(Policy Address 2023) New website and Care Teams among new measures to support carers

The government will launch a one-stop Information Gateway for Carers website in November to facilitate and encourage carers to seek timely assistance, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said. 

This follows the 24-hour Designated Hotline for Carer Support launched last month to provide professional support on consultation, counseling, and matching of respite services. 

The government will also pilot in Tsuen Wan and Southern Districts to engage the Care Teams to help, identify carers of elderly persons and carers of persons with disabilities requiring support through visits or contacts and refer cases to relevant social welfare service units for follow-up. 

The government will request about 140 residential care homes for the elderly, about 20 residential care homes for persons with disabilities, and about 190 service units to provide residential and day respite services when there are vacant residential care places or service places for care-receiving individuals. 

In the coming two years, the Social Welfare Department will set up four additional Parents/Relatives Resource Centres for carers of those in mental recovery to support them and those in mental recovery. 

Authorities will launch a three-year campaign to promote the publicity campaign on caring for the carers and encourage people from all walks of life to show their empathy, support, and care for carers. The three separate themes are “Helping Carers Help Themselves”, “Walk with Carers” and “Fostering a Carer-Friendly Community”. 

Designated teams will be set up in the second quarter of 2024 to proactively contact carers of special school leavers six months before graduation to provide training on caring and interaction skills, arrange post-school care plans, and link with community support services. 

The government will expand the scope of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care to cover gerontechnology products suitable for household use. 

Eligible elderly and rehabilitation service units can procure suitable technology products for lending to elderly persons, persons with disabilities and their carers for use at home to improve the quality of life of the care recipients and relieve the pressure on carers.