WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1985
BALANCED DEVELOPMENT IN SERVICES FOR AGED
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES ARE ACCORDED TOP PRIORITY IN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, FOLLOWED BY RESIDENTIAL CARE, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE AGED'S SHEK WAI KOK HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY IN TSUEN WAN, SHE SAID IN RECENT YEARS COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES HAD EXPANDED RAPIDLY TO HELP THE ELDERLY ENJOY HOME LIFE AND MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH SOCIETY WHILE RESIDENTIAL CARE, AIMED AT PROVIDING VARIOUS TYPES OF HOMES WITH A HOME-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, HAD DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO PLANNING TARGETS.
THESE TARGETS WERE UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW, MRS CHAN SAID, POINTING OUT THAT THE PLANNING RATIO FOR CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES HAD BEEN REVISED RECENTLY FROM FOUR PLACES PER THOUSAND ELDERLY ABOVE THE AGE OF 60 TO FIVE PLACES PER THOUSAND.
IN 1984-85, GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AMOUNTED TO SOME $27 MILLION WHILE THAT FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE WAS $32 MILLION.
+THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAINTAIN A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY ACCORDING TO DEMAND, SHE SAID.
MRS CHAN ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ELDERLY WOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM SOCIETY WHEN THEY WERE UNDER RESIDENTIAL CARE.
HOSTELS AND SHELTERED HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY WERE LOCATED IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND DENSELY POPULATED AREAS, AND RESIDENTS COULD COME INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEIR NEIGHBOURS.
+THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IS TO SET UP CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND HOMES FOR THE AGED IN NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES,+ MRS CHAN SAID.
HEALTH PERMITTING, RESIDENTS WERE FREE TO COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASED IN THE HOMES, AND THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WERE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH.
THE SHEK WAI KOK HOSTEL CAN ACCOMMODATE 160 RESIDENTS AND PROVIDES THEM WITH MEAL AND LAUNDRY SERVICES. RESIDENTS CAN TAKE PART IN VARIOUS INTEREST GROUPS, HEALTH PROJECTS AND ELDERLY VOLUNTEER SERVICES.
IT IS THE SECOND HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY SET UP BY THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE AGED IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES,
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