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Towards Improving Care of Older Adults
Gerontology and geriatrics has been an area of excellence in The Chinese University of Hong Kong and various departments including Medicine & Therapeutics, Psychiatry, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Clinical Oncology and Nursing in the Faculty of Medicine have worked in studies of the causes and treatments for chronic diseases, health education and services for elderly since mid 1980s. With a donation of HK$10 million from the S.H. Ho Foundation Limited, the Faculty of Medicine has established in the School of Public Health the multidisciplinary S. H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics. The donation will support training programmes and fund various research projects. The Naming Ceremony of S. H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics was held today. Dr. David T. C. Ho, Chairman, The S. H. Ho Foundation Limited, Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor, CUHK, Professor T. F. Fok, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, CUHK, Professor Joseph Sung, Chairman of the Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, CUHK, Professor Sian Griffiths, Director of the School of Public Health, CUHK and Professor Jean Woo, Director of the S. H. Ho Centre for Gerontology & Geriatrics officiated at the ceremony. Professor Jean Woo, Director of the S. H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics thanked the Foundation for its generosity, ¡§This reflects their foresight of the importance of healthy ageing in our community and is also a great compliment to our past achievements.¡¨ The Faculty has researched on a wide range of studies of the aged population including epidemiology, genetics and environmental risks, and treatments of common diseases and problems of elderly such as diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary disease, stroke, Parkinson¡¦s disease, osteoporosis, depression and suicide. Models of community rehabilitation and group programmes for elderly with chronic diseases were developed and evaluated. Researchers also brought attention to the psychosocial needs of the elderly and their carers, lifestyle factors especially roles of nutrition and exercise in diseases management and health maintenance and social issues such as end of life care and elderly abuse. Some of the outcomes of these research activities have been translated into new services and brought immediate benefit to the community such as: telemedicine in the care of elderly living in old age homes, telemedicine in community care, development of a group community programme for the management of chronic diseases, the design of hip protectors for Hong Kong Chinese that have been shown to be effective in the prevention of hip fractures, which have been adopted by the hospitals, and the setting up of a day and respite centre for older people with dementia and the development of a website with comprehensive materials and resources to promote healthy ageing. Building on existing expertise, the Centre will further enhance research and training for clinicians and other professionals involved in care of the elderly, and promote community education with respect to health promotion and health maintenance, disease knowledge and self-management. |