XN000022-1978-12-01 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1978

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D.S.W. OPENS $2.5 MILLION HOME FOR THE AGED

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (FRIDAY) OFFICIALLY OPENED A $2.5 MILLION OLD PEOPLE'S HOME IN FAN LING WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE GOVERNMENT A STRIDE CLOSER TO THE TARGET PROPOSED BY THE GREEN PAPER ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY,

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE BUDDHIST PO CHING CARE AND ATTENTION HOME FOR AGED WOMEN, MR. LEE SAID THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO EASING THE EXISTING SHORTAGE OF CARE AND ATTENTION FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERLY.

CAPABLE OF ACCOMMODATING 117 PEOPLE, THE PROJECT IS SPONSORED BY THE HEUNG HOT CHING KOK LIN ASSOCIATION, AND FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT LOTTERIES FUND THROUGH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING PRIVATE AND ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB DONATIONS.

MR. LEE SAID THE ELDERLY SERVICES GREEN PAPER HAD POINTED TO THE NEED FOR MORE CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, GENERAL CARE AND LIMITED NURSING CARE FOR OLD PEOPLE WHO, MAINLY FOR HEALTH REASONS, COULD NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH THE IR FAMILIES.

THE GREEN PAPER, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED LATE LAST YEAR, HAS RECOMMENDED THE PROVISION BY 1980-81 OF 1,000 EXTRA PLACES IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING 316 PLACES, HE SAID.

IT HAS ALSO RECOMMENDED PLANNED PROVISIONS FROM 1981-82 ONWARDS TO ACHIEVE A LONG-TERM TARGET OF FOUR PLACES PER 1,000 AGED 60 AND OVER BY 1986-87, HE ADDED.

MR. LEE PRAISED THE HEUNG HOI CHING KOK LIN ASSOCIATION FOR ITS CONCERTED EFFORTS IN THE FIELD OF SERVICES FOR OLD PEOPLE.

HE SAID THE CARE AND ATTENTION HOME REPRESENTED YET ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT BY THE ASSOCIATION BECAUSE SINCE 1966, IT HAD BEEN OPERATING ITS FIRST OLD PEOPLE'S HOME FOR 108 AGED WOMEN.

+ UNDERSTAND THE NEW HOME STARTED ADMITTING OLD PEOPLE IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR AND IS NOW ACCOMMODATING A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 117, TWO-THIRDS OF WHOM HAVE BEEN REFERRED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.