Jockey Club spends HK$290m on carer-friendly networks across Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has donated HK$290 million to fund the Jockey Club Carer Space Project, which establishes specialised centres and district-specific carer-friendly networks to support family caregivers. The Tsing Yi network, operated by the Hong Kong Young Women's Christian
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has injected HK$290 million into the Jockey Club Carer Space Project, a city-wide initiative to establish carer-friendly networks across Hong Kong's neighbourhoods. The project targets the territory's rapidly aging population by bolstering support for family carers, who play a critical role in caring for elderly residents.
As part of the initiative, a carer-friendly network has been launched in Tsing Yi, operated by the Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association. The network unites a diverse range of local partners, including property management firms, retail businesses, medical clinics, welfare groups, schools and churches. It was officially introduced during a weekend community appreciation day and technology expo that drew over a thousand local carers, elderly residents and community partners.
The Tsing Yi network functions as a localized platform, bringing together shopping malls, restaurants and medical centres to make daily life more manageable for caregivers and those they look after. Participating partners are adopting measures such as modifying premises for wheelchair-friendly access, creating dedicated rest zones and offering priority services for elderly pairs. They also distribute information on carer support, help identify isolated individuals in need of assistance and make direct referrals to social services. Many local merchants have pledged to provide special discounts on dining and daily essentials for registered carers.
To ensure support is effective, project organisers are providing structured training for both management and frontline workers of participating organisations. The training covers the unique pressures caregivers face, communication techniques for interacting with people living with dementia and how to navigate available public resources. Within less than a month of recruitment, the Tsing Yi network has attracted roughly twenty local organisations and is actively seeking more district partners.
The focus on Kwai Tsing District, which includes Tsing Yi, comes in response to local demographic challenges, as the proportion of seniors aged 65 and older in the area is significantly higher than the city average. Since its inception, the local Tsing Yi centre has supported hundreds of caregivers and vulnerable elderly residents, while the parent project has established ten dedicated centres across Hong Kong. Following the launch in Tsing Yi, the initiative is preparing to take its outreach programme to other parts of Hong Kong later this month. A public exhibition will run simultaneously in Quarry Bay and Sheung Shui on a Friday and Saturday toward the end of October, featuring interactive technology showcases, wellness activities and registration booths.
