Cross-disciplinary collaboration for cognitive wellness: 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitator Graduation & Appreciation Gathering of the Memory & Cognitive Health Community Programme
The 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitator Graduation & Appreciation Gathering of the Memory & Cognitive Health Community Programme.
Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, delivers a welcome speech.
Mr Warren Luk, Vice President of the DBS Foundation (Hong Kong), gives a welcome speech.
Prof Carol Ma Hok-ka (left), Head of the Master’s and PhD Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Dr Chloe Siu Pui-yee (right), Senior Lecturer of the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, discuss the project’s outcome.
Graduation certificates are presented to the 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitators.
Liu Jiali, a student of the Master of Social Sciences in Health and Social Services Management programme, served as both the Master of Ceremonies and a Reminiscence Facilitator.
The project team presents souvenirs to Yan Oi Tong staff in recognition of their dedicated support and great contribution to the 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitation Programme.
Lingnan University, a regional partner of the DBS Foundation × SUSS Memory & Cognitive Health Community Programme, hosted its 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitator Graduation & Appreciation Gathering on 28 August 2026. More than 70 guests, volunteers, Reminiscence Facilitators, and members of the community celebrated this meaningful milestone and witnessed the fruitful outcomes of the programme.
To date, Lingnan University has trained 61 Reminiscence Facilitators and involved more than 260 older adults in reminiscence sessions in the Hong Kong SAR. As the programme enters its second year, it continues to create opportunities for older adults to share their stories, meet people, and participate in community life.
The event commenced with welcome speeches by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, and Mr Warren Luk, Vice President of the DBS Foundation (Hong Kong), who both highlighted the importance of intergenerational connections, strengthening community support networks, and promoting innovative approaches to healthy ageing.
Project outcomes and key insights were then shared by Prof Carol Ma Hok-ka, Head of the Master’s and PhD Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), and Dr Chloe Siu Pui-yee, Senior Lecturer of the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, who explained the programme’s achievements, research progress, and positive impact on promoting cognitive health, social participation and cross-disciplinary collaboration among older adults.
As the Programme’s Principal Investigator in the Hong Kong SAR, Dr Siu described its broader significance, “This project marks an important milestone in preparing for the Hong Kong SAR’s ageing population. We are sincerely grateful to the many volunteers whose dedication and commitment have contributed to the success of the programme. Specifically, our partnership with Yan Oi Tong demonstrates the value of collaboration between academia and the social service sector, enabling us to design meaningful and impactful services, and to create innovative opportunities together to enable healthy ageing, social connectedness, and enhanced well-being in the older people in our community”
One of the highlights of the occasion was the presentation of graduation certificates to the 2nd Cohort Reminiscence Facilitators, recognising their dedication and commitment to supporting older adults through meaningful reminiscence activities.
One participant, Liu Jiali, a student of the Master of Social Sciences in Health and Social Services Management programme, who served both as the event’s Master of Ceremonies and as a Reminiscence Facilitator, reflected, “I am truly grateful to have been part of such a worthwhile programme, which has taught me a great deal about service, compassion, human connection, and the power of giving. These lessons have been deeply inspiring, and given warmth and meaning to my life in the Hong Kong SAR. The programme also provided valuable opportunities for reflection and personal growth. Witnessing the participants’ care, joy, and mutual support made me realise the importance of building genuine relationships and contributing to the community.”
The project team extends its heartfelt gratitude to all partners, volunteers, Reminiscence Facilitators, and participants for their support and dedication. These collective efforts continue to advance cognitive health, social inclusion, and community well-being, helping to build a more caring, inclusive, and intergenerational community.
The DBS Foundation X SUSS Memory & Cognitive Health Community Programme supports older adults’ cognitive health, emotional well-being, and social connectedness through structured reminiscence facilitation. This is being put into practice in both Singapore and the Hong Kong SAR, and, from 2027, in the Chinese Mainland, Indonesia, and India.