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MONDAY, JULY 1, 1985
+ IN 1984-85, GOVERNMENT SPENT $583 MILLION ON ITS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, OF THE 60 161 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES AT APRIL 1985, SOME 63 PER CENT (37 980) WERE THOSE AGED 60 OR OVER,+ MRS CHAN SAID.
IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A NON-MEANS TESTED OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SCHEME WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO MEET THE SPECIAL FINANCIAL NEEDS OF SENIOR CITIZENS AGED 70 AND ABOVE.
THERE WERE CURRENTLY 215 000 OLD AGE ALLOWANCE CASES, AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 85 PER CENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS BENEFIT CURRENTLY RECEIVED IT. THE AMOUNT PAID OUT UNDER THIS SCHEME DURING 1984-85 WAS $586 MILLION.
LAST YEAR, A FAMOUS PSYCHO-GERIATRICIAN FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION ON AGING, DR CEES VAN TIGGELEN, VISITED THE RANGE OF SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE ELDERLY IN HONG KONG.
HE ADVOCATED THE NEED FOR PSYCHO-SOCIAL STIMULATION IN CARE- AND-ATTENTION HOMES SO AS TO SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS OF MENTAL DETERIORATION AND DEGENERATION OF RESIDENTS.
MRS CHAN SAID THAT SUCH PROPOSALS WOULD REQUIRE DOCTORS TO GO OUT INTO THE FIELD TO PROVIDE CONSULTATION, SUPPORT AND PREVENTIVE INFORMATION BOTH TO THE PATIENT AND TO THOSE PROVIDING CARE AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL.
+FOR RESOURCE REASONS, GOVERNMENT IS UNABLE TO MAKE SUCH A COMMITMENT AT PRESENT, SO WE WILL NEED TO RELY ON THE NON-GOVERNMENT SECTOR TO DEVELOP THIS NEW AREA OF SERVICE, SHE ADDED.
FAMILIARISATION VISIT STARTS
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MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL THIS (MONDAY) MORNING TOURED FACILITIES OFFERED BY THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE ARM, THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IN THE TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG AREAS.
THE TOUR WAS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF FAMILIARISATION VISITS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
LED BY THE VICE-CHAIRMAN, MR NATHAN MA, MEMBERS VISITED THE TAK WAH STREET TEMPORARY MARKET, THE TSUEN WAN TOWN HALL, NORTH KWAI CHUNG TANG SHIU KIN INDOOR RECREATION CENTRE, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND A MARKET IN KWAI CHUNG.
DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THEY WILL SEE RSD FACILITIES IN THE NORTH, TAI PO, SHA TIN AND SAI KUNG DISTRICTS,
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