Highlights of the Year 2019-20

Residential Care Services for the Elderly

Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher for the Elderly
SWD launched the Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher (RCSV) for the Elderly in March 2017. Adopting the “money-following-the-user” principle, the Pilot Scheme provides an additional choice for elderly persons in need of residential care services. It has been extended for 3 years from March 2020 to March 2023 with a total of 3 000 RCSVs to be issued.

Pilot Scheme on Multi-disciplinary Outreaching Support Teams for the Elderly
SWD has launched a four-year Pilot Scheme on Multi-disciplinary Outreaching Support Teams for the Elderly (MOSTE) since mid-February 2019. Under MOSTE, district-based professional teams, comprising social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists, have been set up to provide free outreach services for the residents in private RCHEs, so as to address their social and rehabilitation needs. Apart from serving the residents in private RCHEs, MOSTE also provides speech therapy service for residents of contract homes (including Day Care Units attached to contract homes) and those of self-financing RCHEs/nursing homes with swallowing difficulties or speech impairment.

Enhanced Bought Place Scheme
SWD commenced the purchase of 5 000 EA1 places under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme in 2019-20 to increase the supply of subsidised residential care places for the elderly and enhance the overall service quality of private RCHEs.