XN000022-1982-05-09 — Page 7

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 1982

6.

HOME FOR THE AGED AT TAI O

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THE GOVERNMENT IS PUSHING AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR A HOME FOR THE AGED AT TAI O, THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR RICKY FUNG, SAID TODAY.

TO BE BUILT BY A NON-PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATION, THE HOME IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE CARE FOR ABOUT 100 PEOPLE.

MR FUNG WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE GERIATRIC HEALTH PROJECT JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE PENINSULA JAYCEES, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE TAI O RURAL COMMITTEE AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

HE NOTED THAT THE ELDERLY TENDED TO FEEL LONELY AND NEGLECTED. ONCE THEY CATCH A DISEASE THEY MAY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE ENTERED THE WORLD OF NO HOPE.

+IN FACT, IF THEY KNOW HOW TO KEEP THEIR HEALTH IN GOOD CONDITION AND SPEND THEIR LEISURE TIME MEANINGFULLY, THEY CAN STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY BY MEANS OF THEIR RICH EXPERIENCE IN LIFE.+

THE HEALTH PROJECT, WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR THE AGED, WAS AIMED AT AROUSING THE OLD PEOPLE'S AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH.

+ IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT THE TAI O COMMUNITY WILL PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS AND PROBLEMS OF THE AGED WHO WILL OTHERWISE FEEL NEGLECTED, HE SAID.

FOLLOWING THE OPENING CEREMONY, FOUR DOCTORS AND TWO CHIROPRACTORS, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PENINSULA JAYCEES, CARRIED OUT A GENERAL MEDICAL CHECK-UP FOR 300 OLD PEOPLE AT TAI 0.

THE MEDICAL SCREENING, TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT WEEKEND INCLUDED BLOOD PRESSURE, EYE, DENTAL AND SPINAL EXAMINATION.

AS PART OF THE PROJECT, A GERIATRIC HEALTH EXHIBITION WAS ALSO HELD IN THE RURAL COMMITTEE OFFICE WITH DISPLAYS ILLUSTRATING THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCED DIET, SLEEP AND EXERCISE AS WELL AS THE PREVENTION OF CARDIAC AFFECTION, CANCER AND HYPERTENSION.