XN000022-1994-04-06 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1994

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ELDERLY SERVICES EXPAND RAPIDLY

THE GOVERNMENT, RECOGNISING THE TREND THAT THE LOCAL POPULATION IS AGEING, HAS BEEN RAPIDLY EXPANDING VARIOUS SERVICES FOR THE

ELDERLY.

THIS EXPANSION INCLUDES COMMUNITY CARE IN SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY TO LOOK AFTER THEIR ELDERLY MEMBERS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR IAN STRACHAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ST JAMES' SETTLEMENT MADAM HUI MOK TAK YU HOME FOR THE AGED, MR STRACHAN SAID THE SENIOR CITIZEN CARD HAD JUST BEEN LAUNCHED AND HAD BEEN WARMLY RECEIVED.

"OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, 36 ADDITIONAL HOME HELP TEAMS AND 76 CENTRES OF VARIOUS TYPES FOR THE ELDERLY HAVE BEEN PLANNED.

THE GOVERNMENT IS

"RESIDENTIAL CARE IS ALSO EXPANDING. COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AROUND 4,500 ADDITIONAL SUBVENTED CARE-AND- ATTENTION PLACES AND 700 BOUGHT PLACES, MR STRACHAN SAID.

"FURTHERMORE, A NETWORK OF SEVEN NURSING HOMES WITH A TOTAL OF 1,400 BEDS WILL BE PROVIDED, HE ADDED.

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TURNING TO LEGISLATION TO REGULATE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR STRACHAN SAID THESE MEASURES WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN TERMS OF BOTH QUANTITY AND QUALITY.

"WHILST THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING AT FULL SPEED TO DEVELOP SUBVENTED RESIDENTIAL PLACES, THERE IS STILL A PLACE FOR NON-PROFIT- MAKING SELF-FINANCING HOMES, AND INDEED A PLACE FOR PRIVATE HOMES WELL.

AS

"THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE HOMES OFFERS THE ADVANTAGE OF TAPPING COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT," HE SAID.

MR STRACHAN SAID THE ST JAMES' SETTLEMENT MADAM HUI MOK TAK HOME FOR THE AGED WAS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE of a self-FINANCING HOME.

YU

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