bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Fiona Sun

Male carers looking after their fathers need greater help in Hong Kong, a study of a large-scale project has revealed, with researchers calling for efforts to bridge the gender gap in offering support.
The University of Hong Kong researchers on Tuesday shared the results of an analysis covering 6,777 carers receiving services under the Jockey Club Carer Space Project.
Their findings showed that 8.2 per cent of adults taking care of their parents were classified as high-need carers – those in need of referral and follow-up as well as respite services.
This rate was higher than the 5.9 per cent of those looking after spouses classified as high-need cases.
Researchers also identified 12.7 per cent of sons caring for their fathers covered in the study as high-need cases.
Overall, more than half of the carers were classified as in moderate to high need.
Professor Vivian Lou Weiqun, the project’s principal investigator and director of the university’s Sau Po Centre on Ageing, said most existing support services for carers mainly attracted women, while their male counterparts usually accumulated significant stress before seeking help.
“Our analysis showed the groups which had a higher number of people at high risk, including sons caring for their fathers,” she said.
“We should see how we can do a better job in providing gender-sensitive services to carers.”
The project was launched in 2023 by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The initiative secured more than HK$290 million (US$37 million) in funding and aims to serve more than 29,000 carers and 13,000 elderly people over a five-year period.

Under the initiative, 18 carer centres and service points have been established across the city, offering services such as emotional counselling, skills training, respite and support groups.
The project has already served more than 11,000 carers and elderly residents as of last month.
The analysis showed that 87 per cent of the high-need carers identified by the project had experienced improvements in their conditions and reduced levels of need after receiving the services for about three months.
Lou said the project had identified key factors for supporting carers, including cross-sector collaboration, real-time understanding of their situations, early detection and timely intervention, as well as enabling carers to transfer knowledge into daily practice.
“I hope there will be more collaboration among different sectors because only in this way can we weave a better safety network,” she said.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han highlighted the importance of supporting carers as the city contended with an ageing population. The government would continue to step up its data-driven, integrated services for carers, he added.
“In Hong Kong, one in four people are 65 years old or above, which means that carers are no longer a very special group,” he said at an event showcasing the team’s findings.
“We rarely mentioned the concept of carers previously, and we paid more attention to people and groups in need. But over the past few years, the word carer has gradually entered our vocabulary, and society is paying more attention to carers.”
In his latest annual policy address in September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged to allocate HK$500 million annually for recurrent expenditure to support carers.
The number of people aged 65 and above in Hong Kong is expected to rise from 1.45 million in 2021 to 2.74 million by 2046, when more than one in three residents will be elderly, according to official projections.


Operation Santa Claus helps Hong Kong domestic workers rise as community leaders

Filipino helper killed in Hong Kong fire ‘was going home for good to be with son’

Record tally of spoiled votes in Hong Kong poll ‘not due to pressure on public’

Bump in nostalgia sales, but 183-year Hong Kong umbrella shop set to fold for good

Hong Kong society

Male carers looking after fathers need greater help in Hong Kong: study

The University of Hong Kong researchers on Tuesday shared the results of an analysis covering 6,777 carers receiving services under the Jockey Club Carer Space Project. Photo: Jelly Tse

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun has highlighted the importance of supporting carers as the city contends with an ageing population. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong urged to draw on overseas models in supporting ‘meaningful’ retirements

A local think tank has called on Hong Kong to promote more meaningful, inclusive lives for its growing elderly population. Photo: Elson Li

The think tank says Hong Kong’s elderly deserve more holistic, age-inclusive support beyond reactive policymaking. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong ombudsman slams poor ‘attitude’, resource use of care homes after probe

The ombudsman’s investigation into Hong Kong respite care homes has found many of them are underutilised and poorly managed. Photo: Handout

Ombudsman Jack Chan with the results of his office’s investigation into respite services for carers of elderly people and those with disabilities. Photo: Handout

News

Hong Kong

Society

Researchers identify 12.7 per cent of sons caring for fathers covered in study for Jockey Club Carer Space Project as high-need cases


Researchers identify 12.7 per cent of sons caring for fathers covered in study for Jockey Club Carer Space Project as high-need cases.


Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

Chris Sun Yuk-han

Male carers looking after fathers need greater help in Hong Kong: study

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Researchers identify 12.7 per cent of sons caring for fathers covered in study for Jockey Club Carer Space Project as high-need cases

Researchers identify 12.7 per cent of sons caring for fathers covered in study for Jockey Club Carer Space Project as high-need cases