FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1988
COMMUNITY CARE AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE AGED
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BOTH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ARE VIGOROUSLY DEVELOPING RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN VIEW OF THE GROWING DEMAND, AND AT THE SAME TIME PROMOTING THE CONCEPT OF CARE IN THE FAMILY, DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SHE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SWD HO'S CLANSMEN ASSOCIATION HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY IN SHA TIN, THE FIRST OF
ITS KIND TO BE DIRECTLY MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
MRS WONG SAID THAT IT WAS BEST FOR THE ELDERLY TO SPEND THEIR OLD AGE IN THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT HER DEPARTMENT HAD TRIED ΤΟ CULTIVATE THE CONCEPT OF RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.
"HENCE, A SERIES OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES, SUCH AS HOME HELP, SOCIAL CENTRES, MULTI-SERVICES CENTRES AND DAY CARE CENTRES, HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO ASSIST FAMILIES TO LOOK AFTER MEMBERS AND TO ENABLE THE SENIOR CITIZENS TO CONTINUE COMMUNITY THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH, SHE SAID.
THEIR ELDERLY LIVING IN THE
"HOWEVER, SOME OLD PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE ΤΟ RECEIVE PROPER CARE IN THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASONS SUCH AS THE LACK OF RELATIVES OR FRIENDS TO DEPEND ON, FAMILY DISPUTES OR OTHER SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS AND THEREFORE REQUIRE INSTITUTIONAL CARE, SHE ADDED.
THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN ACTIVELY ASSISTING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN RENDERING INSTITUTIONAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY THROUGH SUBVENTION OVER THE PAST DECADE AND THERE ARE NOW SOME 9,000 SUBVENTED RESIDENTIAL PLACES FOR THE ELDERLY. WHICH IS ONE-AND-A-HALF TIMES MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO.
MRS WONG COMMENDED THE HO'S CLANSMEN ASSOCIATION FOR DONATING $1.7 MILLION TOWARDS THE SETTING UP OF THE HOSTEL AND FOR ITS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING.
LATER IN THE EVENING, WHEN ADDRESSING THE NINTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE AGED, MRS WONG REITERATED THAT THE CURRENT POLICY OBJECTIVE IN ELDERLY SERVICE HAD PROVED TO BE CORRECT AND WOULD STILL BE EFFECTIVE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
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