XN000022-1982-07-11 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 1982

COMMUNITY CAN BENEFIT FROM RETIRED PEOPLE

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THE COMMUNITY CAN BENEFIT FROM THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE OF PEOPLE ENTERING RETIREMENT, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE STILL PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY VIGOROUS, READY TO RESHAPE THEIR LIVES AND RESPOND TO OPPORTUNITIES OPEN TO THEM, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR ERIC HO, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A RETIREMENT PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION AT THE NEW WORLD CENTRE THIS AFTERNOON, MR HO SAID THE POTENTIALS OF RETIRED PEOPLE IN VOLUNTEER WORK - IN PARTICULAR VISITING AND HELPING NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS, RELIEVING LONELINESS AND ISOLATION AND THEREBY FOSTERING MUTUAL COMPANIONSHIP - REMAINED TO BE FULLY TAPPED.

→BUT ANY PREPARATION FOR RETIREMENT WILL NOT BE COMPLETE OR EFFECTIVE WITHOUT A CARING COMMUNITY'. HOWEVER MUCH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR CAN DO TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND A RANGE OF SOCIAL SERVICES, IT IS THE PEOPLE WHOM A RETIRED PERSON COMES INTO CONTACT WITH IN HIS EVERYDAY LIFE - HIS FAMILY, NEIGHBOURS OR EVEN A CASUAL ACQUAINTANCE AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF HIM THAT WILL SUSTAIN HIS SENSE OF SATISFACTION AND FULFILLMENT AND HENCE HIS LINK WITH THE COMMUNITY, + MR HO SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THE EXHIBITION MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG JAYCEETTES TO TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT HOW THE COMMUNITY SHOULD RESPOND AND ASSIST TOWARDS THE AGEING PROCESS.

+1 AM CONFIDENT THAT ARISING FROM THIS EXHIBITION AND OTHER FORTHCOMING ACTIVITIES, THE ISSUE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN ITS RIGHT PERSPECTIVE AND THAT THERE WILL BE USEFUL AND PRACTICAL EXCHANGES ON RELATED MATTERS SUCH AS MAINTAINING HEALTH, FITNESS AND MOBILITY, HE SAID.

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