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Summary

According to the baseline assessment conducted in 2016 with reference to the eight Age-Friendly City (AFC) domains, ‘Community Support and Health Services’ was rated the lowest. Senior residents wish to receive health therapies, such as Chinese medicine and acupuncture, to maintain their health before they become frail.

With a subsidy of HKD500,000 provided by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, a district-based program entitled the ‘Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Project – Painless Living @ Tsuen Wan’ was implemented to prevent and relieve body pain in the elderly via health therapies, which can raise interest in maintaining a healthy body. The programme is a joint effort of the Working Group on Age-Friendly Community and Rehabilitation under the Social Services and Community Information Committee of the Tsuen Wan District Council, the Yan Chai Hospital Chan Feng Men Ling Integrated Community Development Centre, the Yan Chai Hospital Wilson Tsang Churk Ming Traditional Chinese Medicine Pain Treatment Centre, the Yan Chai Hospital Yim Tsui Yuk Shan Active Mind Centre, the Yan Chai Hospital Fong Yock Yee Neighbourhood Elderly Centre and the Yan Chai Hospital Mrs Annie Chan Social Centre for the Elderly.

206 older adults who had problems with pain joined the programme. Each received five sessions of Chinese medical consultation with prescriptions or acupuncture treatment. 109 of them and their carers attended two talks on Chinese medicine and learning exercises to maintain their health. 43 older adults with emotional problems joined the support group to learn how to skilfully manage body pain under the guidance of a social worker who serves as the case manager. 138 community participants participated in a workshop about the concept of an age-friendly.

Website: https://www.jcafc.hk/en/events?id=316

Key facts

Main target group: Older people with chronic health conditions or disability

Other target group(s): Health senior residents are involved as volunteers to enhance interaction with participants and their family members

Sector(s): Health

Other sector(s): social participation

Desired outcome for older people:
Meet their basic needs

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:
  • Ageing in place
  • Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
  • Participation

Contact details

Name: Marclus Wong

Email address: twdcadm@twdc.had.gov.hk

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Social or health care provider

Others involved in the project:
  • Local authorities
  • Civil Society Organisation
  • Social or health care provider
  • Volunteers
  • Private sector
  • Research institution

How collaboration worked: Under the Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Project, the government worked hand-in-hand with the Tsuen Wan District Council to organise extensive programmes through its well-established network, whilst Yan Chai Hospital and its Social Service Department (Elderly-Community Services) mobilised their resources and network to provide a programme to support older adults with problem pain via physical treatment, psychological support, social networking and knowledge transfer. This programme represents a good start for collaboration amongst the government sector, medical institutions and social service agencies to address a physical illness via multiple interventions with social support.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages

Details on older people’s involvement: The young-old (60 to 69) in the community served as interviewers in the assessment for enrolment and acted as support personnel to build up engagement, show understanding and introduce the programme and its related elderly service within the community. After the assessment, they reported to the social service agency regarding the specific needs of older adults who required follow-up action.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: Yes

Was the impact positive or negative:
Positive

Please share with us what you found in detail:
Positive comments and appreciation were received. Pre-test and post-test quantitative assessment using the Wong–Baker Face Pain Rating Scale showed a highly significant difference between those who participated in the pain-relief treatments and Chinese medicine lectures (N = 94, t = −10.963, p < 0.001). In addition, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess changes in mental health over the course of the programme. A highly significant difference was found in those who participated in the pain-relief treatments and Chinese medicine lectures (N = 100, t = −2.883, p < 0.005). This result means that the programme contributed to improvement in the older adults’ depression.

Feedback:
The older adults expressed appreciation for the project, and some even asked for self-financed treatment with subsidies to maintain a long-term health intervention.

Expansion plans:
Yes, the practice will expand if funding becomes available to allow more older adults to benefit.

Looking back

Reflections:
If we could plan this age-friendly practice again, we would arrange for practical mutual help groups rather than talks because most older adults are illiterate. In addition, the participants revealed that they enjoyed the interaction with group members to maintain exercise habits, share healthy foods and learn to use the outdoor fitness station together, which can help maintain motivation and warm feelings through sharing. Their comments emphasised the importance of social networking in dealing with personal pain problems. Second, the project lasted 4 months, and only a limited number of older adults could be reached due to this constraint. A more profound impact would be seen if the project could be extended to 12 months.

Challenges:
Many older adults were reluctant to invest their trust in the project, even though they had longed for medical treatment. The Neighbourhood Elderly Centre (NEC) played a major role in building rapport and persuading them to accept treatment. The volunteers and agency staff explained to the older adults the aims of the programme and the details of the treatment and charges, after which the elderly felt secure about participation in the programme.