Blog

Caring for the elderly

A gist of the blog:

In my government Budget delivered not long ago, many resources have been allocated to enable the people, in particular the elderly, to live well and healthily in the community. Relevant initiatives include the one-off provision of additional $1000 elderly healthcare vouchers; setting up of the first district health centre in Kwai Tsing District in the third quarter of next year, followed by such centres in all 18 districts; regularising the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme and extending its coverage to individuals aged between 50 and 75; increasing the number of vouchers under the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly; and setting up of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care. We have also earmarked $8 billion for improving district facilities and $20 billion for enhancing cultural facilities.

We are also committed to increasing subsidised residential care places for the elderly. We are planning to provide more care facilities for the elderly in the public housing projects as far as suitable, and at the same time require private developers to provide residential care homes for the elderly through terms and conditions of land leases or land sale. I hope the public would continue to support our future proposals to increase care facilities for the elderly in the community.