Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (left) talks to an elderly person and her family carer at the Yan Chai Hospital Yim Tsui Yuk Shan Active Mind Centre in Tsuen Wan on Sept 15, 2023 during his visit to gather public views on the 2023 Policy Address. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday pledged to roll out focused social welfare measures to support the elderly and their caregivers in his second Policy Address to be delivered on Oct 25, including strengthening the role of the District Services and Community Care Teams.

Lee revealed the plans after visiting Tsuen Wan in the western New Territories to gauge views on the upcoming Policy Address from local residents.

Lee started the half-day visit by learning more about the daily lives of a household at Fuk Loi Estate. He heard of the challenges faced by younger members of a family who are taking care of an elder relative with chronic diseases and dementia.

Lee then visited two elderly service centers in the district to learn how district-level elderly care works.

Lee said he felt the spirit of strong mutual help arising from the relationship between the community centers and the elderly people they serve

Summarizing the visit during a media briefing, Lee said he felt the spirit of strong mutual help arising from the relationship between the community centers and the elderly people they serve. He said many elderly residents told him that they appreciate the services offered by the centers, therefore he believes the centers are taking good care of residents.

Lee emphasized the necessity for special administrative region government officials to directly hear about the needs of the elderly and carers, which helps “the government determine the priorities of policies”.

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The chief executive noted that the government will seek to allocate at least 5 percent of the district-level budget for local social welfare affairs. The government will launch a 24-hour hotline service and a designated website to provide assistance to elderly carers, he added.

Lee said that many policies proposed in last year’s policy address have been implemented to help the elderly and caregivers. More people have benefited from the Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly, and carers have received increased allowances. He plans to expand coverage of those programs to benefit more people.

Lee said he had also heard many complimentary remarks about the District Services and Community Care Teams, which were set up in the 2022 Policy Address to support the government’s district work.

Since it began operations in May, the care team in Tsuen Wan has visited over 3,000 households in the district and provided assistance on hundreds of occasions in extreme weather conditions, a situation that is going to become more common, Lee said.

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The government will continue to enhance the roles and function of the care teams, which have gradually been set up and optimized in all 18 districts, Lee said. Both the government and society should vigorously promote the spirit of caring and mutual help, he said.

Lee’s maiden district visit to canvass community opinion was postponed twice earlier this month because of the extreme weather conditions.

He will continue such visits in the coming weeks to collect views from members of the public and industry representatives.