Media

Website ENABLE – The First Ever Online Platform on Life Planning & Bereavement Support

25 Sep 2009

 

The Project ENABLE (Empowerment Network for Adjustment to Bereavement and Loss in End-of-Life), funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, has been established by Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong since 2006. By carrying forward the mission of promoting public awareness on death, dying and bereavement and supporting our fellow professionals to develop overall competence in their work regarding life and death education, we are grateful that our work has gained recognition from both the community and profession. Through our societal-wide campaign, the general public has the opportunity to learn that life can become fulfilling, while death can be peaceful and at the same time manifest a blissful sense of life completion.

In order to pass on our message to the community on death preparation and positive adjustment to bereavement and loss, we are proud to present to you our newly launched website (http://www.enable.hk ), "ENABLE Journey"- The first interactive online platform in Hong Kong in regard of life and death education. Phase One of our website will be launched officially this month. The ENABLE Journey, including two distinctive journeys on Life and Death and Bereavement, is tailor-made for general public to learn about death, dying and bereavement.

Life and Death is a journey that provides information on death preparation. Funeral and cremation arrangement, living will (advanced directives and advanced care planning) and last will are explained in details. People are guided to choose and plan in advance. Specifically, the function of Family Tree is a system that allows the user to organize family history as a living proof of time, while Web-biography allows user to record and organize one's own life history chronologically. Both systems offer an opportunity of life review for the general public, thus finding meaning of life through death. 

Bereavement is a self-healing journey tailor-made for people who have lost their beloved ones as well as those who want to help the bereavement survivors. It provides knowledge and coping tips to deal with grief reactions and process. People facing death and bereavement can then have the effective support so as to adapt to their grief while focusing on their transformation in life. In addition, it also provides insights and resources to people who handle and work with bereaved persons.

Last but not least, our website also contains valuable sharing from both professionals and persons who have their own stories to tell regarding bereavement and death. The general public can then benefit and learn from their life lessons on how to accept death and cope with loss.

Phase Two of our website will be launched at the end of 2009, which includes the English version of the website, Hong Kong's first virtual cemetery, comics on life and death, and electronic sympathy cards.

Please log onto our website: http://www.enable.hk  and embark on your ENABLE journey.

Case Sharing

Dr. Catherine S.Y. Chong, graduated from The University of Hong Kong as a psychiatrist, lost her beloved sister in the Stanley collapsing tree incident last year. After her loss, she wrote a book in memory of her little sister and becomes an advocate in life and death education. She will also share with us how to handle the sorrow and reminiscence during Mid-Autumn Festival and anniversary.

Festivals Reminiscence - How to Support Bereaved People during Special Days 

It is inevitable that festivals remind us of our beloved ones, especially during Mid-Autumn Festival. Bereaved people may have a hard time spending the first festival alone, without their beloved ones by their side. Appropriate care and support is necessary to help them survive through the festivals.