Jockey Club Age-friendly City International Conference cum City Partnership Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony shared best practices and enhanced sustainable development
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According to the Census and Statistics Department of the HKSAR Government, it is estimated that by 2040 around one-third of Hong Kong’s population will be over the age of 65. Therefore, it is vital to prepare now for the changes and opportunities that the inevitable demographic shift will bring by addressing the issues, anticipating challenges, and getting communities ready for what lies ahead. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has initiated and funded the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project (“JCAFC Project”) since 2015.
In response to the ageing population, the JCAFC Project has been implemented, in partnership with four gerontology research institutes in Hong Kong, to promote an age-friendly culture in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. Besides, the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme was launched under the Project in 2018 to encourage different stakeholders, including the business community, government departments and public sector, to adopt age-friendly practices or provide products or services that cater for the needs of all ages.
The Jockey Club Age-friendly City International Conference cum City Partnership Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony, under the theme of “Age-friendly Cities 15 Years On: Origins and Best Practices Worldwide and in Hong Kong”, was held recently, brought together experts from government, academia, business, the non-profit sector and social enterprises in Hong Kong and overseas to share best practices in building an age-friendly city, facilitate knowledge exchange, as well as enhance future collaboration and sustainable development.
International speakers shared insights on age-friendly city movement
Various speakers highlighted the need to combine top-down and bottom-up initiatives and the benefits of getting the wider community involved in enhancing the city’s age-friendliness. In particular, it was essential to give senior citizens a voice in every project that concerned them and to realise that apparently small changes at the neighbourhood level can have a significant impact by improving general well-being and key aspects of everyday life.
Striking a positive note, The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung, pointed out that there has already been much encouraging progress.
“Hong Kong has come a long way and has become one of the leading cities in the world in terms of being an age-friendly city. I’m glad to share that in partnership with four gerontology research institutes, the government and various sectors of the community, all of Hong Kong’s 18 districts are now part of the World Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities”.
Exchanged local and overseas best practices
During the event, all of the presentations, plenary sessions and thematic forum were both instructive and inspiring. For instance, speaking via video link in the Opening Plenary, Dr Alexandre Kalache, President of the International Longevity Centre in Brazil, explained the origins of the age-friendly city movement and the demographic imperatives of the 21st century, while Leong Cheung shared the unique and successful model of the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project, in which a bottom-up, district-based, multi-sectoral collaboration and evidence-based approach has been adopted in developing Hong Kong into an age-friendly city.
In the thematic session “Building an age-friendly city for an ageing community: The Hong Kong Insights", speakers from the four gerontology research institutes in Hong Kong shared the best practices and key findings of the JCAFC Project.
The question of how best to address different aspects of cooperation, participation and sustainability was tackled by three other experts. Winnie Ho, Director of Architectural Services for Hong Kong’s Architectural Services Department, showed what was already being done to build better care homes and improve outdoor environments, access and design for the elderly. Singapore-based Janice Chia, Founder and Executive Director of Ageing Asia, spoke about the rise of a new generation of ageing seniors and how it will drive new business opportunities in housing, health care and even education. And Professor Christopher Phillipson, Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology at the University of Manchester, emphasised the need to keep enhancing age-friendly programmes based on the lessons of COVID-19.
Innovative age-friendly practices under the “New Normal”
Over the past year and a half, we have experienced an unprecedented shift in our way of life due to the pandemic and the elderly are one of the most vulnerable groups adversely affected.
A thematic forum was held during the conference which brought together renowned guests to consider what this new normal would entail. The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung was joined by Bernard Chan, Chairperson of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service; Dr Ching-choi Lam, Chairman of the Elderly Commission; and Robert Wong, a registered architect promoting creative age-friendly design and Outstanding Young Person 2015. They offered viewpoints on age-friendly practices under the new normal, digital inclusion, the potential of the “silver market” and the sustainable development of an age-friendly city.
Exhibitions were also set up to introduce and highlight the achievements of the JCAFC Project, district-based programmes, territory-wide programmes and the City Partnership Scheme in an interactive way.
A unique district-based, bottom-up approach in building an age-friendly Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has initiated and funded the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project since 2015 in partnership with four gerontology research institutes in Hong Kong. The project adopts a bottom-up and district-based approach, which aims to build momentum in all districts in Hong Kong to develop a more inclusive community by assessing their respective age-friendliness, recommending a framework for districts to undertake continual improvement for the well-being of senior citizens, as well as raising public awareness and encouraging community participation in building an age-friendly city.
The JCAFC Project was selected as one of the eight best projects to be presented in the Global Solutions Forum 2020 under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Key achievements of the JCAFC Project
- 18 districts joined the World Health Organization Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
- 140+ district-based programmes implemented by more than 70 NGOs and university partners
- 114,600+ elderly people directly benefited from the district-based programmes
- 2,270+ Age-friendly ambassadors trained to promote age-friendly messages in the community
- 3,260,000+ members of the public reached and engaged in a series of public education programmes
- 180+ companies/ organisations participated in the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme and adopted age-friendly practices
- 18 districts’ baseline assessment reports on age-friendliness have been completed
- 18 districts have prepared a three-year plan for their own district, in collaboration with respective District Councils
Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme fosters cross-sector collaboration
Over 140 participants from business and public sector adopted age-friendly initiatives
The Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme was launched in 2018 to encourage and recognise different sectors of the community in taking an innovative and proactive approach to meet the needs of the older generation, while benefitting people of all ages. The Scheme has received continuous support from The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, The Federation of Hong Kong Industries and The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
In this year’s Scheme, more than 140 companies and organisations from different sectors and industries have joined, a 70% increase as compared with the last edition. Seven special awards were presented to recognise the outstanding age-friendly initiatives. The award presentation ceremony was organised in tandem with the international conference.
AWARDED COMPANIES/ ORGANISATIONS (Listed in alphabetical order):
Age-friendly Employer Award
Awardees
- Employees Retraining Board – Post-50 Internship Programme and Other Training Programmes
- The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. (1933) Ltd. – KMB Retired and Re-employment Programme
- Meiriki Japan Company Limited – Love in the Horizon – Elderly
Merit winners
- Eldpathy Co. Ltd. – Elderly Simulation Programme
- MTR Corporation Limited – Elderly Ambassadors
Age-friendly Facilities Award
Awardees
- Architectural Services Department – Promoting Elderly-friendly Architecture in Hong Kong
- Highways Department – Universal Accessibility Programme (UAP) and Hillside Escalator Links and Elevator Systems (HEL)
- Hong Kong Housing Society – Hong Kong Housing Society Age-friendly Facilities
Merit winners
- New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited – NWFB and Citybus Age-friendly Bus Compartment – Bus Safety
- Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals – Elderly-friendly Services
Age-friendly Innovation Award
Awardees
- ESMARTHEALTH LIMITED – HKT eSmartHealth- Remote Healthcare Monitoring for Seniors
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited – Community Banking Services (Dementia Friendly Banking, Age Friendly Banking and No Fixed Address Services)
- The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. (1933) Ltd. – KMB Finding Missing Elderly
- SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited – SmartHealth & SmarT Caregiver Service
Merit winners
- Booguu Company Limited – Aspire Mobile AI Elderly Fall Risk Assessment
- Hong Kong TV Shopping Network Company Limited – HKTVmall Lite
Age-friendly Collaborator Award
Awardees
- Consumer Council – Consumer Education for Senior Citizens
- Employees Retraining Board – Post-50 Branding Campaign, Post-50 Love Upgrading Scheme, Post-50 Internship Programme
- Immigration Department – Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise, Evacuation Operations in Japan, Immigration Department Volunteer Work Team
Merit winners
- A.S. Watson Group – Joyful Brain Health
- Hong Kong East Cluster – Community Services Committee (Elderly)
Age-friendly Business Award
Awardees
- The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited – HKMC Retirement Solutions
- Mindvivid Limited – Brainastic
- Visiona MedTech International Limited – VisionaDR Intelligent Screening System
Merit winners
- ESMARTHEALTH LIMITED – HKT eSmartHealth – Remote Healthcare Monitoring for Seniors
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited – Community Banking Services (Dementia Friendly Banking, Age Friendly Banking and No Fixed Address Services)
- SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited – SmartHealth & SmarT Caregiver Service
Our City’s Story Award
Awardees
- Employees Retraining Board – Post-50: Sparkling Times Micro Film and Post-50 Trainee Stories Videos
- Sounds Great Services Limited – Sound Book Donation for Charity Visit
- Sweet Stories Limited – Memory Kitchen
Merit winners
- MTR Corporation Limited – Elderly Ambassadors
- Time Rider Production Limited – Elderly Life Story Documentary
My Favourite City Partnership Scheme Award
Awardee
- Immigration Department – Registration of Persons Office – New Smart Identity Card
Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme: www.jccitypartnership.hk
