WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1978
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REPLYING TO ANOTHER POINT RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIALS, MR. HO SAID EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE VALUE OF EDUCATION, NOT ONLY OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE ELDERLY, BUT ALSO OF THE ELDERLY THEMSELVES ON HEALTH MATTERS AND ON BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP.
+DETERMINED AND SUSTAINED EFFORTS IN THIS AREA WILL BE MADE AND WE SHALL MOBILISE EVERY RESOURCE IN DOING SO, HE SAID.
ON DR. FANG'S REMARKS ON THE INCREASED CHARGES LEVIED BY INSTITUTIONS AS A RESULT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF AN OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT IN APRIL THIS YEAR, MR. HO SAID BOTH THIS SUPPLEMENT AND THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE ARE TO ASSIST THE ELDERLY AND THEIR FAMILIES TO MEET ANY ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL NEEDS WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF OLD AGE INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF SERVICES IN WHATEVER FORM.
HE SAID IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE THAT AN OLD PERSON WHO REQUIRES TO ENTER AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME SHOULD PAY TOWARDS THIS MAINTENANCE AS HE OR HIS FAMILY WOULD HAVE TO IN ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE FAMILY HOME.
BUT HE STRESSED THAT IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION THAT ANY INCREASED ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY ENTIRELY BY FEES CHARGED IN SUBVENTED INSTITUTIONS.
IN
+SINCE APRIL 1978, OUR OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE IS THAT, GENERAL, GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED INSTITUTIONS SHOULD ALLOW THE ELDERLY SINGLETONS UNDER THEIR CARE TO RETAIN $100 OF THE IR MONTHLY CASH ALLOWANCES TO SPEND AS THEY PLEASE IN PLACE OF THE PREVIOUS SUM OF $36 ALLOWED TO THEM AS POCKET MONEY UNDER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARRANGEMENTS.
AS REGARDS PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, MR. HO SAID CHARGES AND PAYMENTS ARE A MATTER ENTIRELY BETWEEN THE INSTITUTION AND THE ELDERLY PERSON CONCERNED AND THERE IS NO QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT PENAL IS ING SUCH PERSONS BY WITHHOLDING ANY ALLOWANCES THEY MAY BE ENTITLED TO.
HE ALSO ASSURED MR. PETER C. WONG THAT THE PROPOSED SURVEY ON CHAI-TONG IS NOT A PRELUDE TO DIRECT GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION.
HE SAID: +SINCE THESE CHAI-TONG CATER FOR A SIZEABLE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PERSONS, THE GOVERNMENT IS ANXIOUS TO OBTAIN BETTER INFORMATION ON EXISTING SERVICES AND TO SEE IN WHAT WAYS WE COULD ASSIST THE ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED TO PROVE THE IR STANDARDS, SUCH IS INDICATED.
IF
+RELIGIOUS PRACTICES WILL NOT BE DISTURBED AND THE SURVEY TEL CERTAINLY BE CARRIED OUT IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNED.+
ON MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH'S SUGGESTION FOR THE EARLY EXPANSION OF HOME HELP SERVICE, MR. HO SAID RESPONSE FROM THE VOLUNTARY SERVICES HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING SO FAR AND A GREATER NUMBER OF HOME HELPERS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR THAN THAT ENVISAGED IN THE GREEN PAPER.
HE ALSO ASSURED MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH AND MISS JOYCE M. BENNETT THAT THE GOVERNMENT IN DEVISING STANDARDS FOR THE EXPANDING RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY, WILL HAVE REGARD BOTH TO THE WELFARE OF ELDERLY AND TO REALISTIC LEVEL OF SERVICE IN TERMS OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
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