XN000022-1977-06-22 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1977

MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE AGED ******

HONG KONG'S GROWING SOCIAL NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE OLD CAN ONLY BE MET BY THE COMBINED EFFORT OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID THIS TODAY AT AN INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE CHUNG SHAK HEI (CHEUNG CHAU) HOME FOR THE AGED HELD AT THE CITY HALL RESTAURANT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT WITH IMPROVED MEDICAL FACILITIES AND SOCIAL STABILITY, THERE WAS A GENERAL TREND FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE LONGER.

THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

+ IN THE 1971 CENSUS, THERE WERE 103,912 PEOPLE WHO WERE MORE THAN 70 YEARS OLD. THIS REPRESENTED 2.6 PER CENT OF THE THEN TOTAL POPULATION.

+ THE 1976 BY-CENSUS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE 142,500 PEOPLE WHO WERE MORE THAN 70 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS 3.3 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, HE SAID.

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MR. AKERS-JONES SAID HE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE WORK OF THE CHUNG SHAK HEI HOME FOR THE AGED ONE OF THE WELFARE INSTITUTIONS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN WHICH LOCAL PEOPLE JOIN HAND-IN-HAND WITH PEOPLE FROM URBAN HONG KONG.

+ I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME NEW MEASURES LIKE ORGANISED VISITS FROM YOUTH SERVICES GROUPS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES HAVE BEEN ARRANGED FOR THE RESIDENTS IN THIS HOME.

+ I APPRECIATE THESE NEW EFFORTS WHICH HELP, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, TO BRING VARIETY AND HAPPINESS INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE IN THE HOME, HE SAID.

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