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

“Assistive Equipment Trial Programme” Ageing in place made easy

The Social Welfare Department launched the Third Phase of the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly (CCSV) in October 2020. The scheme adopted the "money-following-the-user" mode and followed the "affordable users pay" principle, covering all 18 districts in Hong Kong with a maximum number of 8,000 vouchers. This enables eligible elderly persons to choose community care services that best suit their needs to support their ageing in place. The Government announced in last year's Policy Address that the CCSV scheme would be regularised, and the coverage of the scheme would also be expanded to include the rental of assistive technology products starting from the third quarter of this year.

The Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service is glad to know the upcoming measures of CCSV. To promote ageing in place, the Service launched the “Assistive Equipment Trial Programme”, which allows the holders of CCSV to experience how gerontech equipment could support their daily lives. In collaboration with various organisations, we lend gerontech equipment, such as the wheelchair with special function, safety bed rail, rotatory shower chair and portable toilet frame, to the holders of CCSV for free. We hope that the elderly and their carers can experience the convenience that gerontech equipment bring to their lives and provide more services for them.

Wheelchair with special function (Wheelchair and rollator in one)

Safety bed rail

Rotatory shower chair

Portable toilet frame

We encourage all Recognised Service Providers (RSPs) to invite holders of CCSV in need to join the programme. This will give them a taste of the benefits of gerontech equipment and initiate the adoption of technology to improve their lives. If RSPs would like to know more about the Assistive Equipment Trial Programme, please contact us at info@ageathome.hk or 3611 8308.

If the holders of CCSV are interested in using assistive equipment, please get in touch with the RSPs in the communities to know more details (to view the list of CCSV RSPs, please click here). Upon completion of the trial, the holders of CCSV could contact the RSPs to learn more about the rental procedures and required fees to rent the equipment in the long run.

Don’t miss this rare chance to try out assistive technology products. Start your first gerontech experience now and make ageing at home easier!

For more gerontech equipment, please visit rental products.

Home Stories

Personal sharing from each participant

Caregiver
Daughter of Mrs. So

Hello “age at home” Newsletter readers, I am the daughter of Mrs. So. Like many people, I also have to take care of my ageing mother, who’s turning 98 very soon!

My mother has dementia and must be cared for around the clock. Our domestic helper and I work together, but it’s still a strenuous task though manageable. Ever since my mother tripped and injured herself, she could no longer stand alone with a walking aid. Her health took a sharp turn for the worse, and it took double the effort to help her move around. What’s worse is our fear of another accident in the process.

This is how I started searching for a hoist online and realised it’s not a standard service out there. Fortunately, the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society referred us to the Jockey Club “age at home” rental service, which is relatively affordable to rent the equipment we need because of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust's funding. What makes it even better is the holistic services provided by “age at home”, starting from equipment transportation to on-site home assembly and instruction, as well as the after-care services that make us feel well taken care of. The occupational therapists and care equipment counsellors at “age at home” are also highly detail-oriented, especially during home visits assessing my mother’s day-to-day life and equipment utilisation. They noticed many long ramps in our community, which made wheelchair access extremely difficult, and recommended us to rent a power-assisted wheelchair. Now, my helper or I can wheel my mother everywhere without breaking our backs.

We’ve used “age at home” services for about half a year and are truly grateful for their services. I still remember my mother saying she didn't want to live at an elderly home, and we tried our best to take care of her at home. But since her fall, we struggled and worried about not being capable of caring for her. We're so happy to have the support of the "age at home" team, knowing they'll always have our back as we continue living with my mother.

News Flash

Latest News and Activity Update

“Understanding Dementia” Exhibition Embrace it with a deeper understanding

Dementia is a brain deterioration disease that affects the memory of a patient, commonly seen among the elderly. Once an elderly has been diagnosed, it might cause a lot of worry and pressure for the caregivers. This is why Jockey Club “age at home” Gerontech Education and Rental Service has organised this exhibition, “Understanding Dementia”, to deepen the public’s understanding of dementia.

From the first signs and symptoms to the different stages of dementia and the application of gerontech equipment, the risk factors for dementia, myths about dementia, and food and nutrition, the exhibition covers almost everything to help you better understand the impairment.

Various gerontech equipment that support dementia patients are also on display, including the anti-wandering tracker, automatic pill dispenser, fall prevention AIoT system, and talking clock. The equipment can elevate the self-care abilities of patients with dementia and create a safer and smarter home for them.

Anti-wandering tracker

Fall prevention AIoT system

Caring owl

Since February, we’ve been organising a series of dementia-related workshops for the elderly and their carers, sharing information and tips about dementia. The next workshop will take place on 30 June under the theme of "Accompany Robot for Dementia". The workshop will be led by the occupation therapist and the representatives of PolyU Design. They will discuss and share how accompany robot can support patients of dementia and their carers. Interested parties can sign up here.

Exhibition details

Date: February to August 2023

Venue: Jockey Club "age at home" Gerontech Education and Rental Service Centre (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 - Friday) 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. (Lunch hour: 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m.)
(Saturday) 10:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.
Close on Sundays and public holidays

Portable hair wash device to promote good personal hygiene

Maintaining personal hygiene is never easy for the disabled or bedridden elderly, and accessing the toilet or bathroom is extremely strenuous for the elderly and their carers. In this issue, we’d like to introduce the portable hair wash device that saves time and effort for good personal hygiene.

The portable hair wash device is highly versatile. The elderly simply sits up to enjoy being washed, making it easier for the carer. This device also minimises the chances of accidents and injuries when moving the elderly to the bathroom. When in use, the water flow travels only between strands of hair, and water overflow will be automatically reabsorbed. This function prevents any excessive dripping or spilling of water that wet the bed. What’s more, the hair wash device doesn't just clean the hair only; by changing the shower head, the carer can wash the elderly’s body too.

Want to give it a try? Call us at 3153 5252 now!