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Recreation Therapy & Rehab Services to Individuals
with Disability in Hong Kong
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From The 1997 Asian Exchange
Tour on Rehabilitation and Recreation by Professor John A. Nesbitt,
President/CEO--SRD/International and Dr. Dolores G. Nesbitt, Board
Member/Secretary--SRD/International.
RSSP Services. In
Asian Nations such as Hong Kong and Singapore RSSP services are advanced.
Hong Kong provides a model system of rehabilitation services. Singapore's
services are well developed.
Income and Services.
Higher income per capita in a nation means more and better rehabilitation
services. Economic vitality yields nutrition, health, housing, employment,
education, transportation, security, and recreation.
Access. Over the
last 25 years there has been massive building of commercial buildings
and multiple-dwelling housing in the Asian Region. However, vast numbers
of buildings have been constructed without providing accessibility
for disABLED. Barriers have been installed in buildings with life
spans of 25 to 50 years. American insight, experience and advocacy
for barriers removal could have made a difference in thousands of
buildings.
Attitudes. Among
the Asian nations there is variance in attitudes, values, and metaphysical
and religious responses to disability and to people with disabilities
-- just as there is in Western Nations. But, there are parallels between
East and West in the basic primal psyche and feeling reaction to the
phenomenon of disability.
American's super-richness
and political correctness create a facade of acceptance of disabled.
In reality, the deeper feelings of fear, prejudice, and rejection
in Asia and America are more similar than Americans want to admit.
Multi-cultural, East and West, shared study and exchange will enhance
confrontation with the fear, prejudice, and rejection that exists
in America, in Asia, and universally. All nations can learn from one
another.
Employment. In cities
and nations striving to create manufacturing and commerce, unemployment
problems are massive. Employment of people with disabilities is often
regarded as counter-productive or solely charitable. Since World War
II national vocational systems have debated the options of quotas
versus no quota systems. One practical argument against quota systems
was that the employers could beat the system. For example, employers
could simply go through a factory and count every disability identified
-- and make quota.
Some Conclusions
*--The USA rehabilitation
movement has been remote from Asia and Asian people with disabilities.
*--The USA's professional
and volunteer technical knowledge about Access, Attitudes, Employment,
and Special Aquatics and Special Recreation has been withheld, could
assist Asian disABLED, and would be welcomed.
*--The USA's non-governmental
private, professional, and voluntary rehabilitation personnel and
organizations are needed in the Asian Nations -- person to person,
community to community, and state to state.
John Nesbitt, Editor; Published
in the PUBLIC DOMAIN by: Special Recreation for disABLED, Inc./International
Center
Contact in Hong Kong:
Asia Alliance of YMCAs,
Mr. Bartholomew Shaha, General Secretary; and, Mr. TAN Chi-Kiong,
former General Secretary; 23, Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; TEL
(852-2780-8347;2770-3168; 2771-9111-ext-3058; RES (852)2385-3886;
FAX (852)2385-4692; E-MAIL <asiay@hk.Super.net>.
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong,
Mr. Lawrence K. L. Yick, Deputy General Secretary; 4/F., Administration
Building, 23 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; TEL (852)2771-9111;
FAX (852)2771-4096; PAGER 7962-7100. ALSO: Recreation and Sports Department,
Assistant Principle, Mr. Cham Kwok Wing, Samson [ymcacham@netvigat.com];
and, Program Secretary, Ms. Anita Lee.
The Council of YMCAs OF
Hong Kong, PO BOX 95096, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. TEL-011-852-2771-9111
OR 2369-2211; FAX-011-852-2311-5809. PRES-William Fu, Hon. Sec's-Charles
Allison and Patrick Chung The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation,
Ms. Mabel Chau, 6/7, 7 Sha Wan Drive, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, TEL (852)2817-6277;
Direct Line (852) 2817-1312; FAX (852)2855-1947; E-MAIL <mchau@renet.org>.
HKSR Founder: Prof. Sir
Harry S. Y. Fang, Medical Supt., St. Paul's Hospital, 2, Eastern Hospital
Road, H.K.; TEL 289-06008; or, 283-03711.
Hong Kong Sports Association
for the Physically Disabled (S.A.P.), Mr. Hou Chi Fai Edwin, Executive
Secretary, Unit141-148, G/F, Block B, Mei Fung House, Mei Lam Estate,
Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong; TEL (852)2602-8232; FAX (852)22603-0106;
EMAIL<hksap@chevalier.net>; <fpctang@netvigator.com>.
<WWW:http:/cmsweb.com/hksap/>.
Asia and Pacific Regional
Conference of Rehabilitation International [for disabled], Elite Business
Services Ltd., GPO Box 847, Hong Kong; TEL (852)2819-5529; FAX (852)2816-6760;
INTERNET: http://www. renet.org; EMAIL<hk1998@renet.org>
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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