Adopting a Health-social Partnership Program to Promote Health and Self-care Management Among Older Adults in the Community

Hong Kong has notably the longest life expectancy in the world. Ever-increasing demand and challenges are posing to the healthcare, social welfare, and elderly care service system. As a global public health strategy to address the increasing burdens, there is a strong urge for an effective approach to enhance the health and self-care ability among the older adults dwelling in the community. Literature suggested that the effectiveness of community-based self-care management programs is inconclusive. In addition, though the concept of the health-social partnership has been widely promoted to improve primary care, literature addressed that the multiple barriers existed throughout the collaboration. More evidence should be sought in the local context to evaluate the effectiveness of self-care complex interventions program among older adults.

Inclusion Criteria:(i) People aged 60 or above(ii) Living within the service areas of respective community centers(iii) Cognitively competent with Hong Kong version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA) with score ≥22Exclusion Criteria:(i) Not communicable(ii) Not reachable by phone(iii) Not living at home(iv) Bed bound(v) With serious mental illness requiring hospitalization in recent 6 months(vi) Already engaged in similar structured health or social programs(vii) Will not stay in Hong Kong for the current three months