The Institute builds on the University's long-standing efforts of ageing and health equity researches to develop its research areas.
As early as in 1998, the S.H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics has started developing researches in geriatrics and psychosocial issues. It has reached out to network potential collaborators around the world in 2011 by joining the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Global Ageing Research Network.
Over the years, our geriatricians have a dual role in the Hospital Authority to look after elderly patients in hospitals which enable delivery and evaluation of pilot researches involving patients. New quality improvement initiatives have been introduced which resulted in change in service delivery in areas such as using telemedicine to support residential care homes and applying restraint free reduction in the hospital setting.
CUHK's cooperation with charitable organizations also provides opportunities for research in delivering community projects. For instance, programmes and service models in end-of-life care and chronic disease management under the CADENZA project have stimulated research studies in tandem with the projects. Its CADENZA Training Programme, which was further enhanced through the Jockey Club CADENZA e-Tools for Elder Care Project, has trained and raised awareness of healthcare professionals, carer and the public on wide-ranging issues of ageing population, which could in turn stimulate future research on ageing.
Our professors also pioneer research in various fields through various centres such as dementia (Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing); frailty and healthy ageing (Jockey Club CADENZA Hub & Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, CUHK, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care), osteoporosis (Jockey Club Osteoporosis Centre for Care and Control), the role of exercise and nutrition supplements on sarcopenia, and examining the impact of diet and other lifestyle factors in the prevention of common age-related chronic diseases (Centre for Nutritional Studies). Other areas of research include the development and application of gerontechnology to support active ageing, the application of eHealth and digital health solutions to empower older people, enhancing the well-being of older people through better built environment, the relationship of social determinants of health on lifespan and healthspan of older people.
