"age at home" eNewsletter

2021 / Issue 1

Service Close-Up

With all kinds of professional services, elder and carers can achieve "Smart Ageing in Place"

Hong Kong’s First One-Stop Gerontech Education and Rental Service

Welcome to the very first “age at home” Newsletter! In this quarterly newsletter, we will share with you a detailed introduction and latest news of Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service. This include:

Service Close-Up – Our comprehensive professional services accommodate every needs of the elderly and carers, but what our work actually is? We will introduce in “Service Close-Up”.

Home Stories – The implementation of programme involves participation and motivation from various stakeholders, like the elderly, carers, service staff, working partners, the general public…..in each issue, they will share in person their stories about gerontech.

News Flash – Bring you latest news and activity update, your participation will help us expand the Project even further.

Beginning from the basics, this premier issue "Service Close-Up" will introduce Jockey Club “age at home” initiative.

All about Jockey Club “age at home"

Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service is a pilot scheme aiming to enhance the understanding on gerontechnology and its applications, in order to build up the capability and confidence of “ageing in place” among older persons and their carers.

The name “age at home”, starting with the letter “a”, implies the programme aim at providing suitable, professional and comprehensive services. The “a” also promote a spirit of positivity towards the challenges brought about by aging; with elaboration on the rental, cleaning, and maintenance services, providing affordable rentals of suitable gerotech equipment for elderly and cares for a safe and carefree experience of “smart aging in place”.

About "age at home"

Diversified Services with Distinctive Features

The Project provides three kinds of services: education service, rental service and cleaning and maintenance service.

Education Service – Jockey Club “age at Home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service Centre is opened at Shatin facing the general public. Operate by the Hong Kong Red Cross, with a team of professionals, including social worker, occupational therapists, nurses and care equipment counsellors. Through experiential learning like interactive workshops, to allow the elderly, carers, industry members and the public to access the latest information about gerontech, and gain hands-on experience on gerontech equipment.

Rental Service – Operated by Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – Hong Kong. The interdisciplinary rental service team conducts home visits with provision and professional assessment of gerontech equipment, instructions on the assemble, setup and operations of such equipment, and case follow-ups.

Sha Tin district is selected as the pilot area for the initiative, accepting all elders aged 60 or above.

Cleaning and Maintenance Service – Gerontech Cleaning and Maintenance Service Centre located in Fatan has been officially opened and operated by St. James Settlement. With reference to Japanese operation modal and introducing professional machinery, all equipment is fully cleaned, disinfected, safety-checked and repackaged for storage, to ensure the cleanliness and functionality of all equipment that the public can rely on.

Home Stories

Personal sharing from each participant

Care Equipment Counsellor (CEC)
Sky Lam

Care Equipment Counsellor (CEC) is a new job type. More than 10 CECs are recruited under this Project responsible for all kinds of jobs in different areas, hoping to connect labour market between youth, elderly and rehabilitation services.

I always have a connection with elderly services. Apart from my families working in relevant fields, I have also studied in clinical care programme and have been working in elderly care since graduated. A friend of mine asked me whether elderly care is a boring job. I deeply believe that everyone who ever worked in service industry would agree that a job with people would never be boring, instead it is full of challenges and bring satisfaction.

I worked at Aged Care Homes for a while in the past and always have a question in mind: elderly living in Aged Care Homes are being well taken care of, what about those living at home? Do they have enough care or support? Coincidentally, I learnt about the Jockey Club “age at home” Greontech Education and Rental Service, they provide services that aim to promote greontech and age at home. The elderly and carers can rent suitable gerontech equipment at affordable prices to use at home. Hence, I decided to join the team and become a Care Equipment Counsellor of rental service team. I envisioned that under the supervision of occupational therapists, the elderly can live at home comfortably and safely using our rental equipment.

For someone without home visit experience, this is undoubtably a big challenge to me. There are potentially different situations or ad hoc incidents for every home-visit, putting my skill and wit in test. For example, I once assisted a senior with mild cognitive impairment, my colleague and I need to adjust the pace of explanation for the use of equipment accordingly, so that he could understand the proper way to use equipment. Furthermore, in these several months, I was fortunate to witness the recovery of the elderly by using our equipment. The senior showed heartfelt appreciation to our services which motivate me to help more people.

I have just begun my job. I hope to learn more from social workers and occupational therapists, thus allowing me to provide quality services to more elderly and carers, where they can have a safe and comfortable living and care-giving environment for the real “age at home”.

News Flash

Latest News and Activity Update

Welcome all to visit Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service Centre!

A simulated living space has been set up at the centre with various kind of gerontech equipment available for elderly, carers and public to get hands-on experience on gerontech home care equipment. Through different experiential activities such as interactive workshops and relevant information, it facilitates us to assist visitors to learn more about gerontech and identify suitable devices based on individual needs.

Here are some of our exhibits. Do they fit the needs of elderly at your home?

Take Care of Diet, Living and Transport
Diet – Assistive Eating Device

Suitable for elderly with inferior upper limb coordination to self-feed with assistive robotic arm. Regaining the enjoyment of eating. The direction and position of spoon and the amount and frequency of feed can be adjusted.

Living – Mattress with special function

For elderly with poor mobility, getting up and adjusting sleep position is uneasy. Hospital bed-liked designed mattress allows discrete adjustment, by remote control of the back and leg portion of the mattress. Elderly can adjust their sleeping postures or getting out of the bed with ease even without the help of carers.

Living – Bathroom Portable Handrail

Shower is a private moment. Portable shower aids can be flexibly installed at different spots of the bathtub which provide extra support during a shower, allowing the elderly to enjoy their private time.

Transport – Power assist rollator

Different from ordinary wheelchairs, this rollators detect forces from the elderly in order to ensure a safe and natural journey. It is designed like an ordinary shopping trolley with a built-in chair to give the user a comfortable place to sit for a rest when needed. The automated brakes provide additional safety when travelling on slope.

Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service is now open for visit. We also welcome groups to make appointment for guided tour and have our team to explain the exhibits and our services.

About the centre:
https://ageathome.hk/en/about-ersc

Address:
Unit No. 2, Mezzanine Floor, Yu Chui Shopping Centre, 2 Ngau Pei Sha Street, Siu Lek Yuen, Sha Tin, N.T.

Opening hour:
Monday to Friday 10:00am to 5:00pm (Lunch Hour: 1:00pm to 2:00pm)
Prior appointment is needed for Saturday
Sunday and Public Holiday closed

Tel:
3153 5252

Email:
ersc@ageathome.hk