HKCSS “Youth Internship in Caring Profession for a Brighter Future” Project

Sharing by Flora Ko
Year-4 student of BSc (Hons) in PT programme

I am fortunate to join this scheme during the pandemic outbreak. I was assigned to work at Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Cho Tong Care & Attention Home, a residential care home for the elderly. The elderly there have to follow the infection control guidelines strictly. They are forbidden to leave their own room for doing specialised exercises in the gym or walk through the corridor. Some of them have recovered from COVID-19, while others have not been infected but have been staying in their room for at least two months. Some have decreased exercise tolerance, and some have even developed mild depression symptoms as they could only stay inside the facility for the past two months. All of them have deconditioned both physically and mentally.

I was assigned to work as a physiotherapy assistant to assist the therapists in retraining the elderly’s cardiopulmonary function and carrying out specialised exercise plans according to their physical abilities and health condition. Our common goal is to increase the muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness of all of our clients. Some of them might have previous episodes of stroke or other neurological conditions, and as a result their rehabilitation treatment was being suspended, thus slowing down their progress of recovery.

Fortunately, the gym was just reopened when I started working there. I was able to join the rehabilitation team to carry out regular monthly assessments on the elderly, discuss treatment plans with the senior physiotherapist and instruct the elderly to do exercises. They are so delighted by the reopening of the gym.

I know that many residential care homes are lacking manpower to carry out normal operation in the severe situation of the current pandemic. It is my pleasure to contribute to the community at this very moment. As a physiotherapist-to-be, it is my honour to join the scheme.