Media

The HKU-led GrandMove® Programme: Empowering Elders through Exercise
Press Conference on Research Findings and GrandMove® Exercise Day

23 May 2018

Frailty is a health risk for older persons as they may experience significant health deterioration when faced with a health challenge (e.g., when they fall and injure themselves). Approximately half of the older persons living in the community can be classified as frail or pre-frail. Proper exercise can reduce frailty, but how could they build such habits and make these a part of their lives?

Over the past three years, the HKU-led “GrandMove®” Programme has been empowering elders through exercise coaching and habit formation to reduce frailty.

In 2015, the Simon K. Y. Lee Elderly Fund made a donation to the Sau Po Centre on Ageing of HKU to initiate an ongoing exercise coaching programme for frail elders.

In collaboration with the Centre for Sports and Exercise of HKU and supported by 15 non-government organizations, the programme followed 390 frail or pre-frail older persons from 14 districts and provided exercise coaching service by trained retirees, to empower older persons in establishing a structured exercising habit. Participants’ frailty level, quality of life, and physical performance were analysed.

Findings from the research will be presented at the press conference. A GrandMove® exercise coach and a service recipient will also share their experiences.

In the GrandMove® Exercise Day to be held in the afternoon, 400 service recipients and GrandMove® exercise coaches will showcase their exercise outcomes.

Media representatives are invited to join the events, details are as follows:

Press Conference on Research Findings from GrandMove®
Date: 24 May 2018 (Thursday)
Time: 10:00am (Registration at 9:30am)
Venue: Social Sciences Function Room, 11/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong

Speakers:
Mr. Edwin Lee, Board Member, Simon K. Y. Lee Foundation;
Professor Terry Lum, Associate Director, Sau Po Centre on Ageing; Head, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, HKU; and Project Director;
Dr. Gloria Wong, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, HKU; and Project Co-Director;
Dr. Michael Tse, Assistant Director, Centre for Sports and Exercise and Project Co-Investigator;
Mr. Ng, GrandMove® Exercise Coach;
Mr. Wong, Service Recipient from GrandMove®

GrandMove® Exercise Day
Date: 24 May 2018 (Thursday)
Time: 2:00pm – 4:30pm (Registration at 1:30pm)
Venue: Grand Hall, Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong - Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village, No. 2, On Chun Street, Ma On Shan, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
Guests of Honour:
Professor Sophia Chan, JP, Secretary for Food and Health, The Government of the Hong   Kong Special Administrative Region;
Dr Lam Ching-choi, BBS, JP, Chairman, Elderly Commission, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Advisory Committee, Simon K Y Lee Foundation;
Mrs. Mabel Lee, Board Member, Simon K. Y. Lee Foundation
Exercise Day Rundown:
2:00 pm Commendation Ceremony & Opening Race
3:00 pm GrandMove® Games
4:30 pm Closing Remarks

For media enquiries, please contact
Ms. Rachel Lam, Executive Officer, Sau Po Centre on Ageing, HKU (Tel: 39171756 / 28315210; E-mail: firachel@hku.hk)