Enlighten Life with Love Project

Abstract Description

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Authors (including presenting author) :

Ho KW(1), Chan TC(1)

Affiliation :

(1) Medical Social Service Department, Cheshire Home, Chung Hom Kok

Introduction :

Original Home residents living at Cheshire Home, Chung Hom Kok (CCH) are facing challenges like physical deterioration and separation with their closed inmates suffering from terminal illnesses. Furthermore, their aged caregivers express stress related to the residents failing health, life and death issues. Therefore, with the support from Hospital Authority Charitable Fund, a 1-year project (10/2017-9/2018) named “Enlighten Life with Love” was organized to strengthen psychosocial social support to both residents and caregivers’ need, and also enhance CCH volunteers’ skill on providing support to the needy. The project included educational talks, mutual support groups and outdoor experiential learning activities.

Objectives :

(1) Increase participants’ self-understanding on their emotions and values towards life and death issues. (2) Enhance their competence to cope with their chronic illness and/or emotional distress related to the disease and daily living (3) Enrich their knowledge to plan for life and death issues as improving their quality of life.

Methodology :

Satisfaction survey was designed to measure participants’ overall satisfactory rate towards the project. Subjects were:- (1) long-stay patients living in Original Home and New Home (2) Caregivers from CCH & (3) CCH Volunteers. Outcome measures were categorized as: (1)Parameters for End of Life Care (2)Satisfaction Survey

Result & Outcome :

The project was commenced in December 2018 and successfully completed in September 2019. The total number of participants was 226, including 89 patients, 18 caregivers and 119 volunteers. Over 80% of participants completed the satisfaction survey and the overall satisfaction rate is high. The participants were benefited through 3 educational talks, 2 mutual support groups and 2 outdoor experiential learning activities. To conclude, the one-year project “Enlighten Life with Love” was effective in:- (1) Increasing participants’ self-understanding on emotions and values towards life and death issues (2) Enhancing their competence and enriching their skills and knowledge to plan for their life affairs (3) Reducing their anxiety on facing their illnesses, life challenges and thus improving their quality of life.