Recurrent provision of $4.01 billion has been earmarked for seniors services in 2010-11, up 5.6% over the revised estimate of $3.8 billion in 2009-10, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung says.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Society for Rehabilitation's Lee Quo Wei Day Rehabilitation & Care Centre, Mr Cheung said the allocation accounted for 10.1% of the estimated recurrent expenditure on social welfare.

A three-year pilot scheme will be launched early next year to provide tailor-made and strengthened home-care services with stronger rehabilitation and nursing care elements for seniors on the waiting list for nursing home places.

"The District-based Scheme on Carer Training currently covering all District Elderly Community Centres throughout the territory will also be extended to Neighbourhood Elderly Centres in 2010-11 with a funding of $4 million.

"More than 900 elderly carers have already been trained under the District-based Scheme while another 1,500 will graduate this month. A fresh round of training will commence next month and some 4,500 elderly carers will be trained in a year," he added.

Rehabilitation resources to rise

On rehabilitation services, the estimated recurrent provision of $3.52 billion allocated in 2010-11 accounts for a rise of 8.2% over the revised estimate of $3.26 billion in 2009-10. 

"Apart from providing 939 additional residential care home places for people with disabilities in the next two years, a pilot bought place scheme will also be implemented in 2010-11 to further increase the supply of these places.

"We will also launch a three-year pilot scheme on home-based nursing care and rehabilitation training for people with severe disabilities with an allocation of $163 million from the Lotteries Fund. We will start first with Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun, where there are more people with severe disabilities on the waitlist. It is expected that about 540 of them will benefit from the scheme."