WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1984
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HOUSING NEEDS OF ELDERLY UNDER STUDY
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS EXAMINING THE NEEDS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ST JAMES SETTLEMENT.
HE SAID THE RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION INCLUDED HOSTELS, OLD AGE HOMES. CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND SHELTERED HOUSING IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS THE TWO SCHEMES FUNDED FROM THE PROFITS OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR GOLD COIN SALES.
+WE NEED TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE,+ HE SAID.
+WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING COMPLEXES CONTAINING SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACCOMMODATION SO THAT PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO BE UPROOTED WHEN THEIR NEEDS CHANGE.+
THIS WAS IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST MONTH THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD PREPARE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MEETING SHORTFALLS IN ALL TYPES OF GROUP ACCOMMODATION FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID.
THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR OLDER CITIZENS WOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMING YEARS.
+GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE ALREADY BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT IN CERTAIN AREAS - SUCH AS CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES,+ HE SAID.
+WE DO RELY TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT ON THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO DEVELOP AND OPERATE MANY OF THESE SERVICES, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEEING THAT THE PLANS ARE FULFILLED AND THE NECESSARY FUNDS PROVIDED.+
REFERRING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON THE ELDERLY
MR CHAMBERS SAID THE 1979 WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY SET OUT THE OBJECTIVES OF PROMOTING THE WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY THROUGH CARE IN THE COMMUNITY AND BY THE COMMUNITY.
SERVICES SUCH AS COMMUNITY NURSING, HOME HELP, DAY CARE CENTRES AND SOCIAL CENTRES, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEMES WERE DESIGNED TO HELP OLDER PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
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VARIOUS FORMS OF SUBSIDISED HOUSING WERE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SE UNABLE TO FIND DECENT ACCOMMODATION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THIN THEIR MEANS, HE SAID.
INSTITUTIONAL CARE WAS FOR THOSE WHO COULD NOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES EVEN WITH THE SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED, HE ADDED.
/ON THE
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