SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 1984
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OLD FOLK WANT MORE ATTENTION SURVEY
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MORE ATTENTION AND CARE FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE IMPORTANT
TO A LARGE NUMBER OF OLD PEOPLE IN SAI KUNG, ACCORDING TO FINDINGS OF A SURVEY PUBLISHED TODAY (SUNDAY).
ABOUT HALF OF 2 255 PEOPLE, AGED BETWEEN 60 AND 105, WHO WERE INTERVIEWED DURING THE SURVEY FELT THAT FREQUENT HOME VISITS AND ORGANISED ACTIVITIES WOULD HELP ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
THE SURVEY WAS FUNDED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD AT A COST OF $20 000 AND CONDUCTED BY 67 VOLUNTEERS AS PART OF THE SAI KUNG SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME LAST YEAR.
A DISTRICT BOARD SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS INTENDED TO FIND OUT THE LIVING CONDITION OF THE ELDERLY AND THE IR SOCIAL NEEDS.
+THE INFORMATION COLLECTED WILL BE A USEFUL REFERENCE IN THE FUTURE PLANNING OF SERVICES FOR ELDERLY IN THE DISTRICT, + HE ADDED.
THE SURVEY FINDINGS WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD'S SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING ON TUESDAY,
OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED, 1 003 (44.4 PER CENT) SAID THEY HOPED THEIR FRIENDS OR VOLUNTARY WORKERS COULD VISIT THEM MORE OFTEN SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT FEEL NEGLECTED BY, OR SEGREGATED FROM, THE SOCIETY.
ANOTHER 155 OF THEM (6.87 PER CENT) SAID THEY WERE IN NEED OF COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICES, 86(3,81 PER CENT) SAID THEY WANTED COMPANIONSHIP AND 84 (3.37 PER CENT) REQUIRED ASSISTANCE IN HOUSEWORK.
REGARDING THEIR LIVING CONDITION, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT 1 633 PEOPLE OR 72.42 PER CENT WERE LIVING WITH RELATIVES OR FRIENDS, 331 (14.68 PER CENT) LIVING ALONE AND 291 (12.9 PER CENT) IN HOMES FOR THE AGED.
THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT 1 662 PEOPLE (73 PER CENT) LIVED IN VILLAGE HOUSES, 130 (5.76 PER CENT) IN PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL FLATS, 124 (5.5 PER CENT) ON BUNK BEDS AND 48 (2.13 PER CENT) IN SQUATTER BOATS.
HOWEVER, MOST OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED WERE FOUND TO BE LIVING IN LESS CONGESTED CONDITIONS, WITH 1 565 PEOPLE OR 69.4 PER CENT OCCUPYING MORE THAN 10 SQUARE METRES PER PERSON.
FINANCIALLY, 1 275 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING EITHER OLD AGE, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OR DISABILITY ALLOWANCES FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
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