Corporate News

CADENZA Symposium 2009 brings new insights on medical and social integration of primary care for the elderly in Hong Kong

12 October 2009

Over 700,000 elderly people in Hong Kong are recorded as having at least one chronic disease, putting a burden on the healthcare system which can only get heavier in the face of the city's ageing population.  The elderly, particularly those with chronic diseases, have complex needs requiring medical and social care to be provided in a seamless manner.  A primary healthcare system can serve as a platform for health and social care providers to manage the elderly's physical and psychological issues, as well as promote a healthy lifestyle.

Jointly organised by CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors, the Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Faculty of Social Sciences of The University of Hong Kong, the CADENZA Symposium 2009 was held on 9 and 10 October.  Carrying the theme of Primary Care & Older Persons - the Key to Medical & Social Integration, the two-day symposium aimed at engaging a wide spectrum of health and social care providers, academia and experts to discuss models and strategies for building a primary healthcare system for elderly people in Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li observed in his opening address that the importance of quality primary care in the healthcare system was being acknowledged all over the world.  The World Health Organisation passed a resolution in May calling for all member nations to reinvigorate their healthcare systems through the strengthening of primary care.

"No-one can deny that an effective primary healthcare system that delivers continuing, comprehensive and holistic care to individuals can improve the health of the population as well as reduce pressure on the hospital system," Dr Li emphasised.  "This is especially important for the increasing number of elderly people in Hong Kong, where the insatiable demand for public resources poses a heavy burden on the healthcare system.  I hope this symposium will generate robust discussion with experts and professionals from different areas on the subject of primary care and medical-social integration."

Keynote speaker The Hon Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, thanked The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong for championing the cause of CADENZA in the past years. Stressing the importance of social and medical integration in providing primary healthcare to the city's elderly, he noted that The Jockey Club CADENZA Hub - a one-stop integrated primary health and social centre for the old and soon-to-be old in Tai Po - was indeed a commendable example of putting the vision of integration into practice for the betterment of the elders.

"By drawing on local and overseas experience, this year's Symposium provides a much-needed opportunity for experts and service providers in the fields of elderly care and gerontology to build rapport, exchange ideas and stimulate thoughts.  It will also contribute to the furthering of studies on the topics of integration, which will in turn help policy-makers like me and other experts to better rise to the challenges of an ageing population," Mr Cheung added.

Other keynote speakers included two internationally renowned experts in the field: Professor Barbara Starfield, Professor of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who spoke on "Redesigning Primary Care of Chronic Diseases"; and Professor Steve Iliffe, Professor of Primary Care for Older People at University College London, covering the topic of "Chronic Disease Management and Its Relevance to Older People".

The two-day Symposium attracted over 500 practitioners from the Government and community organisations, academics and professionals from the medical and social sectors, they were able to exchange experiences and bring new insights to the development of primary healthcare services in Hong Kong.  (Please refer to the attachment for the speakers' abstracts)

Participants also paid a visit to the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub at Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po.  Managed by CUHK, the hub is an innovative community project operated under an integrated social and medical model, the concept widely discussed at the symposium.  It adopts a user-centred case management approach to providing day care and a wide spectrum of wellness, lifestyle modification and health maintenance courses and activities, including Chinese medicine consultation, health assessments and referral, and sale of rehabilitation aids and accessories.  Elderly residents can receive diversified and comprehensive services at the hub from a multi-disciplinary team.

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.

Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li highlights the importance of primary care in Hong Kong and challenges faced by the community due to its rapidly ageing population.
Photo 1:
Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li highlights the importance of primary care in Hong Kong and challenges faced by the community due to its rapidly ageing population.

In his keynote speech, Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung stresses the importance of social and medical integration in providing primary healthcare to elderly people.
Photo 2:
In his keynote speech, Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung stresses the importance of social and medical integration in providing primary healthcare to elderly people.

(From left): Chairman of the Elderly Commission Dr the Hon Leong Che-hung, Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li, Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung, The Hong Kong Jockey Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, William Y Yiu and CADENZA Training Programme Director, Professor Diana Lee attend the CADENZA symposium 2009.
Photo 3:
(From left): Chairman of the Elderly Commission Dr the Hon Leong Che-hung, Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald K T Li, Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung, The Hong Kong Jockey Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, William Y Yiu and CADENZA Training Programme Director, Professor Diana Lee attend the CADENZA symposium 2009.

Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald Li (left) presents a souvenir to Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung.
Photo 4:
Hong Kong Jockey Club Steward Dr Donald Li (left) presents a souvenir to Secretary for Labour and Welfare The Hon Matthew Cheung.

Photos 5/6/7: Two internationally renowned speakers -Professor Barbara Starfield, Professor of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Photos 5 & 6) and Professor Steve Iliffe, Professor of Primary Care for Older People at University College London (Photo 7) - bring new insights on primary care to practitioners from the Government and community organisations.
Photo 5:
Photos 5/6/7:
Two internationally renowned speakers -Professor Barbara Starfield, Professor of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Photos 5 & 6) and Professor Steve Iliffe, Professor of Primary Care for Older People at University College London (Photo 7) - bring new insights on primary care to practitioners from the Government and community organisations.

Photos 5/6/7: Two internationally renowned speakers -Professor Barbara Starfield, Professor of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Photos 5 & 6) and Professor Steve Iliffe, Professor of Primary Care for Older People at University College London (Photo 7) - bring new insights on primary care to practitioners from the Government and community organisations.
Photo 6

Photos 5/6/7: Two internationally renowned speakers -Professor Barbara Starfield, Professor of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Photos 5 & 6) and Professor Steve Iliffe, Professor of Primary Care for Older People at University College London (Photo 7) - bring new insights on primary care to practitioners from the Government and community organisations.
Photo 7

Photos 8/9/10: Participants pay a visit to the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub at Tai Po and learn more about its operations and promotion of primary care.
Photo 8:
Photos 8/9/10:
Participants pay a visit to the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub at Tai Po and learn more about its operations and promotion of primary care.

Photos 8/9/10: Participants pay a visit to the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub at Tai Po and learn more about its operations and promotion of primary care.
Photo 9

Photos 8/9/10: Participants pay a visit to the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub at Tai Po and learn more about its operations and promotion of primary care.
Photo 10

 

 

Other Corporate News