Caring, inclusive community key goal for HK
October 14, 2011
The Guangdong Scheme for seniors announced in the 2011-12 Policy Address is a compassionate and reasonable measure to respond to social aspirations, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung said today.
Speaking at a press conference to elaborate on newly proposed “breakthrough initiatives” in welfare and labour, and the concepts behind them, Mr Cheung stressed that we must develop a caring community.
The proposal to provide the Old Age Allowance for Hong Kong seniors who choose to reside in Guangdong is a pragmatic approach that met the requirements of many in society, he said.
“A lot of elderly people are living in Guangdong. Guangdong and Hong Kong are in close proximity, and have a close and unique relationship, with a framework agreement that clearly states that the integration of the two places is to be promoted,” he said.
Under the new scheme, the bureau plans to set up a special office in the northern New Territories to help Hong Kong seniors who are already living in Guangdong. They would only need to come back to Hong Kong to complete the application procedures and then return to the Mainland.
The bureau is also considering ways to help frail Hong Kong seniors who are living in Guangdong avoid having to return to Hong Kong to apply.
Mr Cheung said by early next year they could map out the details for the Legislative Council’s Financial Committee, and hope to formally launch the scheme by the end of 2013.
Inclusive society
The proposed transport concession scheme for seniors and people with disabilities that would allow them to travel on general MTR lines, franchised buses and ferries for just $2 a trip aims to build an inclusive society, he said.
“We would like to see elders and people with disabilities go out into society and be more active, visit friends and relatives, take part in volunteer work and go about more frequently,” he said.
About 1.1 million people would benefit from the scheme.
A $1.3 billion programme to retrofit about 3,700 Government premises and facilities and about 300 Housing Authority properties to make them barrier-free is also underway. A majority of projects will be completed by June 2012.
A $100 million injection into a scheme to help employ the disabled will create more job opportunities for them. The funding period for small enterprises who tap this scheme to hire people with disabilities will be extended from two years to three.
Ageing in place
To improve long-term care services to strengthen support for seniors, the Policy Address proposes a community care service voucher scheme to provide a subsidy directly to them to choose the services they need.
“Many people choose to live in an elderly home due to lack of services in the community, but they would prefer to stay at home. We would like to improve services so staying at home would be a better option, with daycare services concepts behind them,” Mr Cheung said.
The private sector would have a role to play in providing services aimed at the silver-haired market, and some of these would be subvented.
There are also plans to increase subsidised care places for the elderly and improve the overall quality of private residential care homes for them. A proposed residential care supplement for seniors and people with disabilities who are Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients living in non-subsidised homes is expected to benefit about 30,000 people.
