MONDAY, JULY 1, 1985
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS NOW REVIEWING THE OVERALL PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY WITH THE AIM OF MEETING ANY SHORTFALLS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SHE ADDED.
TURNING TO HOME HELP SERVICES, MRS CHAN SAID THAT IN MARCH 1985, 30 TEAMS PROVIDED SUCH SERVICES TO ABOUT 1 630 OLD PEOPLE, SUCH AS BRINGING THEM HOT MEALS AND ASSISTING THEM WITH DAILY CHORES.
FOR THE FIT AND HEALTHY, THERE WERE 94 SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY WHERE THEY COULD ENJOY THE COMPANY OF THE IR PEERS AND TAKE PART IN LEISURE PURSUITS. THE NUMBER OF SUCH SOCIAL CENTRES WAS INCREASING BY ABOUT 12 PER YEAR.
+OTHER THAN SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, IT IS OUR AIM TO SET UP A MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY IN EACH DISTRICT, WHERE A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING COUNSELLING, LAUNDRY, CANTEEN, HOME HELP AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES, CAN BE PROVIDED UNDER THE SAME ROOF FOR THE ELDERLY MEMBERS, + MRS CHAN SAID.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE EIGHT SUCH CENTRES IN OPERATION, WILL OPEN LATER THIS YEAR AND TWO OTHER NEXT YEAR.
THREE
DAY CARE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, WHICH PROVIDED NURSING AND PERSONAL CARE TO OLD PEOPLE SO THAT FAMILY MEMBERS COULD BE RELIEVED FROM CARING FOR THEM DURING THE DAY, WERE ALSO PLANNED ON A DISTRICT BASIS.
+ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NOW ONLY TWO CENTRES IN OPERATION, THE NUMBER WILL BE INCREASED TO 17 BY 1989-90,+ SHE SAID.
IN RECENT YEARS, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIVATE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY HAD COME INTO OPERATION.
+WHILE THE STANDARD OF SERVICE VARIES FROM HOME TO HOME, OVERALL WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY CAUSE FOR CONCERN AT PRESENT. WE HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO VISIT ALL SUCH HOMES KNOWN TO US TO OFFER ADVICE AND OPERATORS HAVE BEEN GENERALLY RECEPTIVE,+ MRS CHAN SAID.
BUT THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A NEED TO REMAIN ALERT TO SUCH SERVICES PROVIDED BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, SHE ADDED.
WITH REGARD TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT, A SINGLE OLD PERSON WOULD RECEIVE $510 PER MONTH UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, PLUS A RENTAL ALLOWANCE OF UP TO $276 AND OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT OF $255, ADDING UP TO A TOTAL OF $1 041 AT MAXIMUM.
IN THOSE CASES WHERE A CLIENT HAD BEEN ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR OVER 12 MONTHS, HE WAS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT OF $645.
/+IN 1984-85,