The Director of Social Welfare (DSW), Mr Gordon Leung, and members of the Management Committee of the Tang Shiu Kin and Ho Tim Charitable Fund, including advisors Mr Richard Tang and Mr Hamilton Ho, today (January 13) hosted an annual reception for the elderly and distributed lai see packets to them in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year.
Speaking at the reception, Mr Leung said that since its inception in 1977, the Fund has been providing financial assistance for needy families and individuals to help them tide over difficulties. Assistance from the Fund helps the poor face adversity in life and relieves their distress by providing timely and impactful support.
Mr Leung pointed out that the Fund granted $2.67 million to 659 approved cases in 2018-19, and approved a further 338 applications totalling $1.55 million from April to September 2019. In view of the increased need for financial assistance as reflected from the expenditure of the Fund in the first six months of 2019-20, the anticipated economic downturn and the rise in the unemployment rate in Hong Kong which may lead to more demand for financial assistance, the sum earmarked for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) as social relief grants for the coming fiscal year has been increased to $3.3 million.
Mr Leung took the opportunity to extend his sincere thanks to all members of the Management Committee for their long-term support and care for those in need.
Mr Leung added that the Government promotes senior citizens' sense of belonging, sense of security and sense of worthiness. The Government will continue to offer support in terms of hardware and policy to promote active ageing while taking care of the service needs of frail elderly persons. Under the policy of promoting "ageing in place as the core, institutional care as backup", the Government strives to provide appropriate long-term care services for elderly persons in need.
The Government will, within 2020 and 2021, provide an additional service quota of 3 000 under the Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Cases) in phases to support ageing in place for elderly persons with impairment. The Government is also continuing to implement the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly and plans to provide a further 1 000 vouchers to bring the total to 8 000 in 2020-21, in order to provide services for more elderly persons in need.
Since the Government launched the $1 billion Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care in December 2018, eligible elderly and rehabilitation service units receive subsidies to try out and procure/rent technology products, thereby improving the services for the elderly and their quality of life as well as reducing the burden and pressure on care staff and carers.
For residential care for elderly persons, the SWD will purchase an additional 5 000 EA1 places under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme in the next five years starting from 2019-20 and continue to build new contract homes as well as implement the Special Scheme on Privately Owned Sites for Welfare Uses to increase the supply of subsidised residential care places for the elderly. Furthermore, the Pilot Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong was regularised this month to provide an additional option for eligible elderly persons who are waitlisted for subsidised care-and-attention places to choose to reside in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Shenzhen Society for Rehabilitation Yee Hong Heights or the Hong Kong Jockey Club Helping Hand Zhaoqing Home for the Elderly.
Attending the reception today were some 40 elderly persons, with the oldest at the age of 93. The Fund treated them to a wonderful show and a lavish and healthy lunch as well as offered them best wishes for a happy Lunar New Year.
The Fund was founded by the late Sir Tang Shiu-kin and the late Dr Ho Tim, with the DSW Incorporated acting as the trustee of the Fund under Chapter 1096 of the Laws of Hong Kong. Members of the Management Committee include descendants of the founders (advisors), prominent members of the community and representatives from relevant government departments, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Po Leung Kuk.
The objective of the Fund is to provide timely financial assistance to needy individuals and families in emergency situations for which other sources may not be applicable or readily available. Recipients of the Fund include the unemployed, victims of disasters, the chronically ill, persons with disabilities, single parent families and the elderly.
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