Gerontological Nursing at HKU
Professor Chia-Chin Lin
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Director |
Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Charity Foundation Professor in Nursing
To live to an advanced age in good health, surrounded by family and friends, and with adequate resources to enjoy one’s lifestyle, is what most of us desire and this happen for some fortunate older adults in Hong Kong. Hong Kong now enjoys one of the greatest longevity worldwide. Factors that have enabled this trend include its excellent health care system, the policies and interventions which have successfully reduced smoking rates, and many more.
However, while Hong Kong is a safe and healthy city, a significant proportion of its older population does not enjoy either good health or a bountiful lifestyle. Oxfam reports that as many as eighty-five percent of the older population of Hong Kong cannot afford to retire and that one in two older persons lives in poverty. Issues surrounding chronic illnesses and co-morbidities are more common among those who are financially disadvantaged, and there is a shortage both of accessible primary health care and residential aged care for these members of the Hong Kong population.
The School of Nursing has recognised that much of the future of nursing will be about implementing strategies supporting healthy ageing, preventing and managing chronic illness and optimising long-term care. We are dedicated to continuing our research and education programmes and enhancing practice developments in this vital area. We have a very strong gerontological team which has developed a formidable record in gaining grants, collaborating with gerontology researchers from other disciplines and in publishing in top journals. Our teaching staff members are committed to providing optimal opportunities for students learning about the complexities of aged care, and to facilitating clinical placements which maximise the integration of theory with practical application.
Our entry to practice programmes include a substantial gerontological content with placements taking place in a range of hospital, long-term care and community settings. Older patients predominate in most of these settings. Additionally, our Master of Gerontological and Palliative Nursing Track is dedicated to equipping students with the necessary knowledge and practices for advanced practice nursing roles in this important and challenging area of nursing care. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the physical, psychological, and social aspects of ageing and end-of-life. They will acquire the expertise to navigate the complexities of healthcare so that they can advocate for their patients and provide patient-centred care. They will also be well-equipped to support policy development in aged care. Our teaching and research staff have developed and evaluated a range of innovative technologies and assistive devices which can be utilised to serve the needs of older people in their homes as well as in various care settings.
Much of the research we undertake benefits older people. We have a strong record in smoking cessation and tobacco control, and palliative care and end-of-life decision making; each of these fields is highly relevant to aged care. We also focus on brain health, dementia management and healthy ageing. An important research initiative we have developed is a nurse-led capacity-building programme, the Jockey Club Pathway to Healthy Ageing (JC Path-HA), which has been designed to increase our society’s preparedness for ageing among the Hong Kong population.
The School of Nursing is committed to improving health outcomes for the elderly in Hong Kong so that more people may have a fruitful and enjoyable old age. We believe our initiatives in teaching, research and practice development will support this aim.