Location

MD215, Paul Cardinal Shen Medical Building, Fu Jen University

Start Date

29-5-2015 10:40 AM

End Date

29-5-2015 11:50 AM

Description

Ageing populations are prevalent in Asia, especially in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan. In fact, 7 percent of Asia's population today is 65 years or older. In Hong Kong, the population of those aged 65 years and over is predicted to increase from 12% in 2006 to 26% in 2036. In 2006, the life expectancy of men and women was 79.5 years and 85.6 years, respectively. By 2036, it is expected that the life expectancy of men and women would be 82.7 years and 88.3 years, respectively.

With the growth in the ageing population and increase in life expectancy, it is important for the elderly to have active and healthy lifestyles and live a high quality of life. It is not only the role of the government and non-government organizations (NGOs) to address ageing issues, but universities can also make a difference in combating these issues as well. Service -Learning can be a solution to addressing these ageing problems, as university students, through a Service-Learning experience, can contribute to elderly services.

The credit-bearing Service-Learning project "Being a Happy Person," organized by Office of Service-Learning (OSL) at Lingnan University and NAAC Fu Tai Neighbourhood Elderly Centre, aims to create recreational activities for elderly to stay physically and socially active. Students are trained by the OSL and the partnering agency on how to work with the elderly and encourage them to be independent.

Recommended Citation

Tse, P. C. (2015, May). University students addressing ageing problems: A case study of "being a happy person". Paper presented at the 5th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning: Love Journey: Community Engagement through Service-Learning, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan.

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May 29th, 10:40 AM May 29th, 11:50 AM

University students addressing ageing problems : a case study of "being a happy person"

MD215, Paul Cardinal Shen Medical Building, Fu Jen University

Ageing populations are prevalent in Asia, especially in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan. In fact, 7 percent of Asia's population today is 65 years or older. In Hong Kong, the population of those aged 65 years and over is predicted to increase from 12% in 2006 to 26% in 2036. In 2006, the life expectancy of men and women was 79.5 years and 85.6 years, respectively. By 2036, it is expected that the life expectancy of men and women would be 82.7 years and 88.3 years, respectively.

With the growth in the ageing population and increase in life expectancy, it is important for the elderly to have active and healthy lifestyles and live a high quality of life. It is not only the role of the government and non-government organizations (NGOs) to address ageing issues, but universities can also make a difference in combating these issues as well. Service -Learning can be a solution to addressing these ageing problems, as university students, through a Service-Learning experience, can contribute to elderly services.

The credit-bearing Service-Learning project "Being a Happy Person," organized by Office of Service-Learning (OSL) at Lingnan University and NAAC Fu Tai Neighbourhood Elderly Centre, aims to create recreational activities for elderly to stay physically and socially active. Students are trained by the OSL and the partnering agency on how to work with the elderly and encourage them to be independent.