HOMES FOR AGED PERSONS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26477, 19 July 1951, Page 5

HOMES FOR AGED PERSONS

GOVERNMENT AID EXTENDED TWO TYPES OF HOUSING FOR PENSIONERS (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 18. An extension of the policy of the Government to assist religious and charitable organisations to provide living .accommodation for elderly persons was announced to-day by the Minister of Health (Mr J. T. Watts). Last October the Cabinet approved a general scheme for granting assistance to local bodies to provide pensioners’ housing, and earlier decided to assist religious and charitable organisations to provide accommodation of a hostel type. “It has now been decided,” said Mr Watts, "to extend the assistance to charitable and religious organisations to enable them also to provide pensioners’ housing. A Government subsidy will be available, ranging from 25 per cent, to 50 per cent, of the cost involved.”

Two types of pensioners’ housing were provided for under the new scheme, said Mr Watts. First, a subsidy of up to 50 per cent, would be available to those religious and charitable organisations which planned to provide cottage accommodation for elderly couples as part of a general scheme in which common amenities such as dining rooms, infirmary, and recreational facilities, together with hostel accommodation, would be part. Second, a subsidy of up to 25 per cent, would be payable on schemes that provided for completely self-contained independent or flat type of units for elderly couples. “A limit of £7OO subsidy a unit will be applied to the first type of cottage, and a limit of £350 subsidy a unit on the second type of cottage,” said Mr Watts. “In addition loan facilities will be available to assist in meeting the additional cost of the second type.” The Minister added that he had discussed with the promotors proposals for two large schemes involving the provision of accommodation for elderly persons ranging from unit cottages with common dining-room and recreational facilities to a hostel ■type of accommodation when either one of the partners was no longer able to live in the self-contained unit.

“I feel sure that with this further assistance these two schemes will now be able to proceed.” said the Minister. “It is realised,” said Mr Watts, “that it is not always possible for an aged parent or grandparent to be accommodated in modern homes, and it is for this reason that the Government is prepared to offer the assistance I have outlined, but we must realise that neither the State nor the various organisations can ever accept complete responsibility for all elderly folk. Religious and charitable organisations are co-operating with the Government to the best of their ability, dnd I hope that children with aged parents will realise that they also have a responsibility in this matter.”