In the blink of an eye, the two-year project "Community Health Academy" finally came to an end. The "Graduation Ceremony of Health Academy for the Elderly cum Recognition Ceremony of Outreach Ambassadors for the Elderly" was successfully held on 6 October 2018 to recognize the outstanding performance of the elderly students and outreach ambassadors in the past two years. The Ceremony started with a Project Highlight Video to revisit the experiences in the past 24 months.

The Project aimed at leveraging the strengths of enthusiastic individuals and groups of the community to build up social capitals in Chai Wan District. The "Bridging up Medical-Social Sectors" ceremony was officiated by Mr. TSUI Ying Wai, Caspar, JP, Under Secretary for Labour & Welfare, Dr. LAM Ching Choi, BBS, JP, Chairman of CIIF Committee cum Chairman of Elderly Commission, Dr. HO Chung Ping, MH, JP, the HKMA's President together with Ms. YIP Hau Yu, Hannah, District Social Welfare Officer (Eastern & Wan Chai), Dr. YEUNG Hip Wo, Victor, HKMA Honorary Secretary cum Co-Chairman of the Community Service Committee, three other HKMA Council Members cum Co-Chairmen of the Community Service Committee, Dr. CHAN Nim Tak, Douglas, Dr. PONG Chiu Fai, Jeffrey, Dr. TONG Kai Sing, Ms. Daisy LAU, elderly student of the Academy and Ms. LAM Yuet Chim, an active outreach ambassador, well represented the valuable resources and capitals built in the community.

With the presence of more than 150 participants, 55 students received graduation certificates from the guests and 44 outreach ambassadors were awarded the recognition certificates. Their beloved friends and family members were on the spot sharing their inexpressible joy. The climax of the ceremony involved a singing performance "Medical-Social as One Heart" (醫社一心) by a group of elderly students, outreach ambassadors and elderly they visited, which marked a perfect ending for the ceremony.

The two Officiating Guests, shared posts on their Facebook pages on attending the event. Mr. Caspar TSUI, JP, commented that "計劃帶動了年長的市民更關注個人和家人的健康，同時連繫社區上的社福機構，在社區上為區內市民建立健康支援和關顧網絡，也為長者居家安老作好準備。" Dr. LAM Ching Choi, BBS, JP remarked on his post that "醫學會跳入社區，建立醫社平台，將健康服務帶入屋。成為將來地區康健中心的藍本。"

Press Release

The guests and two project participants officiating the "Bridging up Medical-Social Sectors" ceremony From left: Ms. Daisy LAU, Dr. Jeffrey PONG, Dr. Victor YEUNG, Ms. Hannah YIP, Mr. Caspar TSUI, Dr. HO Chung Ping, Dr. LAM Ching Choi, Dr. Douglas CHAN, Dr. TONG Kai Sing and Ms. LAM Yuet Chim		Outreach ambassador, Dr. Kenneth YIP taking photo with his best partner and her friend
Mr. Caspar TSUI, JP and Dr. HO Chung Ping, MH, JP, presented the graduation certificates to five outstanding students		Three Co-Chairmen of Community Service Committee sang the song "Medical-Social as One Heart (醫社一心) with a group of elderly students, outreach ambassadors and elderly they visited
An elderly couple taking their first graduation photo at the venue		Participants celebrating this special day with lovely smiles
The guests in photo with the participating doctors		The guests in photo with the representatives of collaborating partners, corporates and organizations
The guests in photo with the voluntary speakers and tutors		Through medical-social collaboration, people from different sectors working hand in hand to build a better and healthier community

Apart from giving health talks, medical doctors who have joined the "Community Health Academy" project also actively participated in compiling information for the practical handbook and animated videos on common elderly diseases of the Health Academy for the Elderly, so as to equip the elderly and local communities with the ability on diseases prevention and management. To further promote these health management resources through different communities, the HKMA organized the "Launch of Practical Handbook cum Premiere of Animated Videos on Common Elderly Diseases" on 11 May 2018 to release the resources to the public. In addition, some elderly students, outreach ambassadors and elderly we have been visiting were invited to share their learning and visiting experiences with the attending doctors at the event.

For more information about the "Community Health Academy" project, please follow the HKMA Facebook page and instagram of Community Health Academy!

Elderly students, outreach ambassadors and elderly we visited were taking a group photo with the attending doctors		Our President Dr. CHOI Kin officiating the Premiere of Animated Videos with the elderly participants
Mr. and Mrs. WONG, an elderly couple, sharing their improving health conditions with the ongoing home visits conducted by Dr. Elsa CHU who made them felt loved and cared		Ms. LAM, an elderly volunteer, and Dr. Kenneth YIP sharing their respective roles and collaborative efforts in the volunteer team in understanding the needs of the elderly we visited and assisting them to improve physical and mental health

Our Project was introduced
on 3 October 2017

Miss Jojo LAI shared her experience of being an
Outreach Ambassador on 1 August 2018

If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is hoisted 2 hours prior to the lecture, the lecture will be cancelled.

If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or Amber/Red Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force during the lecture, the lecture will be continued.

If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is hoisted 3 hours prior to the home visit, the visit will be cancelled.

If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or Amber/Red Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force during the home visit, the visit will be continued.

For more information, please call: 2861 1909
Email: elderlyhealth@hkma.org
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/hkma_communityhealthacademy/

"One Service Unit One Doctor" - "Learn More about Colorectal Cancer" was held on Saturday, 25 August 2018. Ms. Katrina WU, Registered Nurse of Hong Kong Cancer Fund was invited to give a talk titled "Understanding Colorectal Cancer". Members from the 4 collaborating partners and elderly service units, and students of the Health Academy for the Elderly attended and got to know more about colorectal cancer and Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme implemented by the Department of Health. To encourage participants to join the screening programme, the HKMA staff also elaborated on the programme's objectives, points to note, the criteria for joining the programme, etc. Participants were also invited to complete the "Colorectal- polyp Prediction Index" developed by The Chinese University of Hong Kong which helped them in assessing the risk of developing colorectal polyp.

Ms. Katrina WU explaining blood test to participants		Ms. Katrina WU explaining the process of colonoscopy to participants
A HKMA staff measuring a participant's height for BMI calculation

Last Saturday, 49 Outreach Ambassadors visited 31 elderly households prior to Mangkhut was upgraded to Signal number 8. Not only to pre-celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festivals with the elderly, our Outreach Ambassadors also helped the elderly to strengthen safety measures such as fixing duct tape on their windows. At the training session right before the visit, the Outreach Ambassadors created photo frame art pieces as gifts to the elderly.

To prepare for the performance on the "Health Academy for the Elderly Graduation Ceremony cum the Outreach Team for the Elderly Recognition Ceremony on 6 October 2018, Dr. YEUNG Hip Wo, Victor led all ambassadors to sing, "醫社一心" (original song: "壯志驕陽").

This is the last of the series of home visit under our Project. With the unceasing efforts from our Outreach Ambassadors, we have successfully conducted many home visits, and rendered love and care to the elderly in the community. We are preparing for some new projects and your continuous support is utmost important! Stay tune with our updated information! (Tel: 2861 1909)

Outreach Ambassadors exerting their imaginations and trying their best to make the frame.		Dr. Victor YEUNG, Dr. Douglas CHAN and the Outreach ambassadors were practicing the song named during the training session.
An Outreach Ambassador was helping the elderly to stick taps on the window as one of the typhoon preventive measures.
The elderly were happy and passionate about visiting by the Outreach Ambassadors during each home visit. Look at the smiles on their faces!

A total of 17 Experienced Outreach Ambassadors visited elderly households again on Thursday, 20 September. During the training session, they were divided into groups and participated in a quiz on animated videos on common elderly diseases. They indicated that the quiz was not just educational but also challenging, and therefore they paid a lot of attention to the content of the videos and they were able to learn more about elderly diseases through the videos. Also, they practiced the song, "醫社一心", together in order to prepare for the "Health Academy for the Elderly Graduation Ceremony cum the Outreach Team for the Elderly Recognition Ceremony" on 6 October 2018.

Although this was the last home visit of Experienced Outreach Team, the Outreach Ambassadors and the visited elderly were looking forward to meet again in the near future. We are going to organize more home visits. You are welcomed to join us and please stay tune with our updated information! (Tel: 2861 1909)

Everyone is concentrating on watching and learning from the videos. Some of them even jotting notes!		The Outreach Ambassadors discussing on the quiz.
The elderly and the Outreach ambassadors know each other well. He taking out the photo frame art piece that was given to him last time and complimenting it.		The Outreach Ambassadors practicing the song and try to make improvement in the chorus. The room is filled with laughter.

A total of 18 Experienced Outreach Ambassadors visited elderly households again on Thursday, 6 September. During the training session, we invited Miss CHAN Sum Yi, registered social worker of the Methodist Epworth Village Community Centre, to introduce the Centre's volunteer scheme and encourage our Experienced Outreach Ambassadors to keep participate in volunteer services in order to support those in need.

In addition, we have video-recorded a home visit on that day, in which will be part of the Project Summary Video and will be showed to the guests during the "Health Academy for the Elderly Graduation Ceremony cum the Outreach Team for the Elderly Recognition Ceremony" on 6 October 2018. Meanwhile, there will be graduation certificates presented to our students and recognition certificates to Outreach Ambassadors, and a photo booth will be set up for participants to take photos as a remembrance. (Tel: 2861 1909)

Experienced Outreach Ambassadors paying attention to Miss Chan's introduction.		Our film crew filming a video during home visit.
Mrs. Jovi LAM, Chief Executive of HKMA, interviewing two Experienced Outreach Ambassadors about their feeling of participating in home visits.		Experienced Outreach Ambassadors sharing happy moments with everyone after home visits.

The "Carers Support Workshops" of the "Health Academy for the Elderly" finally came to an end on 29 September 2018. Dr. CHAN Nim Tak, Douglas, Co-chairman of the Sub-Committee of the Community Health Academy was invited to talk with carers about the difficulties in taking care of their family members. The participants were eagar to ask questions, especially about elderly diseases, as they didn't have opportunities to learn more about diseases and drug management from a doctor. A short video on "Carers Support Workshops" was specially produced to let carers review their learning journey and sharing throughout the workshops, and we wished that they can keep it up on their caregiving journey.

Dr. Douglas CHAN explaining minimally invasive surgery		A participant sharing her experience in taking care of her family member

The 9th "Get to Know Dementia" Training Course of the Health Academy for the Elderly was arranged for staff of Fairwood Holdings Limited on 28 September 2018. Dr. YIP Yuk Pang, Kenneth, Specialist in Paediatrics was invited to present on dementia. Some participants expressed that they had encountered suspected cases of dementia in the workplace e.g. buying foods repeatedly. Dr. Kenneth YIP provided staff with some measures applicable to different scenarios for better handling of suspected cases.

Dr. Kenneth YIP explaining the identifications of people with dementia		Participants watching the animated video on dementia produced by Community Health Academy

The 8th "Get to Know Dementia" Training Course of the Health Academy for the Elderly was arranged for the staff of the MTR Corporation Limited on 21 September 2018 and Dr. TONG Kai Sing, the HKMA Council Member and Specialist in Paediatrics was invited to give a brief introduction of dementia. Dr. TONG indicated that with the aging trend in the population of Hong Kong, dementia will soon become a big social problem that the society needs to tackle. Dr. TONG called on the participants to extend their care to the senior members around them and encouraged them to lend a helping hand towards people with dementia and their family members in need, which can bring positive energy to the society.

Dr. TONG explaining the causes of dementia		Dr. TONG introducing some preventive measures to dementia

The 7th session of "Get to Know Dementia" Training Course of the Health Academy for the Elderly was arranged for the frontline staff of Fairwood Holdings Limited on 13 September 2018. Dr. Douglas CHAN, the HKMA Council Member, Co-chairman of the Sub-Committee of the Community Health Academy and General Practitioner was invited to present on the causes and symptoms of dementia, behavioral problems and the handing skills with suspected cases. Not only could the training course enhance the staff's understanding of dementia, it also enabled them with relevant skills on handling related cases in future.

Dr. Douglas CHAN explaining the communication skills with patients with dementia		Participants watching the animated video on dementia produced by Community Health Academy

The 6th "Get to Know Dementia" Training Course of the Health Academy for the Elderly was arranged for staff of the MTR Corporation Limited on 4 September 2018 and Dr. WONG Yee Him, John, the HKMA Council Member and Specialist in Psychiatry was invited to present on the causes and symptoms of dementia, behavioral problems and the handing skills with suspected cases. During the sharing session, a participant shared that she had identified similar symptoms in her relative but she was not certain if the elder got dementia. Dr. John WONG recommended her to accompany the elder for further assessment.

Dr. John WONG explaining the differences between memory loss and dementia		Dr. John WONG introducing the causes of major types of dementia