According to a study, about 10% of the elderly population in Hong Kong have depressive symptoms. Factors such as stress, health problems and a lack of social engagement usually contribute to the vulnerability of older people and cause higher risks of elderly depression or other major illness. In response to this concern, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust approved over HK$678 million to initiate the “JC JoyAge: Jockey Club Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness” (JC JoyAge). Launched in 2016, the project aims to tackle the social problem of elderly depression, enhance capacity of professional and non-professional caregivers as well as raising public awareness on elderly mental health.

Through cross-sectoral collaboration, JC JoyAge provides a community-based supporting network for our older adults to enhance their resiliency in facing the challenges of ageing. The service model connects with the District Elderly Community Centre (“DECC”), the Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness (“ICCMW”) and the District Health Centre (“DHC”) / District Health Centre Express (“DHCE”) in designated districts to establish a collaborative and integrated service model to render standardised prevention and timely intervention services for those depressed according to their level of risks and symptoms severity, etc.

Project partners include The University of Hong Kong and 18 local non-governmental organisations, covering over 70% of service units which provide district elderly services and community mental health services, offering holistic support for vulnerable and depressed elderly. From 2024 onwards, the Project partners with Wong Tai Sin DHC, Southern DHC and Sai Kung DHCE to strengthen social-medical collaboration in the community, providing mental health support services at the primary care level and supporting a wider age group of individuals aged 45 or above.

To learn more about the project, please visit www.jcjoyage.hk.