Understanding and Supporting the Elderly
By 4M Sam Wong
The school-based programme “JC Volunteer Together Project,” run by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and Hong Kong Caritas gave our students a chance to be better informed about the common problems faced by Hong Kong society, particularly the issue of an ageing population. The programme consisted of videos that highlighted the lives of the elderly which has left a lasting impression on me. It was also surprising to learn that for every three people in our population, one person is elderly! This raises a problem of not enough people to care for them and if we also do not have sufficient volunteers, the problem is even worse. An unforgettable moment in this activity was the experiential part in which we simulated the challenges faced by the elderly in their daily lives.
Some participants had to act as elderly diners in a restaurant while struggling with seeing and hearing difficulties. Others were asked to wear special equipment to imitate the mobility issues of the elderly. In our class, we focused on hand disorders and were tasked with separating medicine into small boxes using our impaired hands. It was incredibly challenging, and I spent a considerable amount of time completing that task. This experience made me understand the elderly better and I can understand clearly why they often find daily activities to be quite difficult. The elderly need us. I do encourage everyone to take a bit of their free time to become a volunteer—it’s never too late to start.