XN000022-1988-05-28 — Page 7

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1988

6

SERVICES FOR ELDERLY DEVELOPING IN RIGHT DIRECTION

IMPROVE

THE GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW то THE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY SINCE THE 1970'S TO COPE WITH THE AGKING POPULATION, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH

WONG,

SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ASIA WOMEN'S LEAGUE'S CHAN KWUN TUNG CARE AND ATTENTION HOME FOR THE ELDERLY IN KOWLOON TONG, MRS WONG SAID IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, SERVICES FOR THE HAD BEEN DEVELOPING TO COINCIDE WITH THE 1979 WHITE PAPER WELFARE INTO THE 1980'S".

ELDERLY "SOCIAL

THERE HAD BEEN INCREASES IN BOTH THE TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED AND THE NUMBER OF SENIOR RESIDENTS CATERED FOR.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT THIS POLICY AIMED TO ENCOURAGE THE ELDERLY TO CONTINUE STAYING IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND MIX WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED FOR CAPABILITIES OR WHO COULD NOT BE CARED VARIOUS REASONS.

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WHILE THOSE WHO LACKED SELF-CARE FOR BY THEIR FAMILIES FOR

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY PROVIDED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT INCLUDED HOSTELS, HOMES AND CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, MRS WONG SAID, NOTING THAT DEMAND FOR THESE SERVICES WOULD GRADUALLY BE SATISFIED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

"THERE ARE OVER 2,000 HOSTEL PLACES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND SHELTERED HOUSING SCHEMES TO SERVE ELDERLY COUPLES AND SINGLETONS WHO ARE CAPABLE OF SELF-CARE, MRS WONG SAID.

..

"IN ADDITION, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT 150 SHELTERED HOUSING UNITS IN NEW HOUSING UNITS SINCE JULY 1985.

HAS STARTED ΤΟ PROVIDE ESTATES WITH OVER 3,000

"THERE ARE ALSO ABOUT 5,500 PLACES IN HOMES FOR THE AGED PROVIDING CARE FOR THOSE ELDERLY WHO ARE INCAPABLE OF INDEPENDENT LIVING AND THESE PLACES WILL BE INCREASED TO ABOUT 8,000 IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

"AS FOR CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS IN MARCH THIS YEAR ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATION TO IMPROVE THE PLANNING RATIO OF PROVIDING EIGHT PLACES PER 1,000 PEOPLE AGED OVER 60 FROM THE PREVIOUS

WOULD FIVE PLACES, AND THAT AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 PLACES

BE THE EXISTING 1,570 PLACES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, SHE SAID.

ADDED

ΤΟ

FURTHERMORE, CARE AND ATTENTION UNITS HAD BEEN SET UP IN HOMES FOR THE AGED TO AVOID CAUSING EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS TO THE ELDERLY DUE TO A CHANGE IN INSTITUTIONS, MRS WONG SAID.

/SHE ADDED