SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1984
SOCIAL WORKERS PRAISED FOR DEDICATION
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THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG'S WELFARE PROGRAMMES, WHICH COMPARE WELL WITH THOSE IN ANY COUNTRY IN THE REGION, IS DUE TO THE DEDICATION AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF ITS SOCIAL WORKERS.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY (SATURDAY) BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL OFFICER (HONG. KONG), MRS ROSE GOODSTADT, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF LEI FOOK CHURCH SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY. LOCATED AT AP LEI CHAU, THE CENTRE IS RUN BY THE HONG KONG CHINESE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE.
+THE QUALITY AND DIRECTION OF OUR SERVICES DO NOT ALWAYS DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF STAFF WE HAVE OR THE RESOURCES GIVEN TO US,+ SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THE DEDICATION OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS WAS ALSO VITAL.
SHE CALLED ON SOCIAL WORKERS TO TAKE A MORE DYNAMIC AND IMAGINATIVE APPROACH IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.
SHE SAID THAT SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY FORMED THE LARGEST NETWORK OF WELFARE SERVICES FOR THESE PEOPLE AND WERE PLANNED IN ADVANCE ON BOTH THE POPULATION AND THE GEOGRAPHIC BASE.
TWELVE CENTRES ARE TO BE SET UP EACH YEAR AND, ACCORDING TO PRESENT PLANS, THERE WILL BE ABOUT 160 SUCH CENTRES BY 1989.
BUT MRS GOODSTADT FELT THAT SOCIAL WORKERS SHOULD BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THEIR APPROACH AND THAT THERE WAS STILL ROOM FOR FRESH INITIATIVES AND INNOVATION.
BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, SHE SAID THEY COULD MAKE SPECIAL EFFORTS IN RECRUITING THOSE ELDERLY PERSONS WITH EXPERIENCE AND TALENTS TO ACT AS VOLUNTEERS.
+WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO THINK OF THE ELDERLY AS JUST A GROUP OF UNDERPRIVILEGED PERSONS WHO ARE PASSIVE RECIPIENTS OF WELFARE SERVICES, SHE STRESSED.
+WE SHOULD CHANGE OUR STEREOTYPED IMAGE OF THE ELDERLY AND START THINKING OF THEM AS RESOURCEFUL AND EXPERIENCED PERSONS.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT SOCIAL CENTRES COULD BE USED TO PROMOTE HEALTH EDUCATION FOR THE ELDERLY, TO MONITOR THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE MORE VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP, AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A MORE HEALTHY AND MEANINGFUL LIFE.
THEY COULD ALSO BE USED AS A BASE TO REACH OUT TO THE ELDERLY WHO WERE ISOLATED, SHE SAID.
THE POPULATION OF THOSE AGED OVER 60 HAS RISEN FROM ABOUT 200 000 IN 1965 TO 500 000 TODAY, AND THE NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO RISE FURTHER TO 850 000 IN TEN YEARS' TIME.
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