Speaker：Dr. Chan Tak Yeung (Kwong Wah Hospital)
Paper Title: Elderly care service in Hong Kong

Abstract：

The development of geriatric service at Kwong Wah Hospital will be used as an example to illustrate the evolution of health care services for the elderly people in Hong Kong for the past 30 years. The geriatric unit at Kwong Wah Hospital was established in 1982. It initially focused on inpatient acute and rehabilitation care as well as outpatient clinic. The unit has witnessed an expansion of community geriatric services to meet the changing needs of our patients throughout the years.

。Geriatric Day Hospitals (老人日間醫院) have played an important role to provide comprehensive assessment and rehabilitation for frail elderly patients. It helps to restore the functions of elderly patients who have suffered acute illnesses.

。The Community Geriatric Assessment Team (社區老人評估組) provides outreach on-site specialized geriatric care to residents of old age homes as well as training to health care providers.

。The TWGHs Outreach Home Care Services for the Elderly (東華三院長者家居復康外展服務) provides free outreaching health care support as well as home environment adjustment to clients living at home. It aims to enhance the self care ability and quality of life of elderly patients and their care-givers.

。The Integrated Care and Discharge Support service (支援長者離院綜合服務) was established at KWH in 2012. It provides a timely transitional support to community dwelling high risk elderly patients who are discharged from hospitals. This program has integrated medical, nursing, rehabilitation as well as social support services.

。In 2013, an Elderly Health Assessment Pilot Program (長者健康評估先導計劃) was set up to provide health screening for high risk elderly population (e.g. living alone).

It can be seen that the focus of elderly health services has been shifted from a hospital or clinic based service to a community and multi-disciplinary approach. With an increasing demand of health care service from an aging population, there is a need to strengthen collaboration between hospitals, clinic or ambulatory, outreach, primary care and social (volunteer) services to provide a coordinated, accessible and affordable care. The importance of primary prevention and self care management should be promoted in view of a higher education level in our future older population. An increasing number of elderly people with cognitive impairment or dementia also pose a challenge to our health care system development.