XN000022-1985-02-06 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985

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WELFARE POLICY FOR ELDERLY SET OUT

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THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WAS TO PROMOTE THE WELL BEING OF PEOPLE OVER 60, PRIMARILY THROUGH CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY.

DETAILED PLANS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY WERE REVIEWED AND ROLLED FORWARD EACH YEAR, MR CHAMBERS SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES SPECIALLY PROVIDED FOR THEM, MR CHAMBERS SAID, ELDERLY PEOPLE ALSO BENEFITED FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, OF WHICH THEY FORMED THE MAJORITY OF THE BENEFICIARIES.

BY THE END OF 1985, MR CHAMBERS SAID, THERE WOULD BE 12 MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY PROVIDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE FORM OF HOME HELP, PERSONAL CARE AND LIMITED NURSING SERVICES, COUNSELLING, SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

IT WAS INTENDED TO MEET THE FULL DEMAND FOR 24 CENTRES (ROUGHLY ONE CENTRE FOR EVERY 250 000 POPULATION) BY 1990.

PROVIDED THE NECESSARY RESOURCES COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE THE TOTAL ESTIMATED REQUIREMENT OF 204 CENTRES BY 1995, PLANNED ON THE BASIS OF ONE FOR 30 000 OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, SHOULD BE MET.

FOR THOSE WHOSE PRIMARY NEED WAS DECENT ACCOMMODATION, A VARIETY OF ARRANGEMENTS EXISTED IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE SOME 1 400 PLACES IN HOSTELS OPERATED BY WELFARE AGENCIES, WITH A FURTHER 2 000 PLACES PLANNED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

MR CHAMBERS SAID PLANS FOR THE PROVISION OF HOMES FOR THE AGED (INCLUDING HOSTELS WHICH PROVIDED MEALS) AND FOR CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES WERE BASED ON RATIO OF 10 PLACES PER 1 000 AND FOUR PLACES PER 1 000 OVER 60 RESPECTIVELY.

PLANS WERE PROVIDED FOR THE SHORTFALL IN BOTH THESE AREAS TO BE MET BY 1990, HE SAID.

AS FOR INF IRMARIES, PLANS WERE TO EXPAND THE PRESENT TOTAL OF 1 060 INFIRMARY BEDS THREEFOLD DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS BASED ON THE PLANNING RATIO OF FIVE BEDS FOR EVERY 1 000 PEOPLE OVER 65.

IN ADDITION, THERE WOULD BE GERIATRIC WARDS IN ALL NEW GENERAL HOSPITALS, WHILE THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE WHICH LARGELY BENEFITED ELDERLY PEOPLE WOULD EXPAND FROM 46 TO 61 CENTRES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS,

/ON GOVERNMENT'S