JC JoyAge:
Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness

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 initiated the “JC JoyAge: Jockey Club Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness” (JC JoyAge).

Through cross-sectoral collaboration, JC JoyAge provides a community-based supporting network for our senior citizens to enhance their resiliency in facing the challenges of ageing. The service model bridges the District Elderly Community Centre (“DECC”) and Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness (“ICCMW”) to establish a collaborative and integrated service model, which renders standardised prevention and timely intervention services for the older adults at-risk of or with depressive symptoms, according to their risk level and severity of symptoms, etc.

Project Achievements

 (Since 2016)

1
Number of Ambassadors Trained
1
Number of Peer Supporters Trained
1
Number of Social Workers Trained
1
Served more than 8,328 older adults at risk of or with depressive symptoms
Impact:
JC JoyAge Pilot Phase
(2016-2019)​
1 K
outreach

101,000 outreach and engagement sessions provided to 4,333 older adults at risk or with depressive symptoms.

over 1 %

Over 90% of project participants had improvements in depression, their PHQ-9 total scores reduced over 50% at discharge over baseline, and GAD-7 and UCLA-3 total scores dropped nearly 50% at discharge over baseline.

1
times

The project is 5.74 times more effective in preventing and 3.55 times more effective in treatment as compared to traditional services.

HK$ 1

For every HK$ 1 invested in the project, HK$ 2.14 was saved for healthcare system and HK$ 3.10 was created for social value.

COVID-19 and Mental Wellness of older people

To understand the safety behaviours of local older adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic, HKU research team and partner NGOs surveyed 8,382 older adults aged 60 or above, between February 2020 and August 2020 over telephone interview.

Over 90% older adults have epidemic prevention awareness and take action.

Over 80% older adults received support and around 10% provided support to others under the pandemic.

One in ten older adults reported depressive or anxiety symptoms, half of them reported with both. The mental health of older adults remained stable in the pandemic as compared to that without the pandemic.

Among the older adults, young-olds (aged 60 to 79), female and dementia carers were more susceptible to higher rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Latest Publication:
Leung, D. K. Y., Wong, N. H. L., Yau, J. H. Y., Wong, F. H. C., Liu, T., Kwok, W. W., Wong, G.H.Y., & Lum, T. Y. S.
Internet Interventions, 2024, Vol.35, 100699
Zhang, W., Liu, T., Leung, D. K. Y., Chan, S., Wong, G. H. Y., & Lum, T. Y. S.
Innovation in aging, 2024, Vol.8 (1), p.igad139-igad139
Leung, D. K. Y., Wong, F. H. C., Wong, E. L. Y., Sze, L. C. Y., Chan, M., Liu, T., Fong, A. P. C., Kwok, W. W., Shum, A. K. Y., Wong, G. H. Y., & Lum, T. Y. S.
Innovation in Aging, 2023, Vol.7 (6), igad063