Hong Kong bosses should be flexible with workers caring for elderly or disabled residents at home, study says
- Government-commissioned study involved interviews with about 5,000 people, including the elderly and disabled and their carers
- Team found carers often felt support for them was scattered and difficult to access because of lack of adequate information on eligibility and time clashes with work
Hong Kong’s welfare authorities should encourage employers to offer flexible workplace arrangements for staff who care for the elderly or people with disabilities at home, a government-commissioned report has recommended.
The Labour and Welfare Bureau on Thursday released the study conducted by Polytechnic University to identify the needs of carers.
The team interviewed about 5,000 people, including seniors, people with disabilities and their carers, as well as stakeholders such as professional staff working in elderly and rehabilitation services.
“Unpaid informal carers play an essential role in assisting frail elderly persons and persons with disabilities to carry out their daily activities … Therefore, [their] well-being … can be further improved through the enhancement of carer support,” the report said.
The team found that carers often felt the support for them was scattered and difficult to access because of a lack of adequate information on eligibility and time clashes with work.