XN000022-1975-01-19 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, JANUARY, 19, 1975.

PROBLEM OF THE AGED

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RAPID INDUSTRIALISATION AND CHANGE IN SOCIAL MENTALITY HAVE LED TO THE GRADUAL DISAPPEARANCE OF THE LARGE FAMILY SYSTEM IN HONG KONG.

THIS, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT MODERN SCIENCE, MEDICAL ADVANCES AND BETTER EDUCATION HAVE RESULTED IN THE SPAN OF HUMAN LIFE BEING PROLONGED, HAS LED TO ANOTHER PROBLEM ARISING, THAT OF AGED PEOPLE, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

MR. THOMAS LEE WAS SPEAKING WHEN HE OPENED THE NEW YUEN YUEN HOME FOR THE AGED IN TSUEN VAN. AT THE CEREMONY THE FIRST-TERM BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOME ALSO FORMALLY TOOK OFFICE.

MR. LEE SAID THE PROBLEM OF THE AGED WAS CAUSING THE PUBLIC GREATER CONCERN AND WAYS HAD TO BE FOUND TO SOLVE IT.'

THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND OTHER SERVICES OF SIMILAR NATURE AIMED TO GIVE ASSISTANCE TO THE AGED AND INFIRM WHO HAD LOST THEIR POWER OF INDEPENDENCE, TO ENABLE THEM TO LIVE THEIR LAST YEARS IN PEACE,

BUT, HE POINTED OUT, THERE WERE STILL MANY ELDERLY MEN AND WOMEN WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR HEALTH, ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM AND OTHER REASONS, WERE STILL WAITING TO BE CARED FOR.

THIS NEW HOME, MR. LEE SAID, WAS THEREFORE A PROMISE OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND IT WOULD BE MAKING A PRAISEWORTHY CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY IN LINE WITH THE WELFARE POLICY PLANNED FOR HONG KONG.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF MR. LEE'S SPEECH ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION AT GIS PRESS ROOM, 6TH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.

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