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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1978
SHE SUGGESTED THAT SOME VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHOULD BE SUBVENTED SPEC IF ICALLY TO ORGANISE AND TRAIN VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE VISITING SERVICES.
MR. WONG LAM ALSO FELT THAT THERE IS A NEED TO TRAIN NON-PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS SO THAT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WILLING TO PERFORM SERVICES WHICH DO NOT CALL FOR HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
MR. CHEONG-LEEN POINTED OUT THAT SOCIAL CLUBS AND CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY ONLY CATER FOR LESS THAN 10 PER CENT OF THE ESTIMATED DEMAND AT PRESENT. THERE OUGHT TO BE A RAPID BUILD- UP OF THESE FACILITIES ON A DISTRICT BASIS, WITH ENCOURAGEMENT FOR MORE VOLUNTARY INITIATIVE.
MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH RECOMMENDED THAT MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES SHOULD BE PROVIDED, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE COMMUNITY CENTRES, IN EACH DISTRICT OR NEIGHBOURHOOD.
THESE CENTRES COULD ALSO PROVIDE HANDICRAFT WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ELDERLY, NOT NECESSARILY INCOME-ORIENTED, TO ENABLE THEM... TO FEEL THEY ARE MAKING A WORTHWHILE CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY.
TRAFFIC SAFETY
MR. CHEONG-LEEN HOPED THAT SPECIAL EFFORTS WOULD BE MADE TO CONDUCT A CONTINUOUS CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE ELDERLY ON TRAFFIC SAFETY. HE POINTED OUT THAT IN 1976, ONE-THIRD OF ALL THE VICTIMS OF FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WERE AGED 60 AND ABOVE.
ROLE OF THE ELDERLY
MR. CHEONG-LEEN EMPHASISED THAT OLD PECPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED OR EVEN ENCOURAGED TO BE ACTIVE WHILE THEY ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO DO SO.
HE SAID IN HONG KONG A HIGH PROPORTION OF PERSONS BETWEEN 55-65 ARE STILL EMPLOYED, AS COMPARED WITH OTHER CITIES IN INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES, AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGED.
THEY WILL FEEL THEY ARE WANTED, ARE PART OF OUR SOCIETY AND WHAT IS MORE, THEY WILL STILL RETAIN THEIR 'SELF-RESPECT, HE SAID.
MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH SAID THAT ELDERLY PEOPLE MUST BE ALLOWED A ROLE IN SOCIETY SO THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL SEGREGATED.
SHE SAID WE MUST PREVENT OLD PEOPLE FROM LONELINESS AND ISOLATION WHICH ARE ALMOST INEVITABLE IN INDUSTRIALISED SOCIETIES.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN ALSO EMPHASISED THAT OLD PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED AS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY SOCIETY.
/HE NOTED
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