‘Hang Lung X HKYWCA “Love•No•Limit” Dementia Friendly Program ─ Community Inclusion Day’ Concludes with Great Success

HONG
KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14
November 2021 – The ‘Hang Lung X HKYWCA “Love·No·Limit” Dementia Friendly
Program – Community Inclusion Day’ co-organised by Hang Lung Properties Limited
(“Hang Lung Properties”, stock code: 00101) and the Hong Kong Young
Women’s Christian Association (“HKYWCA”) was held at Amoy Plaza on
November 13 2021. The event enjoyed an enthusiastic response attracting more than 2,000
participants, including families with elderly relatives with dementia as well
as members of the wider community.

(From center to right)
Mrs. Gwen Kao, Chairman of the Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s
Disease and Dr. Chiu Ha Ying, Governor and Executive Committee Member of the
Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease, share insights into looking
after dementia patients with the public

The “Dementia
Friendly Art Gallery” showcases the artworks created by seniors with
dementia, demonstrating their extraordinary abilities and individual stories

The large-scale wing art
exhibition entices the public to take photos

Officiating the event were Ms. Koo Kwok
Lai, Rebecca, District Social Welfare Officer (Kwun Tong) of the Social Welfare
Department; Ms. Helen Lau, Deputy Director (Head of Hong Kong Business
Operations) of Hang Lung Properties; and from HKYWCA, Service Director (Elderly
Service) Mr. Chow Wah Tat, Kenneth, and Service
Director (Youth & Community Service) Mr.
Foster Lam. Mrs Gwen Kao, Chairman of the Charles K. Kao Foundation for
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dr. Chiu Ha Ying, Governor and Executive Committee Member
of the Foundation, were also in attendance to share invaluable information
about dementia symptoms and care of patients, to increase public awareness of
the needs of patients
and carers in the hope of building a more caring and inclusive community.

Ms. Helen Lau, Deputy Director (Head
of Hong Kong Business Operation) of Hang Lung Properties, said, “Hang Lung Properties is
committed to promoting sustainable development in society and the environment. We have
been responding to the needs of people in society and contributing to the
well-being of the public through a series of ongoing sustainable community
investment projects. As the proportion of elderly in the population has
increased, dementia has become an issue of greater concern in recent years. In
view of this, Hang Lung Properties and HKYWCA launched the “Love·No·Limit” Dementia
Friendly Program, a three-year scheme which offers support to dementia patients
and their carers. The Program provides training to volunteers for participation
in social services and the provision of training for front-line staff so that
they can offer appropriate assistance to those in need in their daily work. Through
this collaboration, we hope to deepen public awareness about dementia and have a
positive impact on the building of a diverse and inclusive community and the
sustainable development of society”.

Ms. Koo Kwok Lai, Rebecca,
District Social Welfare Officer (Kwun Tong) of Social Welfare Department, said, “Dementia friendliness
is a topic of growing concern in recent years. Given the aging population, the
number of dementia patients in Hong Kong keeps increasing. Now is a good time
for Hang Lung and HKYWCA to launch the “Love.No.Limit” Dementia Friendly
Program, which can have a significant beneficial impact on the community.
Indeed, the Social Welfare Department has been devoted to promoting dementia
friendliness in the community by different means and to providing early
intervention as well as care services to support patients. I am glad to see
that carers and energetic young people in Kwun Tong district, in addition to
the dementia patients themselves, are joining the Community Inclusion Day. It
is hoped that the Program may not only broaden the awareness of the young, but
also encourage people to become Dementia Friends, so that they can be more
understanding of the needs of dementia patients and join hands for a more
inclusive community.”

Mr. Chow Wah Tat, Kenneth, Service
Director (Elderly Service) of the Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association, said, “We are very
pleased to work together with Hang Lung Properties to raise public awareness about
brain health and dementia in society, and to jointly promote a
dementia-friendly community. HKYWCA has been providing a wide range of services
in Hong Kong, with services for the elderly a key priority. The ‘Love·No·Limit’
Dementia Friendly Program has been running for a year and we are happy to see
the positive impact with more than 900
in attendance benefitting from the services offered. We sincerely hope that the service can be
extended to more of those in need, as well as to the public, so as to build an
inclusive and compassionate community”.

At the “Community
Inclusion Day” event, leaders of the Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s
Disease were invited to attend the “Enduring Love” themed session to share
experiences about the treatment and care of the elderly with dementia. A group
of kindergarten students, elderly people, youth volunteers, and Hang Lung
volunteers delivered performances under the theme of promoting inclusion across
generations. The “Dementia Friendly Art Gallery” at the venue also
showcased artworks created by the elderly with dementia to demonstrate their
different abilities. Among the exhibits, a large-scale wing art installation narrates
the stories of individual dementia patients and their carers in the placing of
each colorful feather — a striking symbol of their ability to soar high with
their extraordinary talent for art. In addition, the Jockey Club Charles Kao
Brain Health Services promotional vehicle at the venue provided free cognitive testing and
brain health consultations to the public and referral services for those in need.