Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) hosted the third edition of “International Conference on Gerontechnology (ICG) 2024” and the inaugural “Gerontech Competition”, in collaboration with the Association of Hong Kong Nursing Staff and Tung Wah College, to foster exchanges between the sector and academia for older adult services, and promote the application of innovative technology to enhance the quality of life of older adults in Hong Kong.
Supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation, the ICG 2024 took place from 11 to 13 December on the HKMU campus. The conference theme “Collaborating for the Future of Gerontechnology” underscored the growing importance of developing and implementing innovative technology to enhance the older adults' quality of life. The opening ceremony was officiated by Mr Chua Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service; Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President; Prof. Reggie Kwan Ching-ping, HKMU Provost; Prof. Janet Wong Yuen-ha, Dean of the HKMU School of Nursing and Health Sciences; Mr Tse Kin-keung, Chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Nursing Staff; and Prof. David Man Wai-kwong, Vice President (Academic) of Tung Wah College.
In his address at the ceremony, Prof. Lam emphasised that as the first university of applied sciences (UAS) in Hong Kong, HKMU has been offering diverse programmes related to nursing, smart ageing and gerontology to nurture talent to meet the healthcare demands of our ageing population. Gerontechnology is one of HKMU's strategic areas of research. “The ICG serves as an ideal platform for exchanging innovative ideas among global academics, while connecting with our local industry partners,” he said. “HKMU will continue its commitment to launch applied technologies to address the needs of our community, in collaboration with professionals and service providers. Together, we can drive positive change and enhance the quality of life for our senior citizens.”
Mr Chua pointed out that Hong Kong is rapidly becoming a super-aged society, so it is crucial to leverage the benefits of gerontechnology. “It is a collective responsibility to ensure that our ageing population can live with dignity, independence and enhanced quality of life,” he said. “We should ensure that the society is well-prepared for the future, so that older adults will not become a burden on society due to a lack of awareness or planning. Through collaboration among the health and social sectors and professionals from other disciplines, we can achieve much more than we imagine in our effort to develop gerontechnology for the well-being of older adults.”
To encourage the application of gerontechnology in nursing care, HKMU organised the inaugural “Gerontech Competition”. It received an overwhelming response with 21 participating organisations showcasing their experience in using gerontechnology products to enhance care for older adults.
The champion was the Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, LC-HKS Mrs Leung Kwai Yee Lutheran Home for the Elderly. The Home uses a smart management system and interactive systems for healthy monitoring, motion training, rehabilitation and personalised cognitive ability enhancement, supporting nursing staff in providing holistic care to older adults in residential care homes. The first runner-up and second runner-up went to Comfort Home for the Elderly and Hong Kong Christian Service Chin Wah Day Care Centre for the Elderly, respectively. Please refer to the Appendix for the list of winners and details.
The three-day event brought together about 350 academics and experts from different countries and regions, including Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong, to exchange views and share their experience, covering topics such as challenges in applying gerontechnology, the use of artificial intelligence and big data in gerontechnology, the provision of personalised gerontechnology designs for users and the adoption of multidisciplinary collaboration in gerontechnology development. Discussions were also conducted to promote collaboration with innovation and technology research institutions to develop tech products and solutions for care services for older adults.
Appendix: List of Winners of the “Gerontech Competition”
| Award |
Organisation |
Gerontechnology Solutions |
| Champion |
Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, LC-HKS Mrs Leung Kwai Yee Lutheran Home for the Elderly |
- Smart Management System & App: The computer system records the health condition and care needs of older adults, helping nursing staff provide holistic care for older adults in residential care homes.
- Interactive Motion Training and Rehabilitation System: The system simulates familiar living environments for older adults, using technology to recreate real-life scenarios. This helps residents in residential care homes engage in physical fitness and rehabilitation training and increases their interest in exercise.
- Interactive Cognitive Training System: The system features thematic games designed to engage older adults, allowing nursing staff to develop personalised training programmes based on individual interests to enhance their memory and cognitive ability.
|
| First Runner-up |
Comfort Home for the Elderly |
- Smart Visitor Management System: When family members visit older adults, they can register their personal information through the system, enabling nursing staff to follow up on visits. The system also allows staff to identify residents who have not been visited by relatives or friends for an extended period, so that they can take appropriate follow-up action.
- AI Robot: The robot's interactive entertainment, music player and video call functions help relieve boredom for older adults, and it allows them to stay connected with their family members through video calls.
- Interactive Smart Mirror: The device offers a variety of rehabilitation exercises, enabling older adults to follow on-screen demonstrations tailored to their specific exercise needs.
|
| Second Runner-up |
Hong Kong Christian Service Chin Wah Day Care Centre for the Elderly |
- Wall Projector for multi-sensory therapy: The system projects interactive games onto the wall, allowing older adults to develop upper limb mobility while playing the games.
- Mobile Interactive Floor: The system projects interactive games onto the floor, enabling older adults to improve lower limb responsiveness and flexibility through participation in the activities and to develop their muscles.
- Interactive Training System: The training ball is connected to a tablet for interactive games, allowing older adults to control the movement and direction of the ball through various hand movements, such as pushing, pinching and turning, helping to develop their cognition and physical coordination.
|
Short videos showcasing the gerontechnology solutions used by the award-winning organisations:
Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, LC-HKS Mrs Leung Kwai Yee Lutheran Home for the Elderly
(https://youtu.be/1BOkZHY3VPM?si=EmjNWTkJE7AEIRm_)
Comfort Home for the Elderly
(https://youtu.be/xmWG2ednOq8?si=joUt_G8WGyngEj8Z)
Hong Kong Christian Service Chin Wah Day Care Centre for the Elderly
(https://youtu.be/Yp5YFelN8yE?si=O_9DG_1wvBCMQA7B)
