Newsletter No. 328

No. 328, 4.12.2008 與長者同頌流金歲月 Celebrate Life with the Elderly 第三二八期　二零零八年十二月四日 No. 328 4 December 2008 (To be continued) 人 口老化為社會高度關注的課題，今年的施政報告 提出：「人口高齡化是香港社會必須正視的挑戰， 個人、家庭及社會，均需作出共同承擔。」中大早已承諾為 這新挑戰盡一分力，由那打素護理學院推行、為期五年的 「流金頌培訓計劃」（ www.cadenza.hk/training/ ） ，獲 香港賽馬會慈善信託基金撥款七千四百萬元，提供一系列 老年學及護理教育，建立社會人士對長者的正面態度，提 高護老知識。該計劃乃「流金頌：賽馬會長者計劃新里程」 的一部分。 身心社靈 全人照顧 那打素護理學院院長兼流金頌培訓計劃的總監李子芬教 授（圖）表示，現時傳媒對長者的描述多屬負面，例如廣告 多強調年紀長了，會皺紋頓現、骨骼脆弱。她期望該計劃 透過提供全方位的護老知識，改變長者在公眾心目中的形 象。「我們聘請了具不同護老專識的教授及導師，例如護 士、職業治療師、物理治療師、臨床心理學家及社工等，從 不同層面講授長者護理及老年學知識，照顧長者身心社靈 的需要。」 三類對象 不同層面 計劃費用全免，對象分為市民、非正規長者照顧者，以及醫 護和社福界專業人員。以公眾為對象的內容，多是透過講 座、電台廣播、派發教育宣傳單張及小冊子等傳達，讓受眾 認識老化過程、長者家居安全和溝通技巧等，「有正確的 認識，便會明白長者的反應，如他們會因聽覺退化，聽不 到家人的呼喚，而非有意不瞅不睬。」 針對非正規長者照顧者，即長者家人、護老院員工等的訓 練，就以不同主題的工作坊形式推出，「內容以實務為主， 如中風後的餵食、扶抱技巧，傳染病及發燒等的基本護 理等。」 李教授稱若家人能掌握照料的技巧，可減少長者患病時不 斷進出醫院的折騰。「長者患病入院，痊癒後出院，在家沒 有適當護理，不一會又病發須再入院，不斷循環，這情況 非常普遍。」 至於為醫護及社福界專業人員而設的課程，以網上形式推 行，每課程更有兩次專題討論，深入探討內容重點及應用。 學院自今年5月起已陸續開辦各類課程，並透過社區中心、 老人中心及老人院舍宣傳，李教授稱不少講座及工作坊甫 推出旋即額滿，尤其是一些貼合生活所需的課題，更受市 民歡迎。 P opulation ageing is a matter of great concern for our society. In his last Policy Address, Chief Executive Donald Tsang stated that, ‘The ageing population is another challenge we must address. Individuals, families and society should share the responsibility for taking care of our elderly people.’ CUHK has already pledged its support for the new challenge. The five-year CADENZA Training Programme ( www.cadenza.hk/training/ ), run by the CUHK Nethersole School of Nursing, provides a wide range of courses in gerontology. Supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with HK$74 million funding, the programme aims at fostering a positive attitude towards ageing in society and increasing public awareness of the health care needs of seniors. It was also part of the project ‘CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors’. A Holistic Approach Prof. Diana T.F. Lee (photo), director of the Nethersole School of Nursing and programme director of CADENZA Training Programme said that the media always portrays the old with a negative image, with wrinkled face and brittle bones. She hopes the programme can rectify the situation by offering interdisciplinary courses which teach knowledge from different perspectives. She also said, ‘We have a team of professionals with different specializations, delivering a whole-person caring approach. They include nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, clinical psychologists, and social workers. The participants will learn the skills of caring for the old in physical, psychosocial and spiritual aspects.’ Three Types of Target Participants All courses of the programmes are free of charge. The target participants are the general public, informal caregivers of older people, and professional social and health care workers. The training activities taking the form of talks, radio programmes and educational leaflets, etc., cater for the needs of the general public. They stress general topics such as the ageing process, home safety, communication with the old, and so on. 試想像，全港有四分一人被認為是 動作緩慢、體能欠佳、一無是處， 那將是怎樣的一幅都市景象？ 這並非無中生有，現時一般市民對 長者的印象偏向負面，而預計到了 2033年，達四分一人口將年逾六十五， 若這種負面的觀感持續蔓延，恐怕非 一個健康的社會現象。 If one in four persons in Hong Kong were slow, weak and unproductive, what would the city look like? This is not pure imagination. In 2033, it is estimated that the number of people aged 65 or above will account for a quarter of the population in Hong Kong. If people continue to have negative impressions of the aged, it will probably do no good to our social sentiment.