XN000022-1984-11-28 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1934

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MORE STRESS ON CARE FOR ELDERLY

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SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WOULD BE AMONG THE MAJOR AREAS OF GROWTH IN THE WELFARE FIELD IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE (DESIGNATE), MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ZONTA CLUB OF HONG KONG TODAY.

+WE OWE IT TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, WHO HAVE THEMSELVES PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG TO WHAT IT IS TODAY, TO SEE THAT THEY CAN SPEND THEIR LATER YEARS IN A COMFORTABLE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT,+ MR CHAMBERS SAID.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROPER PLANNING RATIOS WOULD BE THE FIRST STAGE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE PREPARING TO MEET SHORTFALLS IN ALL TYPES OF GROUP ACCOMMODATION FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID.

+WHILE WE HAVE PLANNING RATIOS FOR SOME TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION, SUCH AS HOMES FOR THE AGED AND CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, THESE ARE FAIRLY ARBITRARY AND NEED RE-EXAMINATION, HE SAID.

+ IN ADDITION WE HAVE NO REAL PLANNING RATIOS FOR BASIC HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION AND HAVE LARGELY RELIED ON THE SIZE OF THE WAITING LIST WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY AN ACCURATE INDICATOR OF DEMAND.+

MR CHAMBERS SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HOMES GROUPED TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE COULD BE CARED FOR APPROPRIATELY WITHOUT BEING UPROOTED AND MOVED AROUND.

+ IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO DO THIS WITHIN HOUSING ESTATES OR ALTERNATIVELY IN SPECIALLY BUILT COMPLEXES, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE VERY EASY TO FIND LARGE ENOUGH SITES FOR THIS PURPOSE,+ HE SAID.

SPEAKING GENERALLY ON RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT FOR A VARIETY OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS. THERE WAS A NEED IN HONG KONG TO PROVIDE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE.

AT ONE END OF THE SCALE WERE A NUMBER OF SCHEMES BY WHICH ELDERLY PEOPLE COULD OBTAIN ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE HOUSING AREAS.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD A QUOTE OF 800 FLATS A YEAR FOR ALLOCATION TO ELDERLY PEOPLE IN GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED, WHO HAD PRIORITY ON THE WAITING LIST.

THERE WERE ALSO ARRANGEMENTS TO GIVE PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING TO COMPASSIONATE CASES OF PEOPLE WITH PARTICULAR WELFARE PROBLEMS, AND MANY OF THESE WERE ELDERLY PEOPLE.

MR CHAMBERS