To help ease the shortage of caregivers at homes for the elderly and residential care homes for the disabled, 50 PolyU fourth-year students from the Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physiotherapy (PT) programmes, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, have joined the Hong Kong Council of Social Service’s “健康專業專上學生院舍工作計劃” scheme to support frontline healthcare services for residents in these facilities. The group commenced their work in mid-March, providing rehabilitation services and formulating suitable training for the residents, and thus helping to enhance their mobility to prevent complications caused by prolonged inactivity.

We are pleased to have had Mr Ho Kai-ming, JP, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, visit the Fu Hong Society Kai Yuet Adult Training Centre on 12 April, 2022 where he expressed his appreciation and support to the PolyU students. Also on the visit were Miss Yip Hau-yu, Hannah, Assistant Director (Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services) of the Social Welfare Department, Prof. Wing-tak Wong, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, Mr Lai Kwan Ho, Raymond, Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Ms Frankie Tsui, Chief Executive Officer of Fu Hong Society, Prof. David Shum, Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of PolyU, and Prof. Hector Tsang, Head of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of PolyU.

During the visit, Prof. Tsang briefly shared how he had recruited a group of 50 fourth-year PT and OT undergraduates to join the scheme and what he expected the students could contribute to the frontline work at these facilities. Several PT and OT students then shared their experiences and feelings about participating in this meaningful service project. All of them expressed their gratitude at being able to help people in need with their professional knowledge and skills.