Press Releases
Forum to explore innovative ways to promote healthy ageing
Local and overseas professionals, service providers, and representatives from community groups and Government departments converge today (May 19) to discuss the concepts of healthy ageing and to explore innovative ways to promote them in the community.
The Healthy Ageing Convention is the first major event of a three-year campaign organized by the Elderly Commission to promote the concepts and the strategies on Healthy Ageing to the community and the service providers, and to initiate community wide discussions on the subject.
Speaking at the opening of the Convention, the Chairman of the Elderly Commission, Mr Tam Yiu-chung, said that given an ageing population, it was a real challenge for the Government, the healthcare and welfare sector, the recreation and sports sector, town planners, the elders themselves and the community to work together to provide an environment which was conductive to a healthy lifestyle for all.
He said, "We should take steps to promote a positive image of ageing, with emphasis on the possible contribution older persons can make to their family, the community and society.
"To make this possible, we need an overall and sustainable strategy on Healthy Ageing and the recognition of this concept by every sector of society."
With this in mind, the Elderly Commission has mapped out an overall strategy to promote healthy ageing with four major strategic directions: promote personal responsibility; strengthen community action; create supportive environment; and improve image of ageing.
Also speaking at the ceremony was the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Dr E K Yeoh, who said that the discussions undertaken by the Elderly Commission on Healthy Ageing were timely and the proposals put forward in promoting the concept among the community at large and our elder population in particular were worthy of support.
He said, "Our elder population will rise to about 1.3 million in 2021. One out of six Hong Kong people will be aged 65 or over.
"Our real challenge is therefore to see how we can help our elders to maintain their health and independence for as long as possible, and to enlist the help of the community to support the initiatives to promote Healthy Ageing."
With the attendance of some 800 participants, the Convention aims to promulgate the healthy ageing concept to targeted sectors of the community who, in turn, can assist in spreading the message to the general public.
Invited to share their views at the Convention today include Dr Gary Andrews, the President of the International Association of Gerontology; Prof Iris Chi of the University of Hong Kong; Prof Jean Woo of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr Amy Ho of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and Prof Ng Sik-hung of the City University of Hong Kong.
More than 20 organizations also participated in exhibitions and practicum to introduce and demonstrate services related to the promotion of healthy ageing.
To encourage extensive community participation, a Community Partnership Scheme has also been set up with a $21 million grant from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to support innovative projects and programs pertaining to the strategic directions for the promotion of healthy ageing.
END/Saturday, May 19, 2001
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