XN000022-1996-05-01 — Page 34

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First of all, increased provision of subvented residential places, particularly care-and-attention places where the demand is most acute. An additional 1 150 places will be provided in the coming two years. The consultancy study on elderly needs which will be commissioned shortly will examine the current planning ratios for residential care places to ensure that they accurately reflect the actual needs of the elderly;

Secondly, more places will be bought from private residential homes through the Bought Place Scheme. Funds are available for the purpose to purchase additional 300 places;

Thirdly, efforts are being stepped up to encourage private and voluntary organisations to operate self-financing, non-profit making residential homes. These homes provide an alternative for those who are ready to pay for better quality service, thereby releasing subvented places to those genuinely in need of them. At present, there are 2 105 self- financing places in residential homes. With the setting up of the Elderly Services Development Fund following the recommendation of the Working Group on Care for the Elderly, we hope more organisations will come forward to apply for financial assistance from the Fund for operating more self-financing residential care services; and

Finally, the waiting list system for residential homes is to be streamlined by introducing a computerised, integrated system for all applicants thereby making the system more fair and effective.

Many members commenting on the social support for the elderly, various forms of services are presently provided to reach out to elderly people at risk. Apart from the two subvented outreaching teams, staff of home-help teams are in regular contact with elderly persons who receive such services. Through these home visits, elderly persons with special needs are identified and referred by home helpers to professional social workers for assistance and other welfare organisations. Professional social workers from our family services centres and medical social services of both Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisations also reach out to elderly people in need. To encourage neighbourhood and volunteer support in the provision of services to vulnerable elderly groups, the experimental Older Volunteers Programme and the Volunteer Workers Programme have been launched in ten multi- social service centres for the elderly. They aim to reach out to elderly persons at risk and to help them make use of services available in the community.