CADENZA community project enhances elderly's self-reliance, reduces readmission rate

31 July 2009

The readmission rate of discharged elderly patients in Hong Kong is quite high.  This is often attributed to inadequate management of medications, poor rehabilitation skills or insufficient social support once they leave the hospital environment.  These unplanned readmissions place a huge financial burden on Hong Kong's public medical services.  In order to improve this situation, CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors, has launched a two-year community project entitled Effect of a Health-social Partnership - Transitional Care Model for Post-discharged Elderly (HSP-TCM).

At a ceremony organised today (31 July) to share initial experiences of the project and thank the volunteers involved for their support, The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director, Charities, William Y Yiu said CADENZA was a far-sighted initiative with the aims of helping the community become better prepared for the challenges Hong Kong faces with an ageing population.  "Our CADENZA community projects act as a platform for demonstrating innovative and sustainable service models to address the changing needs of seniors and enhance their quality of life," he explained.  "For each project, we build in evidence-based research to measure the outcome and validate the effectiveness of the model."

Launched in 2008, HSP-TCM is a two-year collaborative pilot project between the Salvation Army, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and seven non-government organisations.  A group of older people who have been discharged from hospital and are living in the Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City districts have been recruited to assist in the studies.

The discharged patients are being provided with an intensive 28-day transitional care service by nursing case managers and volunteers, including home visits and follow-up phone calls.  They also have access to multi-disciplinary services and assessments, ranging from health education and medication management to home safety, diet management, emotional support and services referral.  These initiatives are expected to enhance the elderly patients' self-reliance and confidence, thus reducing their readmission rate and enabling them to enjoy a healthier life.