MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1980
2
THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, AND THAT OTHER OFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE THE COMMISSIONER FOR RATING AND VALUATION, SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, THE DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS AND A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT,
THE COMMITTEE WILL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, HE SAID.
GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY *****
IT IS GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO EXPAND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY ON A WIDE FRONT, WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF PROMOTING THEIR WELL-BEING THROUGH THE PROVEN CONCEPT OF CARE IN THE COMMUNITY AND BY THE COMMUNITY.
SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) WHEN LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE POK OI HOSPITAL CARE AND ATTENTION HOME AT PING SHAN, NEAR YUEN LONG.
TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, MR AKERS-JONES SAID, GOVERNMENT WOULD ADOPT A THREE-FOLD STRATEGY:
* TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF THE ELDERLY IN
THE COMMUNITY AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IR NEEDS AND PROBLEMS-
* TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO LOOK AFTER THEIR ELDERLY
MEMBERS AND PROVIDE SERVICES THAT WOULD ENABLE OLD PEOPLE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND
* TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES
FOR THOSE WHO FOR HEALTH AND OTHER REASONS COULD NO LONGER LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR ON THE IR OWN.
+PRESENT FACILITIES ARE NOT ADEQUATE, AND IT IS GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES ON AN EXPANDED SCALE, HE SAID.
+THESE HOMES WILL ALSO HAVE THE ADVANTAGES OF RELEASING MUCH- NEEDED HOSPITAL BEDS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY OLD PEOPLE WHO COULD MORE APPROPRIATELY LIVE IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES.
ON THE BASIS OF PROVISION OF FOUR PLACES PER 1 000 AGED 60 AND OVER, THERE WAS ALREADY A TERRITORY-WIDE SHORTFALL.
ONLY 335 PLACES EXISTED TO MEET A DEMAND BY 1990 OLD PEOPLE.
*WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS POK OI HOSPITAL IT IS GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO ELIMINATE THIS SHORTFALL BY 1983/84 THROUGH PROVISION OF AN ADDITIONAL 1 935 PLACES.*
THE MAJORITY