XN000022-1994-11-10 — Page 12

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1994

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FULL RANGE OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY

THE GOVERNMENT, IN VIEW OF A STEADY INCREASE IN ELDERLY POPULATION, WILL PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES TO MEET THE VARYING NEEDS OF ELDERLY PERSONS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR IAN STRACHAN, WHEN OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE YUEN YUEN CARE AND ATTENTION HOME FOR THE AGED IN TSUEN WAN THIS (THURSDAY} AFTERNOON.

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"AT PRESENT, THE ELDERLY POPULATION AGED 60 AND ABOVE IS 810,000 AND BY THE YEAR 2000, THE ELDERLY POPULATION WILL INCREASE 927,000, OR 15.3 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION," MR STRACHAN SAID.

ON THE POLICY OBJECTIVE IN RESPECT OF WELFARE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY,

MR STRACHAN SAID IT WAS TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE THE ELDERLY PERSONS TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

"NEVERTHELESS, RESIDENTIAL SERVICES ARE NECESSARY FOR SOME ELDERLY PERSONS WHO, FOR HEALTH AND OTHER REASONS, ARE UNABLE TO LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES AND WHO HAVE NO RELATIVES OR FRIENDS TO ASSIST REQUIRED.

WHEN

THAN PRIVATE

"IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE MORE 4,000 SUBVENTED RESIDENTIAL PLACES AND PURCHASE 700 PLACES IN HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY UNDER THE BOUGHT-PLACE SCHEME.

"THE YUEN YUEN CARE AND ATTENTION HOME, PROVIDING 150 IS ONE OF

THE PROJECTS MEETING THE WORKING TARGET PLEDGED GOVERNOR," HE SAID.

BY

PLACES,

THE

MR STRACHAN SAID THE YUEN YUEN INSTITUTE, SINCE ITS FOUNDATION IN 1950, HAD OVER THE YEARS EXPANDED ITS SCOPE OF SERVICES TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE SOCIETY.

CLINIC,

THE INSTITUTE NOW OPERATES ONE HOME FOR THE AGED, ONE ONE PRIMARY SCHOOL, TWO SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND FOUR KINDERGARTENS.

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