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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will launch the three-year Pilot Scheme on Home Care Service for Persons with Severe Disabilities tomorrow (March 1).
With a provision of $163 million, the new initiative is tailor-made for persons with severe disabilities waiting for SWD-subvented residential care services.
Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs), namely the Christian Family Service Centre and the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, have been commissioned to operate the new initiative in Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun respectively - the districts with the largest number of persons with severe disabilities waiting for residential care services.
It is expected that about 540 service users will benefit from the home-based care services, including personal care and escort services, nursing care services, and occupational therapist/ physiotherapist rehabilitation training services. The NGOs will also render support services to their carers.
Fees for individual services range from $33 per hour for personal care and escort services to $42 and $51 per home visit by nurses and occupational therapists/ physiotherapists respectively, while a full package of services is $988 per month. A fee remission scheme will be put in place for service users with financial difficulties.
Ends/Monday, February 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:31
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