Selfless contribution: Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung commends carers for the elderly at a recognition ceremony.

Elderly-carer support services will be enhanced in the coming year, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung says. They include having more elderly day-care places and implementing a pilot scheme in Kwun Tong to provide integrated support services to elderly discharged from hospital.

The Government will also enhance information dissemination on elderly services so elders and carers will know where to seek help, he added.

Mr Cheung commended carers of old people who have contributed selflessly to their families and the elderly at the Carers' Recognition Ceremony today. He said apart from providing subsidised elderly services the Government is committed to enhancing family support and improving their ability to look after their elders.

There are more than 150 district elderly community centres and neighbourhood elderly centres.

A trial scheme has been launched in Eastern & Wan Chai, Wong Tai Sin & Sai Kung, and Kowloon City & Yau Tsim Mong Districts to fund 11 elderly community centres to run basic carer training courses and to develop carer services.

This year's Policy Address announced many initiatives on elderly care, like outreach efforts to single and hidden elders, enhancing referral, counselling and support services, and a one-off $200 million-funding to help improve the home environment of elderly people in need.