XN000022-1982-01-12 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1982

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HK FACES PROBLEMS ARISING FROM GROWING NUMBER OF ELDERLY

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WITH LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ITS PEOPLE, HONG KONG, LIKE MANY INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES, IS FACING PROBLEMS ARISING FROM A GROWING NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE CHUNG SING BENEVOLENT SOCIETY SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY AT SHUN TIN ESTATE IN KWUN TONG.

TRADITIONALLY, MR ALLEYNE SAID, THE CHINESE FAMILY IS CLOSELY- KNIT AND OLD PEOPLE ARE LOOKED AFTER WITHIN THE FAMILY.

BUT SOCIAL CHANGES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS, SUCH AS SMALL HOUSING UNITS, PROBABLY BROUGHT ABOUT BY INCREASING URBANISATION AND INDUSTRIALISATION, HAVE PUT THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNIT UNDER GREAT STRAIN AND OLD PEOPLE ARE BEING COMPELLED TO RELY MORE AND MORE ON OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE.

THIS CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY LED TO THE APPOINTMENT IN 1972 OF A GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY ON THE FUTURE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY, AND THE FORMULATION IN 1977 OF A PROGRAMME PLAN FOR THE ELDERLY.

UNDER THIS PLAN, A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY IS TO BE SET UP FOR EVERY 30 000 PEOPLE TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THEM.

THE SHUN TIN ESTATE, BEING A NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE, WAS VERY MUCH IN NEED OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, SUCH AS A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID.

THE CHUNG SING BENEVOLENT SOCIETY CENTRE IS AT PRESENT THE ONLY CENTRE OF ITS KIND AMONG SHUN TIN, SHUN LEE AND SHUN ON ESTATES, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY ACCOMMODATE 65 000 PEOPLE.

A SECOND SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY WILL SOON BE SET UP IN THE AREA, MR ALLEYNE SAID.

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