XN000022-1990-03-14 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1990

TO ADDRESS THE SHORTFALL IN CARE

AND

ATTENTION PLACES, MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD IN PLACE A PHASED EXPANSION PROGRAMME PROJECTED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF SUBVENTED PLACES MORE THAN THREEFOLD TO 6,500 IN 1994-95, BY WHICH TIME THE PROVISION WOULD BB CLOSE TO MEETING PROJECTED DEMAND AS DERIVED FROM THE CURRENT PLANNING RATIO OF EIGHT SUBVENTED PLACES FOR EVERY THOUSAND ELDERLY PERSONS.

NON-SUBVENTED PROVISION OF

"IT IS ALSO RELEVANT THAT SUPPLY IS NOT CONFINED TO EXISTING OR PROJECTED SUBVENTED FACILITIES BUT ALSO INCLUDES NON-PROFIT-MAKING CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, THE CURRENT WHICH STANDS AT 697 PLACES," SHE ADDED.

WAITING LIST

MRS WONG SAID THAT AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE CENTRAL FOR SUBVENTED PLACES, EXPERIENCE INDICATED THAT DEMAND TENDED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY OVERSTATED.

"FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE 1,927 WAIT-LISTED CASES WHICH WERE PROCESSED FOR ADMISSION DURING 1989, ONLY 1,246 ELDERLY PERSONS (I.E.

AND SUITABLE 65 PER CENT) WERE FOUND, FOR ONE REASON OR OTHER, TO BE AVAILABLE FOR ADMISSION INTO A CARE AND ATTENTION HOME, SHE SAID.

++

AMONG THE VARIOUS MEASURES WHICH HAD BEEN OR WERE BEING INTRODUCED TO ALLEVIATE THE EFFECT OF THE SHORTAGE, MRS WONG SAID THEY INCLUDED THE EXPANSION OF THE HOME HELP SERVICE, INCREASED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF A HIGHER DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, THE CONVERSION WHERE FEASIBLE OF HOSTELS INTO CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, THE PROVISION OF CARE AND ATTENTION UNITS IN NEW HOMES FOR

SCHEME AGED, AND A

TO BUY PLACES FROM PRIVATE HOMBS WHICH MET APPROVED STANDARDS.

THE

MRS WONG ALSO GAVE STATISTICS ON THE PROJECTED DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES BY DISTRICT AS AT MARCH 31, 1995.

BY THEN, THE PROJECTED ELDERLY POPULATION WOULD BE 871,900 THE DEMAND FOR CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES BASED ON A PLANNING RATIO BIGHT PLACES FOR EVERY THOUSAND ELDERLY PERSONS WOULD BE 6,977.

OF EXISTING AND

AND

OF

PLANNED

AND

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE TOTAL NUMBER CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES AS AT THE END OF MARCH, 1995 WOULD BE 7,269; COMPRISING

PLACES 2,557 EXISTING

(INCLUDING BOTH SUBVENTED NON-SUBVENTED NON-PROFIT-MAKING PLACES) AND 4,712 PLANNED ADDITIONAL CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES (INCLUDING SUBVENTED PLACES ONLY).

MRS WONG SAID ALTHOUGH THE PROVISION OF CARE AND ATTENTION

WERE EFFORTS

MADE HOMES WAS PLANNED ON A TERRITORY-WIDE BASIS, ACHIEVE, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, A BALANCED DISTRIBUTION OF PLACES REGARD TO THE ELDERLY POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICT.

TO

HAVING

/"THE ONGOING