To encourage senior citizens to make good use of their leisure time and to promote lifelong learning, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Po Leung Kuk jointly organise for the second year the “Elderly Mini-U” Programme.
An opening ceremony was held on 16 June at PolyU, with Mrs Kathy NG, Assistant Director of the Social Welfare Department (Elderly) of Hong Kong SAR as the officiating guest. More than a hundred senior citizens and FHSS staff and students attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Teresa Tsien, Lecturer of Department of Applied Social Sciences said, “We are pleased to work with Po Leung Kuk again to run the “Elderly Mini-U” Programme. It provides the seniors with a taste of university life where they can gain hands-on advice on how to take better care of their life as well as enlarge their social circles. In addition, it helps them develop a sense of worthiness.”
As the coordinator of the programme, FHSS has designed a series of interesting and practical classes for some 120 senior citizen students selected by Po Leung Kuk. As in last year, a ten-day foundation course will be offered, covering a wide range of topics on eye care, nutrition, grooming, financial planning, coffee culture, knowledge of Chinese medicine, table manners, travelling tips, Hong Kong history and culture. Students can also choose any elective classes in English, Putonghua, computing and Chinese opera appreciation that appeal to them.
To further promote the concept of lifelong learning, a credit-bearing course will also be introduced this year. Designed and taught by FHSS academic staff, the course is administered by the School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED). Under the theme of “Health for the Elderly: Healthy Concepts and Practice”, lectures on “healthy ageing” from the perspective of World Health Organisation (WHO), mental and physical health of the elderly, effects of technological advancement on the elderly; common health warning signs; and approaches in living a healthy lifestyle, will be delivered. On completion of the course, senior citizen students can get 3 credits under SPEED’s Credit Accumulation Mechanism. The credits earned enable learners to study and accumulate credits for academic awards at their own pace.
A total of 40 FHSS students have been chosen to take part in the programme as student ambassadors and help in its running and to assist the senior citizen students on campus. They can, in turn, learn from the elderly’s invaluable life experience.The foundation classes and the credit-bearing course will run from 7 to 18 July and 18 June to 1 August, respectively.
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