WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1978
IN OTHER CASES, HE SAID, THE ELDERLY REMAIN WITH THEIR FAMILIES BUT DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONSTANT AND PROPER ATTENTION WHICH IS NECESSARY FROM THE IR RELATIVES WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER HAVE TO LEAVE THEM TO THEIR OWN DEVICES.
THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM OF THE SICK AND INFIRMED ELDERLY IS VERY MUCH WITH US+ IN HONG KONG, WHICH WILL NOT DISAPPEAR +SIMPLY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY CHOOSES TO ASSUME AN OSTRICH-LIKE ATTITUDE.+
+GROWING OLD IS AN INEVITABLE AND CONTINOUS PROCESS AND THE ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL WILL EVENTUALLY FIND THAT OLD AGE MAY PREVENT HIM FROM LEADING AN ORDINARY LIFE SUCH THAT HE CAN NO LONGER LOOK AFTER HIMSELF WITHOUT HELP FROM TRAINED STAFF, HE SAID.
IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SAID, CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES APPEAR TO BE THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION.
BUT AT PRESENT, SPECIAL CARE AND ATTENTION FACILITIES COULD ONLY CATER FOR A FEW HUNDRED OLD PEOPLE.
+THEREFORE, GREAT EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THIS TYPE OF SERVICE TO A LEVEL SUCH THAT THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY COULD BE MET REASONABLY, HE SAID.
ONE WAY OF ACHIEVING THIS, SAID DR. THONG, WOULD BE FOR MORE PRIVATE AGENCIES TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE SUCH SERVICES.
THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE AGED, FOR EXAMPLE, IS PLANNING TO BUILD A CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOME IN TIN WAN. THE PROJECT HAS BEE:: MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS DONATION OF $1 MILLION FROM A LOCAL PHILANTHROPIST, MR. QUAN CHUEN TO THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, WHO RECEIVED IT IN HIS CAPACITY AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY.
DR. THONG APPEALED FOR MORE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND FOLLOW THE +EXCELLENT+ EXAMPLE SHOWN BY MR. QUAN IN HELPING THE COMMUNITY IN A CONCRETE WAY.
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