Media

Graduation Ceremony for Multi-skills Training Course on Care of the Elderly (Press Invitation)

24 Oct 2001

 

One in every five of Hong Kong population will be aged 65 or above by 2029. Care for elderly will become a responsibility that must be borne by the majority of Hong Kong people. Since carers who work in homes of the elderly or family members who take care of their seniors at home usually do not have formal training before they take up the care giving role, they often show a lack of confidence in their ability to look after the elderly.

In view of the increasing needs, the Centre on Ageing of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) launched a training programme entitled “Multi-skills Training on Care of Elderly” last year. Recommended as a Chief Executive's Community project by the Health and Welfare Bureau of the government, this project is generously supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

The training programme, which has three levels building one top of the other, is the first of its kind Hong Kong to offer elderly care training in a structured multi-skills format. Apart from the knowledge and skills relevant to different dimensions, attitude of the carers is also an essential component taught the whole programme.

The curriculum of the Multi-skills Training Course on Care of the Elderly, developed by the Centre, has received recognition from the Employees Retraining Board. A two-week training programme will be offered to job seekers on elderly care in coming November. This curriculum is the only one that was granted permission by the Employees Retraining Board to be used in their training programmes.

HKU's Centre on Ageing is also working closely with the Social Welfare Department to provide training to care workers. As mentioned in the Policy Objective for Health and Welfare Bureau, the Bureau will undertake the initiative to expand multi-skilled training for care workers in elderly services. Four hundred training places, 200 for the Multi-skilled Training Course for Care Staff Working with Elders, and another 200 for the Advanced Course for Care Staff Working with the Elders, will be offered at end of November this year to strengthen training for professional and frontline care workers.

The Graduation Ceremony for Multi-skills Training Course on Care of the Elderly will honoured 65 students who have completed the advanced level of the Multi-skills Training Course on Care of the Elderly. Distinguished students will also receive prizes at the graduation ceremony. Since the launching of the programme January last year, 412 students have completed the basic level and 207 students, the intermediate level.

Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:
Date: October 27, 2001 (Saturday)
Time: 10:30am to 11:30am
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Guests of Honour:
 The Hon Tam Yiu-chung, Chairman, Employees Retraining Board
 Mrs Carrie Lam, Director of Social Welfare
 Professor Cecilia L W Chan, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU
Programme rundown:
 Speeches by the Guests of Honour
 Video Show (students in training, interviews with employers,etc)
 Presentation of Certificates
 Inauguration Ceremony for Alumni Association

Reporters/photographers are cordially invited to attend the graduation ceremony. Students and their employers will be available for press interview. For media enquiries, please contact Miss Polo Leung of External Relations office at 2859 2600.