XN000022-1988-01-21 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1988

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MAXIMISE EXISTING SERVICES TO HELP THOSE MOST IN NEED

IT IS VITAL FOR SOCIAL WORKERS TO ENSURE THAT THE EXISTING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED BY INCREASED COMMITMENT TO THE INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY OF THE AGED, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ROSE GOODSTADT, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

ADDRESSING THE SEMINAR ON THE ELDERLY JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE AGED, SHE SAID THIS APPROACH WAS NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE FACT THAT SIGNIFICANT GAPS STILL REMAINED IN THE NETWORK OF SERVICES FOR HONG KONG'S OLD PEOPLE DESPITE A DRAMATIC SURGE IN THE FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR THEIR WELFARE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

REVIEWING THE BACKGROUND AND STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT PROGRAMME TO ENSURE THE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG'S 670,000 RESIDENTS AGED 60 AND OVER, SHE NOTED THAT THE TOTAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTED TO THE ELDERLY HAD RISEN FROM AN ANNUAL $275 MILLION IN 1983-84 TO $467 MILLION PROJECTED FOR THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, WHILE THE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO OLD AGE ALLOWANCE HAD SOARED FROM $508 MILLION TO $1,030 MILLION PROJECTED FOR 1988-89.

OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, SHE ADDED, GOVERNMENT

GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION ΤΟ THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR FOR ELDERLY SERVICES HAD RISEN BY 200 PER CENT, COMPARED WITH 75 PER CENT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES AND 86 PER CENT FOR FAMILY SERVICES.

"THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY HAS LED TO INCREASED LEVELS OF BENEFIT THAT WILL COME INTO EFFECT NEXT APRIL FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND FOR BOTH THE OLD AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES.

"AS A RESULT, THE TYPICAL OLD PERSON WITHOUT ANY INCOME WILL RECEIVE FROM GOVERNMENT SOURCES $1,304 A MONTH INCLUDING RENT.

"IN ADDITION, MORE OLD PEOPLE WILL ENJOY BIGGER BENEFITS AS THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE IS REDUCED FROM 70 TO 65 OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, MRS GOODSTADT SAID.

"I

AS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES, SHE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, NO LESS THAN 66 DAY CENTRES, 35 RESIDENTIAL CENTRES AND 32 HOME HELP TEAMS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED.

NEVERTHELESS, SHE WARNED AGAINST COMPLACENCY.

"BY CURRENT PLANNING STANDARDS, WE

CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, AS

ATTENTION HOMES.

ARE SHORT OF 66 SOCIAL PLACES IN CARE AND

WELL AS 1,500

/"AS SOCIAL