XN000022-1981-08-26 — Page 2

1

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1981

HELPING THE SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED

***

THE RANGE OF ABILITY WITHIN THE CATEGORY OF SEVERE MENTAL HANDICAP IS VERY WIDE AND MANY SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED PEOPLE, IF PROVIDED WITH PROPER CARE, TRAINING AND STIMULATION, CAN MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR LIMITED FACULTIES AND CAPABILITIES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE PO LEUNG KUK BOARD, HE SAID THAT FOR SOME SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ALSO SUFFERED FROM PHYSICAL ABNORMALITIES OR DISABILITIES, HOSP TAL CARE REMAINED THE ONLY PRACTICAL OPTION.

+HOWEVER, IT IS THOUGHT THAT ONLY ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF

ALL SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED PERSONS NEED TO BE CONFINED TO HOSPITAL CARE. PRESENT PLANNING SEEKS TO PROVIDE FOR THE OTHER TWO-THIRDS EITHER IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS OR HOMES OR THROUGH THE PROVISION OF DAY CARE SUPPORT SERVICES TO ENABLE THEM TO REMAIN WITH THEIR FAMILIES, HE SAID.

MR ALLEYNE STRESSED THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULTS IS ESSENTIAL NOT ONLY IN MANY CASES TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE MENTALLY- HANDICAPPED THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO THOSE OF THEIR FAMILIES WHO EVEN IF WELL-INTENTIONED, MAY BE UNABLE TO CATER TO THEIR NEEDS.+

IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING, IT IS POSSIBLE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF TRAINED WORKERS NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE FOR THE DAILY LIVING NEEDS OF THE MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED PERSON, BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE STIMULATION AND WORK ACTIVITY PROGRAMMES SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO DEVELOP NEW SKILLS AND TO INCREASE HIS INTEREST IN THE WORLD AROUND HIM.

+AFTER YEARS OF BEING ALMOST TOTALLY IGNORED, MANY SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULTS RESPOND ASTONISHINGLY TO THE STIMULI OF COMMUNAL LIFE AND A DAILY PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITY,+ MR ALLEYNE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT THE 1981 REVIEW OF THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME PLAN ESTIMATED A DEMAND FOR SOME 760 PLACES IN RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULTS.

+THIS MAY WELL BE UNDER-ESTIMATED AND WE MUST KEEP OUR

PLANNING TARGETS FLEXIBLE, HE SAID.

AT PRESENT ONLY 130 PLACES ARE AVAILABLE.

MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT THE KUK, WHICH ALREADY PROVIDED SHELTERED WORK AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, HAD AGREED, IN 1980, TO SPONSOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL PROJECT FOR 200 SEVERELY MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULTS IN O PUI SHAN, OF WHICH PHASE I WAS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL IN EARLY 1983.

THIS PROJECT +CLEARLY REPRESENTS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR EFFORTS TO EXPAND SERVICES AND REDUCE CURRENT SHORTFALLS, + HE SAID.

THE SOCIAL