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CADENZA 18-District Programme calls on public to make advance medical and financial arrangements

17 April 2010

A CADENZA survey has found more than 90% of elderly people believe they can authorise their families to make medical decisions on their behalf, in case they are too ill to express their wishes some day.  Currently, however, such "advance directives" do not have proper legal status and various complications can arise, although the Government has recently completed a public consultation exercise with a view to addressing this.

Likewise, the issue of managing financial affairs for family members suffering dementia can be fraught with difficulties.  Many people are unaware of the procedures for obtaining an enduring power of attorney which enables others to act on their behalf, and usage of such agreements tends to be low due to the need for them to be witnessed by a solicitor and registered doctor.

Today (17 April), the CADENZA 18-District Programme made its latest stop at Aberdeen Square in Southern District, highlighting to the public the meaning, importance and use of "advance directives" and "enduring powers of attorney".

Dr Derrick Au, Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, said that "advance directives" allow patients to advise their preferred medical treatment to their family and doctor in advance.  This would allow doctors to document the patients' choice in their medical record and thus avoid making future medical decisions that might violate their wishes.

"Such a document can help deal with the situation where a patient is suffering rather serious illness or facing matters concerning life and death." Dr Au explained.  "It covers a wide scope of things, including whether to undergo life support treatment like using a breathing machine and performing haemodialysis or blood transfusions.  It can effectively reflect the wishes of patients."

Dr Jimmy Wu, Chairman of HK Alzheimer's Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, pointed out that enduring powers of attorney procedures could help elderly people manage complicated financial arrangements, like authorising others to handle property transfer if they became too ill to do so themselves.  However, the awareness and use of such agreements in Hong Kong was still low.

"Some countries are acting faster than Hong Kong" Dr Wu noted.  "They allow people to obtain enduring powers of attorney not only for financial arrangements, but also health-related authorisation too.  As Chinese people are more family-orientated, they tend to make decisions with their own children, but sometimes they cannot come up with a decision even after discussing it with their families."

Artistes Helena Law, Ken Hung, Eunix Lee, Benji Chiang, Lesley Chiang and Adason Lo joined the event to help spread the messages through various interactive games.  Members of the CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team and representatives from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre, the first rehabilitation group to learn the ten "Hong Kong Can Do Exercise" routines, were also on hand to do the demonstration and inject positive energy into the community. 

Highlights of the programme will be broadcast on RTHK Radio 5's "Brilliant Life" at 4:00 pm on 23 April 2010 (Friday).

The CADENZA 18-District Programme is a citywide public education initiative jointly organised by CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors and RTHK Radio 5.  It aims to promote positive ageing and equip the soon-to-be-old with knowledge that can help them continue to live an active and positive life.  Since January 2009, a monthly programme of public interactive events and activities has been taking place in each of Hong Kong's 18 districts in turn.  Details of the programme are available at: www.rthk.org.hk/special/cadenza.

CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors is a five-year project launched by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of HK$380 million in 2006.  The project aims at nurturing academic leadership in social gerontology and changing the mindset and attitude of the general public through a range of training and public education programmes.  Cross-sectional collaboration between organisations and the implementation of innovative elderly services and programmes are also encouraged in order to bring about a new mode of elderly care services to prepare for a rapidly ageing society.  Details of CADENZA are available at www.cadenza.hk.

125th Anniversary of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is celebrating its 125th Anniversary in 2009/10 season.  Over the past 125 years, it has become one of Hong Kong's best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city's major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city's growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.

The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So, says the CADENZA 18-District Programme is aimed at better equipping the public with useful knowledge and helping them develop a positive attitude towards ageing.
Photo 1:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So, says the CADENZA 18-District Programme is aimed at better equipping the public with useful knowledge and helping them develop a positive attitude towards ageing.

The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (back row 3rd from left); Assistant Director (Radio) of RTHK, Tai Keen-man (back row centre); Chairman of Community Affairs and Publicity Committee of Southern District Council, Lam Yuk-chun (back row 2nd from left); Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (back row 1st from left); Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (back row 2nd from right); Head of RTHK Radio 5, Ip Sai Hung (back row 1st from right); and participating artistes.
Photo 2:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (back row 3rd from left); Assistant Director (Radio) of RTHK, Tai Keen-man (back row centre); Chairman of Community Affairs and Publicity Committee of Southern District Council, Lam Yuk-chun (back row 2nd from left); Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (back row 1st from left); Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (back row 2nd from right); Head of RTHK Radio 5, Ip Sai Hung (back row 1st from right); and participating artistes.

The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (back row 3rd from left); Chairman of Community Affairs and Publicity Committee of Southern District Council, Lam Yuk-chun (back row centre); Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (back row 1st from right); Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (back row 1st from left); Head of RTHK Radio 5, Ip Sai Hung (back row 2nd  from left); pictured with the !ĦħHong Kong Can Do Exercise!ĦL performing group, who include members of the Club!|s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team and representatives from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre.
Photo 3:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (back row 3rd from left); Chairman of Community Affairs and Publicity Committee of Southern District Council, Lam Yuk-chun (back row centre); Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (back row 1st from right); Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (back row 1st from left); Head of RTHK Radio 5, Ip Sai Hung (back row 2nd from left); pictured with the !ĦħHong Kong Can Do Exercise!ĦL performing group, who include members of the Club!|s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team and representatives from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre.

Photos 4/5: Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (Photo 4; left), explains that there are various methods through which the elderly can make their wishes known to medical professionals and families.  Artiste Helena Law (Photo 5; left) shares her experience.
Photo 4:
Photos 4/5: Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (Photo 4; left), explains that there are various methods through which the elderly can make their wishes known to medical professionals and families. Artiste Helena Law (Photo 5; left) shares her experience.

Photos 4/5: Service Director of Geriatrics & Community Care at Kowloon Central Cluster, Dr Derrick Au (Photo 4; left), explains that there are various methods through which the elderly can make their wishes known to medical professionals and families.  Artiste Helena Law (Photo 5; left) shares her experience.
Photo 5

Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (2nd from right), explains the concept of !Ħħenduring powers of attorney!ĦL and how it can help elderly people to manage financial arrangements effectively.
Photo 6:
Chairman of HK Alzheimer!|s Disease Association and Senior Medical Officer of the Department of Medicine at Haven of Hope Hospital, Dr Jimmy Wu (2nd from right), explains the concept of !Ħħenduring powers of attorney!ĦL and how it can help elderly people to manage financial arrangements effectively.

Members of the CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team and representatives from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre, the first rehabilitation group to learn the ten !ĦħHong Kong Can Do Exercise!ĦL routines, were also on hand to do the demonstration and inject positive energy into the community.
Photo 7:
Members of the CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team and representatives from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre, the first rehabilitation group to learn the ten !ĦħHong Kong Can Do Exercise!ĦL routines, were also on hand to do the demonstration and inject positive energy into the community.

Photo 8/9: The event attracted hundreds of people to learn the importance of !Ħħadvance directives!ĦL and !Ħħenduring powers of attorney.
Photo 8:
Photo 8/9: The event attracted hundreds of people to learn the importance of !Ħħadvance directives!ĦL and !Ħħenduring powers of attorney.

Photo 8/9: The event attracted hundreds of people to learn the importance of !Ħħadvance directives!ĦL and !Ħħenduring powers of attorney.
Photo 9

 

 

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