The Government is committed to providing community care services for the elderly and support for carers, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Dr Law Chi-kwong told lawmakers today.

Dr Law said the Government provides a total of 170 designated day respite places in 39 subvented day care centres for the elderly.

Currently, 60 Integrated Home Care Services Teams and 34 Enhanced Home & Community Care Services Teams provide home respite services, he said.

He added the home care services teams offer round-the-clock emergency support through hotlines to provide seniors and their carers with information and assistance.

In addition to the 55 designated residential respite places provided by subvented and contract residential care homes for the elderly, the Government uses casual vacancies of subsidised places in all subvented nursing homes, care-and-attention homes, contract residential care homes and private residential care homes under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme to provide residential respite services.

Dr Law added the Chief Executive announced in last year's Policy Address that the Government would in 2019-20 purchase additional residential places from private residential care homes participating in the scheme to increase residential respite places.

This is expected to provide about 270 additional designated residential respite places.