FRIDAY. AUGUST 11. 1989
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EXPERIMENTAL 'BOUGHT-PLACE SCHEME FOR ELDERLY ANNOUNCED
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) ANNOUNCED DETAILS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL "BOUGHT-PLACE SCHEME" FOR RESIDENTIAL PLACES IN PRIVATE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY WHICH WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR.
OPERATORS OF PRIVATE HOMES ARE BEING INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE SCHEME.
SPEAKING AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE THIS MORNING, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR ALFRED CHUI, SAID $30.6 MILLION FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND HAD BEEN ALLOCATED TO BUY UP то 500 PLACES IN PRIVATE ELDERLY HOMES OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
HE SAID THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME WERE TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR EXISTING PRIVATE HOMES TO IMPROVE THEIR SERVICE STANDARDS AND TO ENCOURAGE THE SETTING UP OF NEW HOMES TO CREATE ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR ELDERLY PERSONS.
MR CHUI SAID PLACES WOULD BE BOUGHT FROM CURRENTLY REGISTERED HOMES. A COMMITMENT COULD BE MADE TO BUY PLACES FROM HOMES UNDER PLANNING AND EXISTING HOMES WHICH WERE NOT YET REGISTERED BUT WOULD BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARDS UP TO REGISTRATION LEVEL, HE ADDED.
MR CHUI SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE HOMES WERE ASSESSED ΤΟ BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING GOOD CARE TO ELDERLY RESIDENTS AT A LEVEL IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGISTRATION STANDARDS UNDER THE
VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION SCHEME.
"PLACES WILL BE BOUGHT IN THE RANGE OF $3,700 ΤΟ $4,700 DEPENDING ON THE REGISTRATION CATEGORY AND THE LOCATION OF THE HOME.
"HOMES FROM WHICH PLACES ARE BOUGHT WILL BE SUBJECT TO REGULAR INSPECTIONS BY INSPECTORS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ADVICE IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICE," HE SAID.
MR CHUI SAID TERMS AND CONDITIONS WOULD BE LAID DOWN IN CONTRACT BETWEEN THE OPERATOR AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
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"PLACES IN HOMES ALREADY REGISTERED CAN BE BOUGHT IN OCTOBER IF THEY OFFER TO MAKE SOME OF THEIR PLACES AVAILABLE FOR THE USE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
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"AS TO EXISTING PRIVATE HOMES THAT ARE NOT YET REGISTERED BUT MEET REGISTRATION STANDARDS, PLACES COULD BE BOUGHT UPON REGISTRATION.
STANDARD,
"REGARDING HOMES THAT ARE NOT YET UP TO REGISTRATION A COMMITMENT COULD BE MADE TO PURCHASE PLACES IF SUCH HOMES COULD
IMPROVE TO REACH THE REGISTRATION LEVEL WITHIN THREE MONTHS FROM DATE OF COMMITMENT.
THE
"FOR HOMES