SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 1990
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PUBLIC VIEWS ON SOCIAL WELFARE WILL BE SOUGHT
THE PUBLIC WILL BE WIDELY CONSULTED ON THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE UPON ITS PUBLICATION IN AUGUST THIS YEAR, THE ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR ALFRED CHUI, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING AT A SEMINAR ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE 90'S, ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF GERONTOLOGY, MR CHUI SAID THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED IMPORTANCE TO DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES AND SERVICES.
"THE GOVERNMENT IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT ELDERLY SERVICES AS THE DEMAND FOR THE SERVICES HAS BEEN INCREASING IN VIEW OF CHANGES IN THE POPULATION, POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND ECONOMY IN HONG KONG," HE SAID.
SERVICES AIMED AT PROMOTING THE WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY WOULD HAVE TO BE BOOSTED.
MR CHUI SAID THE WORKING PARTY ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES AND SERVICES, AFTER CONDUCTING AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, HAD PROPOSED THAT THE PLANNING STANDARD OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES BE IN LINE WITH THE ELDERLY POPULATION NUMBERS.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE WORKING PARTY INCLUDED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR EVERY 3,000 ELDERLY PEOPLE AND A MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE AND A DAY CARE CENTRE FOR EVERY 25,000.
THE WORKING PARTY ALSO PROPOSED RAISING THE PLANNING RATIO OF PLACEMENTS AT CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES FROM THE EXISTING EIGHT PLACES TO EVERY 1,000 ELDERLY PEOPLE TO 11.
"OUR SENIOR CITIZENS WILL THEN FIND IT EASIER TO SEEK ASSISTANCE," MR CHUI SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT, APART FROM CONSIDERING THE INTRODUCTION OF LAWS TO CONTROL VARIOUS HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY, WOULD ALSO ADOPT MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ELDERLY SERVICES, HE SAID.
TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS WOULD BE ORGANISED FOR PERSONNEL WORKING IN THE ELDERLY SERVICES FIELD IN AN EFFORT TO FURTHER ENHANCE BOTH THEIR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE.
"SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES, THERE WILL BE PROVISION OF PHYSIOTHERAPY SUPPORT FOR CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND DAY CARE CENTRES, HE SAID.
MR CHUI PAID TRIBUTE то PHILANTHROPISTS FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATIONS TOWARDS SETTING UP VARIOUS FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERLY.
SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE CURRENT DECADE WOULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED WITH CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID IN CONCLUSION.
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