Policy Address

Support Carers

122. Carers play an important role in supporting elderly persons and persons with disabilities to live in the community. The Government is committed to supporting carers of elderly and carers of persons with disabilities, including providing financial assistance, care skills training, counselling and emotional support etc., and in parallel providing the elderly and persons with disabilities with personal care, home cleaning, rehabilitation training, respite services, etc. to relieve the pressure on carers.

123. With the aim of alleviating the physical and mental pressure of carers, the Government launched the 24-hour Designated Hotline for Carer Support last month to provide professional support on consultation, counselling, matching of respite services, etc., and will launch a one-stop Information Gateway for Carers next month to facilitate and encourage carers to seek timely assistance. We will continue our efforts to support carers through the following:

0. mobilise Care Teams – The Government will pilot in Tsuen Wan and Southern Districts to engage the Care Teams to help, through visits or contacts, identify carers of elderly persons and carers of persons with disabilities requiring support, and refer cases to the relevant social welfare service units for follow-up. The Government will review the effectiveness of the implementation in the pilot districts, and consider extending the services to other districts. We will also assist households referred by the Care Teams to install emergency alarm systems as necessary;
1. expand the network of respite services – Carers of elderly persons or persons with disabilities may need to rely on community respite services for temporary relief when they need to take short breaks or attend to personal matters. We will request about 140 RCHEs under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme, about 20 RCHDs under the Bought Place Scheme for Private RCHDs, and about 190 service units participating in the Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly to provide residential and day respite services when there are vacant residential care places or service places for care-receiving individuals. Carers in need will also be matched with respite services through the social workers of the designated hotline for carer support;