Related websites for elderly health service:

  Elderly Health Service, Department of Health

  Hospital Authority

  Rehabaid Multilingual Database on Healthy Living

  Registered Healthcare Institutions

  Hong Kong Doctors Homepage

  Search for Registered Doctors

Community Support Services are provided by governmental departments (i.e. Social Welfare Department, Housing Authority) and non-governmental organizations to help the elderly in need remain living in the community as well as provide support to their carers. It includes variety types of service as follows:

Suicide Prevention & Counseling Hotlines:

What is elder abuse?

According to the ‘Protocol on Handling Elder Abuse Cases' issued by the Social Welfare Department, elder abuse is defined as the commission or omission of any act that endangers the welfare or safety of the elders. There are several types of elder abuse:

• Physical abuse – any act of violence which causes injury or physical discomfort to an elder such as slapping, pushing and beating.
• Psychological abuse – any behaviour or attitude which impairs the psychological health of an elder. It includes humiliation, scolding, isolation, intimidation, infringement on privacy, unnecessary restriction on freedom of movement, etc.
• Neglect – failure to provide for the basic needs of an elder such as adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical & nursing care, medicine or auxiliary equipment based on medical advice.
• Financial abuse – any act which deprives an elder of his/her property such as getting money, property or asset without the elder's knowledge and consent.
• Abandonment – any act which the caregiver or guardian deserts an elder without justifiable reasons and thus impairs the physical or psychological health of the elder.
• Sexual abuse – any sexual assault towards an elderly such as exposure of sexual organ, forcible touching and unwanted sexual activity.

For detail information on definition, types, risk factors and indicators of elder abuse, please refer to the ‘Protocol on Handling Elder Abuse Cases' issued by Social Welfare Department in December, 2003.

Elder abuse in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, an elder abuse registry named ‘Central Information System on Elder Abuse Cases' has been launched since March, 2004 to collect information on elder abuse cases. There were 528 elder abuse cases reported in 2005 and 329 cases reported in 2004 with 60% increase in the cases . The increased cases mainly involve 'non-relative' abusers, with 20 times more than previous year (i.e. from 10 to 200 cases) and 65% out of the abusers are friends or neighborhoods.  There is only slight increase, from 319 to 328 cases, in the group of 'relative' abusers and 60% of the abusers are spouses. The cases in which the abusers are daughters-in-law is decreased from 37 to 16. Physical abuse is the most common type of abuse followed by financial abuse among these cases. The abused are mainly female.  A survey on elders' life experience conducted by Hong Kong Christian Service in 2002 also revealed that about 25% of the respondents aged 60 or above has encountered at least one type of the abuses.

How can elder abuse be prevented?

In order to prevent elder abuse, the contributions from elders, families & caregivers and service providers are of equal importance. Below are some suggestions to reduce the risk of elder abuse.

  From the perspective of elders:

• Know an individual's rights and increase awareness towards elder abuse.
• Stay active and maintain or expand your social network to avoid isolation.
• Share your problems and feelings with someone you trust.
• Seek help if you are being abused or in doubt. The problem could not be resolved by toleration. Community resources are available for crisis intervention, education and inquiry.

  From the perspective of families & caregivers:

• Have good communication with the elders and show acceptance to the elders' conditions.
• Equip yourself with knowledge and skills in caring for the elders.
• Get help whenever necessary. You can make use of social support services such as support groups, home care service, day care service and respite care to reduce burden in care giving.
• Stay healthy and maintain optimal physical and psychosocial health in order to cope with stress.

  From the perspective of service providers:

• Have a guideline on identifying, handling and monitoring elder abuse cases in your institution. You could make a reference from the ‘Protocol on Handling Elder Abuse Cases' issued by Social Welfare Department.
• Increase the awareness of staff and service recipients (elders, caregivers, volunteers & citizens) towards elder abuse.
• Provide adequate community and support services to the caregivers. Communication skills, conflict resolution and techniques for dealing with difficult behaviours should be highlighted for those in need.
  

Community resources

Related website for suicide prevention & elder abuse / 防止長者自殺及虐老相關網頁

Local links / 本地相關連結:

• Suicide Prevention Services / 生命熱線
• The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong / 香港撒瑪利亞防止自殺會
• The Samaritans / 撒瑪利亞會
• The HKJCC for Suicide Research & Prevention / 香港賽馬會防止自殺研究中心
• 明愛向晴軒
• Harmony House / 和諧之家
• 基督教家庭服務中心恬寧居 - 婦女庇護中心
• Guardianship Board / 監護委員會
• 虐老防治資訊網

International links:

• Befrienders Worldwide
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Centre for Suicide Prevention, Canada
• Action on Elder Abuse, UK
• National Center on Elder Abuse, USA

Rehabilitation Equipment for Elderly     Download Powerpoint

Protective devices for elderly (hip protector, hand mitt, heel protector, PEG belt)

Information provided by Occupational Therapy Department, Shatin Hospital 

You can approach occupational therapists in hospitals for details of the above protective devices

Related websites for rehabilitation equipment:

  ♦ 租借護老復康用具 (護老者加油站)

  ♦ Rehabaid Multilingual Database on Healthy Living

  ♦ Special products for elderly with dementia (Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing)

• 香港社會服務聯會長者服務資源庫

• 香港復康會社區復康網絡

• 香港耆康老人福利會

• 浸會愛群社會服務處長者服務

• 香港明愛安老服務

• 基督教靈實協會長者服務

• 香港基督教服務處長者及健康服務

• 東華三院安老服務

• 仁濟醫院安老服務

• 聖雅各福群會持續照顧服務

• 基督教香港信義會社會服務部長者服務

• 香港聖公會福利協會安老服務

• 保良局安老服務

• 鄰舍輔導會安老服務

• 嗇色園安老服務

• 香港仔街坊福利會社會服務中心長者社區照顧及發展服務

• 基督教家庭服務中心綜合長者照顧服務

• 中華基督教禮賢會香港區會福利部安老服務

• 香港基督教女青年會耆年服務部

• 仁愛堂長者及家居照顧服務

• 循道衛理中心老人服務

• 香港路德會社會服務

• 救世軍長者及復康服務

• 伸手助人協會長者服務

• 香海正覺蓮社安老服務

• 中華基督教播道會總會社會服務

• 佛教聯合會安老服務

• 香港耀能協會持續復健中心

• 博愛醫院社會服務

• 基督教聯合那打素社康服務

• 工程及醫療義務工作協會

• 香港家庭福利會綜合長者及社區支援服務

• 志蓮淨苑安老服務

• 萬國宣道浸信會老人服務

• 長者安居服務協會

• 銀色力量跨代義工聯盟

• 香港耆英協進會

• 香港長者協會

• 老人權益促進會

• 關懷長者之家

• 愛德循環運動