XN000022-1986-03-11 — Page 9

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1986

+SIXTY-THREE PER CENT OF OUR TOTAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASELOAD OF ABOUT 62 000 ARE OLD PEOPLE, MRS CHAN SAID.

ELDERLY PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 70 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AN OLD AGE ALLOWANCE OF $255 WHICH IS NON-MEANS-TESTED, AND AT PRESENT 86 PER CENT OF THE ELIGIBLE AGE GROUP ARE RECEIVING THIS ALLOWANCE.

+IN 1986-87. WE EXPECT 236 400 RECIPIENTS AND TOTAL PAYMENT

OF $676.4 MILLION FOR THE YEAR, + MRS CHAN SAID.

OLD PEOPLE STAYING AT HOME COULD RECEIVE GOVERNMENT OR SUBVENTED ASSISTANCE IN THE FORMS OF FAMILY COUNSELLING SERVICE, ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING HOME HELP AND DAY-CARE SERVICES.

HOME HELP INCLUDED SERVICES SUCH AS MEAL DELIVERY, PERSONAL HYGIENE, HOUSEHOLD WORK AND ESCORTING.

DAY-CARE SERVICES CONSISTED OF THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL CENTRES, MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES AND DAY-CARE CENTRES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OR IN THE DISTRICT WHERE THE ELDERLY PERSON LIVED.

FURTHER ASSISTANCE FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO COULD TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES INCLUDED PRIORITY SCHEME FOR ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, SINGLETON UNITS AND SHARED FLATS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND COMPASSIONATE REHOUSING,

+UNDER THE PRIORITY SCHEME FOR ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS FOR APPLICANTS WITH ELDERLY MEMBERS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT GIVES FIRST CONSIDERATION TO PUBLIC HOUSING APPLICANTS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AGED 60 AND OVER.

+THESE FAMILIES ARE USUALLY ALLOCATED PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS

A YEAR AHEAD OF OTHER APPLICANTS, MRS CHAN SAID.

ALTHOUGH FAMILIES WERE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE CARE OF ELDERLY MEMBERS, MRS CHAN SAID IT WAS ACCEPTED THAT THERE WERE OLD PEOPLE WHO FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL OR OTHER REASONS COULD NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR ON THEIR OWN, AND WERE IN NEED OF ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND WELFARE AGENCIES.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY COULD BE CLASSIFIED INTO SHELTERED HOUSING, HOSTEL, HOME FOR THE AGED, AND CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES.

THERE WERE TWO SHELTERED HOUSING SCHEMES RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN SHA TIN AND WAN CHAI, AND TWO SCHEMES RUN BY THE HONG KONG HOUSING SOCIETY AT CHO YIU CHUEN AND JAT MIN CHUEN.

IN JULY ...............***