The Government plans to bolster the supply of subsidised residential care places for seniors, in particular nursing home places and long-term care places with continuum of care, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung said today.

He made the comments on a visit to seniors at St James' Settlement Scenic Resort (Nursing Home) at Oi Tung Estate in Shau Kei Wan, accompanied by District Social Welfare Officer for Eastern & Wan Chai Kitty Yuk. They wished the residents good health and good luck in the Year of the Tiger, and distributed fruit and mandarin trees Hong Kong Disneyland volunteers had made with colourful towels.

Mr Cheung toured the home and spoke with the residents about the nursing care, personal care, meal services, rehabilitation, and social and recreational services and activities.

"The Government attaches great importance to elderly welfare and has allocated substantial resources to promote the well-being of elderly to enable them to enjoy their golden years and lead a fruitful life," he said, noting that in 2009/10, the Government had allocated $2.4 billion to provide seniors' residential care services.

He said the Government is providing 26,000 subsidised places in seniors' residential care homes, serving about 44% of all elderly staying in such homes throughout the territory. Five new contract residential care homes for seniors will open in the next three years, providing a total of about 500 places. The Social Welfare Department has also earmarked 12 other sites for new contract homes.

The Government plans to increase the proportion of nursing home places in existing contract seniors' homes from an average of 50% to 90%, and will purchase vacant places from self-financing nursing homes and care and attention homes offered by non-profit-making organisations.

The Government will continue to devote resources to supporting seniors who live at home, Mr Cheung said. In the next two years, it will provide more subsidised day-care places in districts with a stronger service demand and extend the district-based carer-training scheme to give greater support to seniors' carers.