Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee delivered the 2025 Policy Address today (Sept. 17). The Government will continue to adhere to the principle of promoting "ageing in place as the core, with institutional care as back-up".
Ageing in Place
- Increase the total number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 4,000 to 16,000.
- Set up three new Neighbourhood Elderly Centres to strengthen support at the district level. They are expected to serve some 3,000 elderly persons annually.
- Lease out newly built government welfare facilities on a pilot basis to allow service operators greater flexibility in offering day care and support services for the elderly under different funding modes.
- Enhance the Integrated Discharge Support Programme for Elderly Patients to provide social welfare service support for discharged elderly persons in need.
Strengthen Residential Care Services
- Provide about 700 new subsidised residential care service places.
- Increase the total number of Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 1,000 to 7,000.
- Subsidise eligible serving health workers of residential care homes to enrol in the new professional diploma programme for Health&Care Practitioners, nurturing dedicated professionals and promoting the development of the sector.
Enhance Elderly Care Arrangements in the Greater Bay Area
- Launch a pilot scheme by the end of this year to subsidise elderly CSSA recipients choosing to retire in Guangdong to reside in designated residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) in the province, thereby enhancing their quality of life. Each eligible elderly person will receive a monthly subsidy of HK$5,000, subject to a quota of 1,000.
- Expand continuously the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong. Starting from October, the number of Mainland RCHEs participating in the scheme will increase from 15 to 24, while the number of cities covered will increase from six to eight.
- Launch a two-year pilot arrangement by the end of this year to share part of the medical expenses that Hong Kong elderly participants of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong need to bear on their own under the National Basic Medical Insurance Policy.
- Facilitate Hong Kong elderly recipients retiring in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces by providing the option to receive Government assistance directly through their bank accounts with designated Mainland banks.
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Tag:·GBA·John Lee·Community Care Service Vouchers·Policy Address
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