4.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1979
HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY EXHIBITION
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MANY FORMS OF DISABILITIES WHICH OCCUR IN THE ELDERLY AGE GROUP CAN BE PREVENTED IF PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS NORMAL HEALTH IN ADVANCED AGE, THEIR HEALTH NEEDS AND THE WAYS TO PREVENT DISEASE.
THIS WAS STATED BY DR. HARRY S.Y. FANG, AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHEN HE DECLARED OPEN THE HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY EXHIBITION AT THE OCEAN TERMINAL THIS MORNING.
+EVERYONE GROWS OLD WITH THE PASSING OF TIME, BUT THE ART OF LIVING LIES IN KNOWING HOW TO GROW OLD IN GOOD HEALTH,+ HE SAID.
THE THREE-DAY EXHIBITION, ORGANISED BY THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY,
DR. FANG SAID IN VIEW OF THE CHANGES IN HEALTH TRENDS AND THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION, THE MOUNTING OF HEALTH EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ON THE HEALTH ASPECTS OF THE ELDERLY IS MOST TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE IN TODAY'S CIRCUMSTANCES.+
HE SAID THAT WITH IMPROVED HEALTH SERVICES, BETTER HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS, PEOPLE ARE LIVING LONGER.
+ IT IS TIME FOR US TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE OLDER GENERATION, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NORMAL HEALTH IN ADVANCED AGE, THEIR HEALTH NEEDS AND THE WAYS TO PREVENT DISEASE,+ HE ADDED.
DR. FANG COMMENDED THE DEPARTMENT FOR LAUNCHING THE HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN WHICH IS SO MUCH NEEDED AND WHICH IS IN LINE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE GREEN PAPER ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.
IN HIS WELCOMING ADDRESS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG, SAID THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN WERE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON WAYS OF ACHIEVING OPTIMAL HEALTH AND THE PREVENTION OF DISEASES IN THE ELDERLY, AND THE USE OF AVAILABLE PERSONAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
HE SAID IMPARTING HEALTH KNOWLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN HEALTH EDUCATION ACTIVITIES +ARE CLOSELY AND MUTUALLY LINKED IN OUR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE BETTER HEALTH AND A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE.+
DR. THONG POINTED OUT THAT TO BE ADVANCING IN YEARS DID NOT MEAN ILLNESS AND NON-PRODUCTIVITY AS MANY PEOPLE SEEMED TO THINK.
+IN FACT, OLD AGE COULD BE A CONTINUED PHASE OF THE PRIME OF LIFE IN WHICH ONE CAN REMAIN HEALTHY AND ACTIVE, IF ONE UNDERSTANDS THE COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS IN OLD AGE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION, HE SAID.
/DURING THE