODERN CONCEPT ON THE CARE FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE PO LEUNG KUK KWAI SHING CHILDREN'S TRAINING CENTRE - THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG - MR. LEE SAID THIS NEW CONCEPT, WHICH EMPHASISED ON PERSONAL CARE AND TRAINING, WOULD HELP EASE THE DEMAND FOR MENTAL HOSPITAL BED SPACES AND ALSO BRING ABOUT SUBSTANTIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF REHABILITATION.
+ACCORDING TO OBSERVATION AND RESEARCH WHICH BACK UP THIS VIEW, MOST PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISABILITY DO NOT NEED LONG-TERM MEDICAL CARE IN HOSPITALS, HE SAID.
MR. LEE NOTED THAT IF THIS THEORY WERE SUCCESSFULLY TRIED OUT IN HONG KONG, THE HANDICAPPED WOULD HAVE GREATER CHANCES OF REAL IS ING THEIR POTENTIALS.
+WITH AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 2,000 CHILDREN BELONGING TO THIS CATEGORY IN OUR COMMUNITY AT PRESENT, A LOT OF TRAINING CENTRES WOULD NEED TO BE SET UP IF THIS NEW CONCEPT PROVES PRACTICABLE,+ HE SAID.
THE KWAI SHING CENTRE HAS COME INTO BEING FOLLOWING AN APPEAL MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR FOR DAY OR RESIDENTIAL CENTRES TO BE SET UP BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO PROVIDE BASIC CARE AND SIMPLE TRAINING FOR THE RETARDED ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS.
MR. LEE SAID THAT TWO MORE WELFARE ORGANISATIONS HAD AGREED TO SET UP SIMILAR TRAINING CENTRES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
DESCRIBING THE KWAI SHING CENTRE AS +PART OF A PILOT PROJECT TO TESTIFY THIS MODERN CONCEPT+, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE CENTRE'S SERENE ENVIRONMENT, COUPLED WITH MODERN EQUIPMENT AND WELL-COORDINATED SERVICES, WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO THE
REHABILITATION PROCESS.
BEING THE FIRST INSTITUTION TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM PROTECTIVE CARE FOR THE SEVERE GRADE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN HONG KONG, THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE CENTRE POSSESSED A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT TRAINING PROGRAMME.
+THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME CONDUCTED AGAINST A FAMILY-STYLE SETTING, THE 50 FEMALE RESIDENTS AND 30 DAY TRAINEES AGED SIX TO 16 WOULD BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE SELF-CARE SKILLS, THE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AND GET ALONG WITH OTHERS, AS WELL AS TECHNIQUES THAT CATER TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS,+ HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT DUE ATTENTION HAD ALSO BEEN PAID TO OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, NURSING SERVICE, AND TRAINEES' RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS TO ENSURE THAT THE HANDICAPPED WERE ACCORDED THE BEST CARE ON THEIR WAY TO INDEPENDENT LIVING.
MR. LEE THANKED THE KUK'S CHAIRMAN, MR. CHENG ENG-KUAN, DIRECTORS AND OTHER MEMBERS FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE IN SETTING UP THE TRAINING CENTRE.
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