More love with fewer restraints

  

Kowloon West Cluster (KWC) is committed to working with elderly homes as close community partners to promote various restraint reduction programmes which enable Alzheimer’s patients and elders with emotional problems to enjoy a happier life at old age.

Geriatric doctors and community nurses from the Community Geriatric Assessment Team of KWC and psychiatrists are involved in a series of restraint reduction programmes. Joining hands with social workers from Social Welfare Department, as well as doctors and nurses from Department of Health, a ‘Friendly Visit Scheme’ is launched with an aim of preventing seniors from wandering in elderly homes in the district. On the other hand, KWC fosters elderly home staff’s awareness of fall prevention, and strengthen elder residents’ activity and walking abilities, aiming to lessen the needs of restraining them. A programme is also launched to encourage elderly homes to design suitable activities, roles and daily tasks for elders to improve their condition.

Besides, in a recent talk on ‘Medical Collaboration with Community Partners on Unrestrained Life to Elderly’ hosted by psychiatrists and wound care consultants, representatives from the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology, Social Welfare Department and elderly homes shared practical and valuable experience with the audience.