XN000022-1985-11-20 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1985

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MR THOMAS ADDED THAT WORLD EXPERIENCE SHOWED

A DISTRESSING TENDENCY FOR IMITATIVE OR +COPYCAT+ CRIMES TO RESULT FROM THE PUBLICITY GIVEN TO CASES OF THIS SORT.

+ACCORDINGLY. THE LESS PUBLICITY THE BETTER WHERE THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, HE SAID.

ELDERLY ENCOURAGED TO REMAIN IN COMMUNITY

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THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL POLICY FOR THE WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY IS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY WITHIN THE FAMILY OR A FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHAMBERS SAID PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE ENABLED MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN A DEGREE OF FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE, WHICH HELPED TO AVOID ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF FRICTION WITHIN THE FAMILY.

+ THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMME PLACES CONSIDERABLE EMPHASIS ON RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE NEED TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS, HE SAID.

+ IN ADDITION A VARIETY OF OTHER SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY ARE PROVIDED, MAINLY BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, INCLUDING HOME HELP AND COMMUNITY NURSING, DAY CENTRES, SOCIAL CENTRES AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES,+ HE ADDED.

FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO COULD NO LONGER LIVE ON THEIR OWN OR WITH THEIR FAMILIES, MR CHAMBERS SAID, A RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION SERVICES WERE PROVIDED, INCLUDING HOSTELS, CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR COMPASSIONATE RE-HOUSING IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

+ALL THESE SERVICES ARE AIMED AT IMPROVING THE LOT OF THE ELDERLY, AND LESSENING THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEIR BEING SUBJECT TO ABUSE,+ HE ADDED.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM AREA.

HE SAID ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY COULD TAKE MANY FORMS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL ABUSE, PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, AND VARIOUS FORMS OF NEGLECT.

+THE FAMILY WELFARE CASE RECORDS DO NOT INCLUDE

A SPECIFIC CATEGORY WHICH COVERS THESE TYPES OF CASE, BUT A RECENT STUDY IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 277 CASES BEING HANDLED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, THE WELFARE AGENCIES AND THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS IN LATE 1983, + HE SAID.

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