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The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, paid a visit to Christian Family Service Centre's Everjoy in Kwun Tong this morning (August 31) to better understand the Home Care Services for Persons with Disabilities (home care service) provided by non-governmental organisations. He also took the opportunity to conduct a home visit to a service user in Shun Lee Estate.
Accompanied by the Senior Social Work Officer (Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services), Mr Hung Wai-lun, Mr Cheung was first briefed by the Senior Programme Director (Strategic Partnership), Ms Chau Suk-king, and the Programme Director (Services for People with Disabilities), Mr Lo Kai-yeung, on the centre's home care service as well as carer support service designated for persons with severe disabilities living in the Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin districts. Such services include personal care service, occupational therapy or physiotherapy and rehabilitation training service with an aim of better supporting the family members or carers of the persons with disabilities, thereby improving their quality of life while remaining in the community.
Mr Cheung also exchanged views with the centre's professional and supporting staff including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, registered nurses, social workers and personal care workers on how they work as a team to provide appropriate support services to users.
He said, "In order to provide better care and support for persons with severe mental/physical disabilities while they are awaiting residential care services, as well as to alleviate the pressure faced by their families and carers, the SWD regularised the home care service in March 2014 by extending the services territory-wide with recurrent funding of about $200 million a year. Persons with severe disabilities not on the waiting list for subvented residential care services can also join the scheme. On the other hand, manpower at the parents/relatives resource centre has also been enhanced to help build mutual help networks in the community and strengthen support for the families and carers."
Mr Cheung also noted that the SWD launched the Integrated Support Service for Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities to provide one-stop support service under a case management model in November last year. Two assistance programmes for people with severe physical disabilities under the Community Care Fund have also been regularised to alleviate the burden of persons with severe physical disabilities in acquiring medical equipment and consumables. It is expected that about 900 people with severe physical disabilities will benefit.
Mr Cheung then went to Shun Lee Estate to visit a person with disabilities who lost her cognitive and self-care abilities following an accident. He chatted with her parents who take care of her daily life, to better understand the home care service she had been receiving. Mr Cheung was pleased to learn that there was remarkable progress in her physical mobility and communication skills after receiving regular and intensive physical/occupational therapy and rehabilitation training.
Mr Cheung expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Everjoy for providing comprehensive care services to persons with disabilities in the districts.
He added that the Labour and Welfare Bureau received the funding green light from the Legislative Council in July to build two integrated rehabilitation complexes at the sites of the ex-Siu Lam Hospital in Tuen Mun and the ex-Kai Nang Sheltered Workshop and Hostel in Kwun Tong. Upon completion, the two projects will provide a total of 2 210 service places, including 1 450 residential care places for persons with disabilities and 760 day training and vocational rehabilitation care places. The bureau is also working proactively with the social welfare sector in pushing forward the Special Scheme on Privately Owned Sites for Welfare Uses, which is expected to provide some 8 000 additional rehabilitation service places, of which 2 000 are residential places.
Ends/Monday, August 31, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:35
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