Disabled homes vacancies to double

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) plans to double the number of vacancies in disabled homes until next year. In response to a written enquiry of lawmaker Au Kam San, the bureau said that vacancies would increase from 400 to 840.
The IAS said in a statement that up to November last year, a total of 1,500 applications were submitted for homes for mental disabled, of which 40 percent targeted children and youngsters that are undergoing special education programmes. According to the government, there is a waiting list of 50 people at this moment.
Moreover, a total of 10,000 people have applied for the new disability registration system during a period from March to December, last year.
As for physical disabilities, the IAS is planning to set up eight more rehabilitation facilities over the next five years, increasing the number of vacancies by 82.5 percent to 2,517. The new facilities will include homes for disabled people, an assistance and recovery service centre for cancer patients, a home for chronic mentally disabled and an occupational training and rehabilitation centre.
There are presently 25 rehabilitation facilities for the disabled in Macau and 1,409 vacancies available. A total of 39 new elderly home vacancies is also expected to be created by the end of next year.