TNAG-1151-FCO40-1431-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-United-Nations-1983 — Page 78

Reference...............

་་་་་་,!"་

CODE 18.77

WORLD ASSEMBLY ON AGEING

Contribution on dependent territories to UK national report for World Assembly on Ageing.

Dependent Territories

1. In the UK's dependent territories, policies and programmes for the ageing are the responsibility of the government of the territory concerned. Within available financial resources, all territories have policies and programmes from which the ageing may benefit. A number of territories have introduced or are in the process of introducing social security schemes; others have special hospital facilities or housing schemes; and all maintain appropriate levels of health and social welfare services. Voluntary agencies make a valuable con- tribution to community care of the ageing.

Gibraltar

2. The confined area of the territory is conducive to the maintenance of the strong family ties which have always existed throughout a person's life-span. This is expected to continue, if nothing else because the physical limitations on the amount of building that can be carried out severely limits the extent to which different generations of a family may live separately, even if they so wish. The ageing population therefore remains very largely integrated with the younger generations, by and large with mutually beneficial results. Where they do live separately, close links are still maintained.

3.

On specific matters:

(a) Health. A comprehensive scheme of Medical attention and treatment is provided by Government either free or on payment of a nominal charge, according to the person's income.

(b) Housing. In its flat-building programme Government makes provision for bed-sitters within each project, so that the ageing persons for whom they are intended may continue to live as part of the general community and not find themselves isolated.

Elderly persons requiring residential care are catered for in an old peoples' home provided by a charitable Trust Fund, to whom Government pays an annual subvention in respect of each resident. The home is of a very high standard and can take up to 120 residents. Only those who can afford to pay are required to do so.

(c) Income security.

Improvements in social security cover over the years has resulted in all elderly persons having an assured income of either a contributory old age pension (at age 60 for women, 65 for men) or a lower non-contributory pension payable at age 65 to both men and women. In the last resort, there is an administrative scheme of social assistance to ensure a minimum income, according to needs.

/(d)

: