Lingnan launches LU Jockey Club Health and Financial Education Programme for Elderly

Lingnan University (LU) held a kick-off ceremony for its “LU Jockey Club Health and Financial Education Programme for Elderly” today (21 June), attracting more than 300 programme participants, representatives of partner institutions and friends of LU to join. Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the three-year programme aims to strengthen and promote older adults’ knowledge of consumer behaviour, financial management skills, and healthcare management by offering them a series of training and inter-generational communication activities.

The officiating guests of the ceremony were Dr Lam Ching-choi, Chairman of the Elderly Commission, Mr Horace Lit, Executive Manager of Charities (Grant Making – Elderly and Family Services) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and LU Acting President Prof Joshua Mok Ka-ho. Dr Lam Ching-choi thanked LU for launching this programme to help equip older adults with knowledge about consumption, financial needs and health planning. “This programme offers practical training in various aspects for the elderly in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai districts, enhancing their knowledge in these areas to cope with the challenges of the modern world, which is exactly the concept of ‘active ageing’ that we have long been advocating,” he said.

“Positive Ageing & Elderly Care” is one of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s strategic charitable focus areas. As the largest taxpayer in Hong Kong and one of the ten largest charitable donors in the world, the Club is committed to addressing the challenges of a rapidly ageing society by promoting an age-friendly city and an enabling environment for intergenerational harmony. Mr Horace Lit said the programme will address various needs of the elderlies and retirees. In view of rapid technological development, this project will also strengthen participants’ community connection by enhancing their digital knowledge and capabilities of using online tools. The Club is resolute in acting continuously for the betterment of our society, all in support of building stronger communities together, and striding proudly forward with Hong Kong.

In his welcome speech, Prof Joshua Mok Ka-ho expressed his gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous donation to support the programme. He said LU promotes financial and health literacy of the elderly through a series of workshops with the collaboration with financial education institutions such as Investor and Financial Education Council. “The programme offers two training courses, namely ‘Ageing Smartly’ and ‘Ageing Wealthy’, which are taught by experienced professionals to vividly present topics of general interest to help participants acquire such knowledge easily, apply the skills to their everyday life, and enable them to achieve a ‘smart mind’, ‘smart age’, and ‘smart life’,” he said.

This programme offers training and courses in consumption, financial management and health planning in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai to better meet the rising demands of the elderly. The programme will also train student volunteers to understand the health-care and financial needs of the older Hong Kong population as well as give them chances to interact with the elderly, so that they can further enhance their communication skills and achieve intergenerational cohesion. Since September 2021, LU has organised training workshops on Consumer Education, Wealth Management and Health and Financial Planning for over 400 elderly and recruited over 100 student volunteers to participate in intergenerational activities.