'Link workers' help fight elderly loneliness
One of Ben Wong's clients is an elderly man who shunned others after his dog died. "At his home, there were only some instant noodles and alcohol," Wong spoke about his client's sense of isolation. The volunteer "link worker" noted it took him some time to gradually get the man to open up, revealing more about himself and his beloved four-legged companion. Among the activities planned was a…
Ben Wong's client, an elderly man, was so lonely after losing his dog that he stopped interacting with others, consuming instant noodles and alcohol alone. Wong, a volunteer link worker, gradually helped the man open up about his loss and arranged for a funeral so he could say goodbye. The link worker also introduced him to other dog owners and took him to parks and markets.
By the end of their time together, the man had made friends, participated in the district elderly community centre's Christmas party rehearsals, and started cooking hotpots with other senior residents. Wong, a lawyer in his fifties, is among 60 volunteers trained as link workers to help elderly people combat loneliness through social prescribing.
The Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, launched next year, aims to provide personalized services for some 300 senior citizens in New Territories East. Statistics show that one in five Hong Kong residents feels lonely, which is higher than the global average of 16 percent. Around 520,000 Hongkongers are opting for self-isolation, reluctant to confide in family, friends, or even AI.
The institute's chairwoman, Ada Wong, emphasized that many seniors don't have physical illnesses; they need social support to cope with loneliness. Dicky Chow, assistant research director of Our Hong Kong Foundation, explained that link workers bring clients to social venues and help them access social resources, bridging the gap between medical and social sectors.
Social prescribing serves as a link between healthcare and social sectors, not just through referrals but by accompanying the elderly through their journey. Studies show that social prescriptions can reduce feelings of loneliness by 51 percent, while clinical consultations could drop by 28 percent in the UK. Ryan Ip, vice president of Our Hong Kong Foundation, called for the government to integrate social prescribing into its policy agenda, as the current medical-focused approach lacks medical-social collaboration.
The foundation suggests setting up city-wide professional training and qualification frameworks for link workers to cultivate more talent to tackle loneliness-associated chronic illnesses.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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