WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1978
GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING WAYS TO FURTHER IMPROVE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY
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THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING LOWERING THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE TO 70 FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR AND THE EARLY EXPANSION OF THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY.
THE
THIS WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, HON. E.P. HO, IN REPLY TO POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIALS DURING THE DEBATE ON THE GREEN PAPER ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR. HO SAID IF THE PROPOSAL FOR LOWERING THE QUALIFYING AGE FROM OCTOBER 1 WAS APPROVED, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO EFFECT PAYMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FROM THAT DATE BUT WHERE DELAYS COULD NOT BE AVOIDED SUCH CASES WOULD EVENTUALLY RECEIVE BACK PAYMENTS.
HE SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL FOR INTRODUCING THE IMPROVEMENT ON THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE IN TWO STEPS, WAS PARTIALLY FINANCIAL, BUT MAINLY DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE POTENTIAL NEW CASE LOAD WHICH A SINGLE STEP COULD INVOLVE.
HE SAID: THE 70-74 AGE GROUP IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE 74,000 ON OCTOBER 1, 1978. EVEN IF THIS RESULTS IN AN INITIAL TAKE-UP RATE OF 50% OR 37.000 THIS WOULD STILL REPRESENT NEARLY A 60 PER CENT INCREASE ON THE PRESENT CLIENTELE OF 64,000.
+ACCORDINGLY, IF SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW APPLICATIONS DID COME FORWARD TOGETHER-AND IT IS ONLY REASONABLE TO ASSUME THIS SOME INITIAL DELAYS IN PROCESSING THEM WOULD BE INEVITABLE,+ HE ADDED.
ON COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY, MR. HO SAID THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT A RECENT MEETING HAS ALSC RECOMMENDED THE EARLY EXPANSION OF SUCH SERVICE AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CONSIDERING IN THE COMING FEW MONTHS THE MOST PRACTICAL MEANS OF ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME.
+THE PLANNING TARGET OF 34 COMMUNITY NURSES FOR EACH 100,000 AGED 65 AND OVER IS A MODEST BUT REALISTIC START, AND WE SHALL BE REFINING THIS TARGET ON THE ADVICE OF THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED, HE SAID.
ON THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE CARE AND ATTENTION FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR. HO AGREED THAT THIS IS THE AREA WHERE FAIRLY RAPID EXPANSION IS REQUIRED AND A CAREFUL EXAMINATION IS BEING MADE OF THE RESPECTIVE ROLES OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT IN MEETING PLANNED TARGETS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PLANNING RATIO OF 4 PLACES FOR EVERY 1,000 AGED 60 AND OVER IS A TENTATIVE ONE AND IF WE CAN EVEN REACH THIS TARGET WITHIN A FEW YEARS, WE WOULD NOT BE DOING TOO BADLY,
/REPLYING