WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1982
MEASURES TO MEET SHORTFALLS OF PLACES FOR ELDERLY
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THE PROJECTED SHORTFALLS OF PLACES IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, AND INFIRMARIES WILL BE MET BY THE END OF 1984/85 AND THE END OF THE 1980S RESPECTIVELY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON ANSON CHAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
PEPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, SHE SAID THERE WERE 3 448 ELDERLY PERSONS AWAITING ADMISSION TO CARE
AND ATTENTION HOMES, AND 230 TO INFIRMAR IES.
ON AVERAGE, THE FORMER HAVE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND THE LATTER FOR THREE MONTHS TO ONE YEAR, SHE SAID.
TO REDUCE THE SHORTFALL, THERE IS AN ONGOING PROGRAMME TO SECURE SUITABLE SITES FOR PURPOSE-BUILT CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, AND TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO OPERATE SUCH FACILITIES WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT, SHE SAID.
THERE WILL BE 125 NEW PLACES TOWARDS THE END OF 1982/83, AND 2 055 PLACES IN 14 ADDITIONAL HOMES IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SHE ADDED.
THE CURRENT SHORTFALL OF INFIRMARY BEDS IS PARTLY MET BY THE ADDITION OF 300 BEDS THIS YEAR WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE WONG TAI SIN INFIRMARY NEW EXTENSION, SHE SAID.
AS FOR THE ESTIMATED SHORTFALL OF 1 600 INFIRMARY BEDS BY THE END OF 1980S, MRS CHAN SAID THAT 2 050 ADDITIONAL BEDS ARE PLANNED FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
ADMISSION TO CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES IS NORMALLY ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED BASIS ON APPLICATION, HOWEVER, URGENT REFERRALS FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT OR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT MAY BE GIVEN PRIORITY ADMISSION.
ADMISSION TO INFIRMARIES IS BASED ON THE CLINICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF EACH PATIENT, WHO IS TO BE ADMITTED DIRECTLY FROM CLINICAL UNITS OF ACUTE REGIONAL HOSPITALS, SHE SAID.