【Press Release, 1 December 2021】The rapid ageing population of Hong Kong poses significant challenges to the healthcare and elderly care services systems. Gerontechnology, combining gerontology with technology, is widely recognised as a key to address the challenges and seize the opportunities arising from the ageing population.  Through the adoption of technology to design and develop products or services for the elderly, it improves the quality of life of elderly, people with disabilities (PwD) and their caregivers.

In view of this, the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund) has appointed a collaborative coalition of 10 organisations led by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) as an intermediary to design, develop and operate an inclusive one-stop Gerontechnology Platform.  Members of the collaborative coalition come from different sectors, including scientific research institutes, social welfare organisations, academic institutes and think tank, etc.  It gathers the efforts of all stakeholders to jointly build up a healthy gerontechnology ecosystem in Hong Kong, and addresses the ageing issue in a more holistic manner.

At the Launching Ceremony today, Mr Bernard CHAN, Chairperson of HKCSS, said, “Gerontechnology Platform brings local and overseas stakeholders together to facilitate the development of gerontechnology ecosystem in Hong Kong.  Since its commencement early this year, through various services and projects, the Platform enables knowledge exchange among and pool ideas from people of different professions, which further stimulates innovative ideas, cooperation and plans to promote the development of gerontechnology.  The Platform will continue to expand its network to attract more stakeholders within the ecosystem to join and create a greater social impact.”

Dr. David CHUNG Wai-keung, Acting Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the officiating guest of the Launching Ceremony, said, “The launching ceremony of Gerontechnology Platform recognised the contributions of the collaborative coalition and its partners. The participation of different stakeholders in addressing social issues is of utmost importance and this project also confirms the SIE Fund’s objective of facilitating cross-sector partnership and collaboration.  The Government will continue to play the role of facilitator and promoter to foster industry development in meeting social needs through innovative ideas, products and services.”

To ensure that the development of gerontechnology keeps pace with social trend and addresses  market needs, Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF), one of the collaborative partners of the Gerontechnology Platform, conducted a survey with relevant stakeholders to comment on the improvement of 24 gaps identified in Gerontechnology Landscape Report in 2017 and releases a new research report entitled “Building an Age-Friendly City – Embedding Gerontechnology Into Everyday Life”.

Over the past few years, both the Government and industry partners have helped promote gerontechnology.  As such, the report noted improvement in several gaps, particalurly gerontechnoloy awareness, government risk aversion, and applied research funding; while it also indicated that three gaps were worsened, including insufficient retirement protection, academics’ lack of incentives to pursue gerontechnology research, and complicated medical device registration processes.  In order to further develop Hong Kong’s gerontechnology ecosystem, the report proposes a series of policy recommendations in five key areas, namely related to supply-side, demand-side, infrastructure, investment and talent development. (Please refer to OHKF’s press release of “Building an Age-Friendly City – Embedding Gerontechnology Into Everyday Life” for details.)

Mr Kenny SHUI, Assistant Research Director and Head of Economic Development Research at OHKF, said, “Gerontechnology is widely adopted in advanced economies as a key to address the challenges associated with population ageing, with the pandemic further accelerating its development. In anticipation of the growth in demand for gerontechnology products, we must ensure that the relevant suppliers, infrastructure, investment, and talents grow and develop in the meantime. Indeed, the Gerontechnology Platform is ideally positioned to connect different stakeholders for collaboration that can help further develop the city’s gerontechnology ecosystem.”

Mr CHUA Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of HKCSS, said he was glad to see the improvement of the overall gerontechnology ecosystem.  The Gerontechnology Platform would continue to promote cross-sector partnership and collaboration through various projects, for example, establishing the Gerontechnology Living Lab to collect user feedback and give product enhancement advice to research and development (R&D) personnel and suppliers. As regards service organisations such as elderly homes, the Platform had chosen health monitoring, fall prevention and detection, as well as activities of daily living etc. as the themed products of this year for testing support to commence later.  He looked forward to the timely adoption of gerontechnology in the community in order to improve the quality of life of elderly, PwD as well as their caregivers and get well prepared for an ageing society.

Annual Summit of the Gerontechnology Platform was held today under the theme “An Age-Friendly & Carer-Friendly Smart City”.  Mr Rodd Bond, Principal of Rodd Bond Service Innovation from Ireland, and Dr. CH Cheng, Director of Research and Technology Development at the Hong Kong Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre, delivered keynote speeches on “Ageing and Place in a Digital Age” and “IoT Based Implementations Improving the Mobility of the Elderly” respectively.

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Gerontechnology Platform

Gerontechnology Platform is the second flagship project commissioned by the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund). The SIE Fund has appointed a collaborative coalition led by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service with nine partnering organisations to design, develop and operate an inclusive one-stop Gerontechnology Platform to promote the development of the gerontech ecosystem in Hong Kong.  The other nine organisations are Global Centre for Modern Ageing Limited; Haven of Hope Christian Service; Hong Kong Productivity Council; Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation; Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Limited; Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited; Our Hong Kong Foundation Limited; and School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong. The project has commenced in January 2021 and will last for three years.

Materials for download:  https://bit.ly/30XhQxb

• Press release of Building an Age-Friendly City – Embedding Gerontechnology Into Everyday Life
• Ceremony photos
• Project information

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