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Many older people prefer living independently in their own homes as they age. With declining physical abilities, they will find it increasingly difficult to manage household work on their own or to take care of themselves. This worries their children who are anxious to make sure that everything is all right with the aged parents.

In Hong Kong, community support services are offered by a number of social welfare organizations, social enterprises or the private sector on a subsidised or “user pays” basis. These services include Outpatient EscortHome HelpNursing CarePersonal CareShoppingDeliveryRehabilitation TrainingElderly Sitting and Meal Delivery, etc. Some social enterprises providing this service would first conduct a home visit to assess the needs of the elderly person and design a service plan based on actual needs.

It is free of charge for service users to receive telephone contacts, home visits and personal assistance. However, they have to pay the travelling expenses for themselves and for the volunteers in escort service. Likewise, they have to pay the material and travelling expenses for the volunteers if they use the household repairing services.

For those who have financial difficulty, Support Teams for the Elderly may refer them for financial assistance. Alternatively, they can approach the elderly centres in their respective districts which will make arrangements for them to undergo Standardised Care Need Assessment for Elderly Services and apply for the services they need (Central Waiting List).

 

 

Outpatient Escort

家务助理

Escort workers for outpatient visits would take the elderly to clinics/hospitals for medical/follow-up consultations. At the clinics/hospitals, the escort workers will help the elderly with things like registration, making the next appointment, waiting for doctors and collection of medications before taking them home safely.

 

Service Providers:

Social Welfare Department (SWD) and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

Social enterprises and private sector

 

 

Home Help

家务助理

General home related tasks such as household cleaning, cooking, laundry and ironing, purchasing food ingredients, etc.

 

Service Providers:

SWD and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

Social enterprises and private sector

 

 

Nursing Care

Typical services offered by relevant organizations include:

  • Feeding (food & medicine)
  • Care of wounds
  • Lifting and transfer
  • Measuring vital signs (including body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure), test on blood glucose and urine if necessary
  • Basic massage, rehabilitation training
  • Special nursing care for discharged patients (stroke, bone fractures, post-surgery)

 

Service Providers:

SWD and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

Social enterprises and private sector

 

 

Personal Care

 

  • Daily home care and meal preparation
  • Attending to personal hygiene (assist in bathing, toileting, changing diapers, handling incontinence or constipation)

 

Service Providers:

SWD and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

Social enterprises and private sector

 

 

Shopping and Delivery

The service, provided for elderly persons who are frail or with poor mobility, is usually included as part of outpatient escort, personal care or home help services, depending on the arrangement of each individual organization.

 

Service Providers:

SWD and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

 

 

Rehabilitation Training

Targeted at those unable to attend health care facilities for receiving nursing/ rehabilitation care because of health profiles or chronic illness, with the following scope of service:

  • Chronic disease management
  • Specialty nursing service (post-surgical care, geriatric care)
  • Nutrition counselling and feeding tube care
  • Medication management
  • Home adaptation and rehabilitation exercise
  • Home infection control education

 

Service Providers:

Hospital Authority

 

 

Elderly Sitting

Scope of service:

  • Escort for outpatient visits
  • In-home companionship and rehabilitation exercise
  • Accompanying for daily activities
  • Daytime travel escort
  • Daytime household cooking or cleaning

 

Service Providers:

Social enterprises and private sector

 

 

Meal Delivery

Lunch and dinner are delivered every day (except weekends) to elderly persons who are discharged from hospital, frail or living alone, as well as to people with disabilities. The meals contain soup, meat and vegetables, offering a nutritious and balanced diet to all. Some special diets are available, such as:

  • Pureed diet
  • Diabetic diet
  • Gout diet
  • Low salt diet

 

Service Providers:

SWD and social welfare organizations' elderly centres

St James' Settlement Continuing Care

Jockey Club Good Hand Easy Match Alliance


Chan Un Chan Third Age Volunteers Centre cum Community Kitchen provides hot meals for deprived groups in Sham Shui Po at “Food for all Kitchen”. For details, please click here.