FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1985
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HK OWES ITS SUCCESS TO ELDERS, SAYS LADY YOUDE
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HONG KONG OWES ITS SUCCESS IN LARGE PART TO ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED HARD ALL THEIR LIVES, AND WHO HAVE MADE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE PROSPEROUS HONG KONG, LADY YOUDE SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE HELPING HAND KWAI SHING WEST CARE SHELTER, SHE SAID THEY DESERVED OUR RESPECT AND CONCERN, NOT AS AN ACT OF CHARITY, BUT BECAUSE THEY HAD EARNED IT.
LADY YOUDE SAID THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE ELDERLY WERE TRADITIONAL VIRTUES,
+ BUT RAPID AND ECONOMIC GROWTH HAVE ERODED THESE TRADITIONS WITH THE RESULT THAT MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF HONG KONG'S SUCCESS, SHE SAID.
WE MUST MAKE SURE THE MORE FORTUNATE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY WERE MADE AWARE OF, AND RESPONSIVE TO, THE NEEDS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE, SHE SAID.
+ IN PARTICULAR, THE RIGHT OF THOSE IN FAILING HEALTH TO RETAIN THEIR SELF-RESPECT AND DIGNITY MUST BE RECOGNISED AS INDEED IT IS, IN THE PROVISION OF PRIVATE SELF-CONTAINED BED SPACES IN THIS SHELTER,+ LADY YOUDE SAID.
SHE THANKED THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG FOR THE IR MOST GENEROUS SUPPORT, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HELPING HAND FOR ALL THE IR HARD WORK AND UNFAILING DETERMINATION TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.
SHE SAID THE CARE SHELTER PROGRAMME, WHICH HELPING HAND WAS DEVELOPING WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, DEMONSTRATED THEIR CONCERN AND COMMITMENT AND WOULD GROW FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.
ALSO SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HELPING HAND, MRS CHRISTA TISDALL, SAID THE KWA SHING WEST CARE SHELTER WAS AN EXTENSION TO THE AGENCY'S SHELTERED HOUSING PROGRAMME.
MRS TISDALL SAID THE PROGRAMME WOULD ENABLE SINGLE ELDERLY PEOPLE AS THEY GREW OLDER AND LESS ABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES TO REMAIN IN THE ESTATES AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT WITH WHICH THEY WERE FAMILIAR.
+A SECOND SUCH HOME, THE CONVERSION OF WHICH IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN JOINTLY BY HELPING HAND AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, WILL BE OPENED IN 1986 IN THE LOK FU ESTATE IN KOWLOON,+ SHE SAID.
+WE HOPE THAT, WORKING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, MANY MORE SUCH SMALL SCALE FAMILY-TYPE SHELTERS CAN BE BUILT IN THE OLDER HOUSING ESTATES, WHERE SUCH SERVICES ARE MOST NEEDED,+ SHE ADDED.
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