Project II (Duration︰December 2023 – November 2026)

Background

The ageing population is a global challenge. Hong Kong, with no exception, is facing the same sitution. Growing healthcare needs and demand for residential care homes for the elderly are alerting society that some innovative solutions must be explored. While the government and policymakers are reviewing manpower planning and increasing the number of residential care homes, providing suitable technology and innovation to enhance the service quality of the existing residential care homes may help reshape the current service mode towards the vision of establishing “smart residential care homes”.

About the Project

The “Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub” project (“Project”) has demonstrated the potential of applying gerontechnology for “ageing in place” and “continuum of care” in the past few years. The Project has made remarkable contributions to the promotion and development of gerontech, earning widespread societal recognition and garnering support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

In the next three years, the Project will continue to provide gerontech support to the elderly care sector as a complimentary effort to the HKSAR Government’s latest policy of “lifting the service quality of residential care homes for the elderly”. Through working hand in hand with different stakeholders, the Project aims at providing more intelligent solutions to residential care homes, catalysing the advancement of elderly care industry, and supporting the community in embracing gerontech for tackling the challenges brought by the ageing population.

Objectives

• Innovation: Broader adoption of gerontechnology

To adopt the latest innovative gerontechnology solutions in supporting daily operation of elderly homes

• Collaboration: Promote service excellence

To build a cross-unit network in the elderly care field for mutual support in gerontechnology application and service excellence

• Capacity building: Enhance knowledge and skills

To enhance awareness of the public and skills of the professional on the application of gerontechnology for developing "smart residential care homes" in Hong Kong

Key Project Components

• Day Experience Centre

The “Day Experience Centre” will not only expand the service as a hub for cross-sector dialogues but also include more elements of residential-care-oriented gerontech solutions, to support elderly care professional training, sharing and service enhancement.

• Smart Residential Care Homes

Through providing technical advice, implementation guidelines and staff training to residential care homes for the elderly, the Project aims at encouraging them to equip appropriate solutions for tackle operational challenges.

• Diversified gerontechnology programmes

Diversified gerontechnology-related programmes will be organized during the project period to improve the gerontech proficiency of staff in the elderly care sector, to enable wider adoption of localized gerontech solutions and to enhance the quality of life of the older adults in the community and those living in the residential care homes.

Project I (Duration︰December 2017 – November 2023)

Background

In 2015, the Census and Statistics Department of the HKSAR Government released the “Hong Kong Population Projections 2015 – 2064”. According to the statistics, the ageing population in Hong Kong is expected to remain on trend and the proportion of the population aged 65 or above is projected to reach 34% of our population in 2064 ^[1].

To tackle the challenge of a continued ageing population in Hong Kong, in 2016, a 5 years project named “Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub” (the “Project”) was proposed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to promote new gerontechnologies and to improve the service quality of residential care for the elderly. The proposal was included in the list of the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Community Project with a donation of HKD 47.95 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (from 2017 December).

The Project aims to establish a cross-disciplinary network, not only to raise the public’s awareness on gerontechnologies but also to connect stakeholders of elderly care (E.g. scholars, health care workers, residential care service providers, technology developers, caregivers, elderly…) and to share and exchange ideas for enhancing the quality of gerontechnology products and elderly care services.

Objectives

• To establish a platform for both individuals and the society to be aware of the new technologies that can facilitate healthy and active aging population and support people with disabilities so that more elderly and disabled can be cared in the home and community
• To provide opportunities of interactions among elderly and disabled people, their family, caregivers, researcher, industry etc. to better adopt new technologies, to improve the quality of life and develop more innovative technologies

Key Project Components

• Day Experience Centre

A “Day Experience Centre” was established within The Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus (the “Centre”). The Centre contains 4 key areas: a reception (thematic zone), an interactive experience zone, a smart home show flat and a resource library. Through showcasing gerontechnology products, conducting demonstrations, exhibitions, workshops and experiential activities, the project aims to enhance public awareness of gerontechnology products and devices.

• Real-life Hostels (6 in total)

The Project also collaborates with six non-governmental organizations to set up “Real-life Hostels” with gerontechnology devices. We provide appropriate gerontechnology devices in hostels for the staff to support older persons, thereby relieving the work pressure of frontline staff. Industrial visits will be arranged for elderly care service providers, so as to let them see in-person the practical uses of gerontechnology and to encourage the industry to make good use of technology for providing quality services.