XN000022-1986-11-12 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1986

24

ELDERLY SERVICES FAIL TO MEET GROWING NEEDS

*****

SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES FOR THE ELDERLY ARE LAGGING BEHIND THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE AGED POPULATION IN HONG KONG, THE HON HUI YIN-FAT SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURMENT DEBATE ON CARE AND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR HUI ATTRIBUTED THE SITUATION TO THE ABSENCE OF REGULAR REVIEWS ON THE PROGRAMME PLAN ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.

HE SAID THE LACK OF AN OPEN FORUM HAD PREVENTED BOTH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS FROM EXAMINING DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMME PLAN, IDENTIFY LOOPHOLES AND SEEK ADJUSTMENTS OF THE PLAN.

HE ALSO SAID THERE HAD BEEN POOR CO-ORDINATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES INVOLVED IN PROVIDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.

HE SAID HE SUPPORTED DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI'S CALL FOR A WHOLISTIC REVIEW ON THE OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES OF GOVERNMENT POLICY ON CARE FOR THE AGED, TO BE FOLLOWED BY REGULAR PROGRAMME PLAN REVIEWS.

MR HUI POINTED OUT THAT THE CHANGING NEEDS AND PROFILES OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION AS A RESULT OF RAPID SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHANGES IN HONG KONG WERE LIKELY TO PRODUCE SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND THREATEN HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO DESIGN A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICE PROGRAMMES TO MEET THE HETEROGENEOUS NEEDS OF BOTH THE PROVIDERS AND RECEIVERS OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.

+THE SOONER WE CAN HARNESS THE FORSEE ABLE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GROW OUT OF PROPORTION, THE BETTER IT WILL BE FOR OURSELVES AND OUR SENIOR CITIZENS,+ HĖ SAID.

NOTING THAT THE CURRENT SOCIAL WORK TREND WAS TO ENABLE THE ELDERLY TO REMAIN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, MR HUI SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE WERE INADEQUATE FORMAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE AND SAID ALL CATEGORIES OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES WERE IN URGENT NEED OF EXPANSION.

+SINCE CARING FOR THE AGED INVOLVED HIGH RISKS OF FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL STRESS FOR THE CARE-GIVERS, PROLONGED SHORTAGE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS IMPOSING ENORMOUS STRAINS ON BOTH THE ELDERLY AND THEIR FAMILIES, HE SAID.

/HE SAID