XN000022-1986-10-29 — Page 54

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DESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986

+THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH 10 MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, FOUR DAY CENTRES AND 13 CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES AND HOMES FOR THE AGED BLIND. A MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE AND A DAY CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY WILL EVENTUALLY BE ESTABLISHED IN EVERY ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT.+

HE ADDED THAT ON PRESENT PLANS, THE PROJECTED DEMAND FOR ABOUT 4 400 CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOME PLACES WOULD BE MET BY 1991.

TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF OTHER MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT THE INCIDENCE OF SUICIDE AMONG THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT STATISTICS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS SHOWED THAT THE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE (THOSE OVER 60) WHO HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE HAD FLUCTUATED.

+THE FIGURE DROPPED FROM 177 CASES IN 1983 TO 149 CASES IN 1984, BUT INCREASED TO 220 CASES IN 1985, + HE SAID.

ON AVERAGE, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ALL SUICIDE CASES INVOLVED ELDERLY PEOPLE.

MR CHAMBERS SAID: +TO HELP ELDERLY PEOPLE TO OVERCOME THEIR INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY PROBLEMS, COUNSELLING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY SOCIAL WORKERS IN FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES.+

TO HELP THEM TO CONTINUE CONTACTS WITH THE COMMUNITY, VOLUNTEERS WERE MOBILISED TO VISIT THOSE WHO WERE LIVING BY THEMSELVES, WHO WERE ENCOURAGED TO BECOME MEMBERS OF GROUPS IN SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY CENTRES AS WELL AS TO PARTICIPATE IN ORGANISED GROUP SESSIONS.

FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES WERE ALSO ORGANISED TO HELP OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE ELDERLY, AND TO PROMOTE RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE FAMILY. ALL THESE MEASURES SHOULD HELP TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF SUICIDE AMONG THE ELDERLY, HE SAID.

MORE BEDS PLANNED FOR MENTALLY ILL

*****

A FURTHER 2 286 BEDS FOR THE MENTALLY ILL ARE PLANNED TO BE PROVIDED BY 1995 IN ADDITION TO THE 3 699 SUCH BEDS ALREADY AVAILABLE.

J

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON POON CHI-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

/MR POON