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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1986
TURNING TO MEDICAL FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE EXISTING 120 PLACES IN DAY HOSPITALS WOULD BE INCREASED TO ENABLE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT NEED FULL-TIME MEDICAL CARE TO LIVE AT HOME RATHER THAN TO OCCUPY VALUABLE HOSPITAL BEDS,
HE ALSO SAID THAT IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN MORE EXACTLY THE REQUIREMENT FOR INFIRMARY AND CARE AND ATTENTION HOME PLACES, A SURVEY WAS BEING JOINTLY CONDUCTED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE RESULTS OF WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE EARLY NEXT YEAR.
ON DENTAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO PLAN TO INTRODUCE FREE OR SUBSIDISED DENTAL SERVICES EITHER FOR THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE OR FOR THE ELDERLY AS THIS WOULD BE +A VERY MAJOR UNDERTAKING WITH SERVICES RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS+,
ON THE INTRODUCTION OF CONCESSIONARY RATES FOR ELDERLY PETL ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, HE SAID THAT THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WAS IN TOUCH WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, AND THE IR RESPONSES WERE STILL AWAITED.
MR CHAMBERS SAID THE POLICY IN ADMINISTRATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTIONS WAS AT PRESENT THE SUBJECT OF A REVIEW BY A GOVERNMENT WORK ING GROUP AND THE PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVEMENT MADE WOULD CERTAINLY BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION.
HE NOTED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING IT COULD TO HELP ELDERLY PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO LIVE A FULL LIFE IN THEIR LATER YEARS.
+ IT IS PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY UNIT SHOULD TRY TO UNDERSTAND AND SYMPATHISE WITH THEIR ELDERS' DIFFICULTIES, HE ADDED.
COMMISSIONER FOR THE ELDERLY PROPOSED
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A COMMISSIONER FOR THE ELDERLY SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO CO-ORDINATE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY PEOPLE, DR THE HON HO KAM- FAI SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
LEADING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON CARE AND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AS CONVENER OF THE AD HOC GROUP STUDYING THE ISSUE, DR HO SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE DEBATE WAS TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT A WIDE SPECTRUM OF SERVICES ON WHICH THE ELDERLY MIGHT DEPEND FOR THEIR WELL-BEING.
/+AS THE