Call for dementia-friendly policies amid hospital surge

Wallis Wang

The social welfare sector has urged the government to implement comprehensive policies aimed at creating a dementia-friendly society.

It emphasized the need for increased collaboration between hospitals and social enterprises, as well as enhanced diagnosis and support.

The appeal comes after a significant rise in dementia patients, with the number of people seeking consultations at public hospitals increasing from 70,000 in 2017 to 84,000 in 2022.

While the government proposed 10 recommendations in 2017, including improved public education and enhanced cooperation between hospitals and social services, their implementation has been slow.

Professor Angela Leung Yee-man, from Polytechnic University's School of Nursing and director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, has also called for supportive policies to be put into action.

She said that although the SAR conducts regular studies on the disease's prevalence, the findings are only published in international journals and not readily accessible to the public. Leung also said community support services are fragmented, urging more effective coordination of these efforts.

"Hong Kong lacks policies to support dementia patients and their families and this has resulted in a public education deficiency," she said.

To establish a comprehensive strategy, deputy general manager of the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, Kenny Chui Chi-man, suggested it adopt WHO guidelines and strengthen collaboration between the medical and social service sectors.

Matthew Shum, founder of the social enterprise Illuminant, said patients often wish to live independently at home while receiving care and support from their families, but current social support services focus on efficiency, which can diminish the quality of life for those in need.