Lingnan co-organises China Rehabilitation Medicine Association Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Rehabilitation Conference 2024

Lingnan University co-organised the China Rehabilitation Medicine Association Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Rehabilitation Conference held from 14 to 16 June 2024 at the Guangzhou Yuexiu International Congress Center. The conference was organised by the Guangdong Province Rehabilitation Medical Association as a significant part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations and the 2024 Comprehensive Academic Annual Conference. There were 35 specialised academic sessions, which attracted experts and guests in health services, medical insurance policy research, cutting-edge technology innovation, and the life sciences and healthcare industry to discuss comprehensive rehabilitation.

Dr Chloe Siu, senior lecturer of the Institute of Policy Studies and the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, presented a report titled "New Opportunities for Home Rehabilitation in Hong Kong's Ageing Society: A Discussion on the Applicability of Home Rehabilitation and Gerontechnology". She spoke about the latest study by the LU Gerontechnology Project (GTSA) Team, explored the public's acceptance of gerontechnology in home rehabilitation training in Hong Kong, and made recommendations for related policies and developing community service.

Dr Siu said the LU GTSA team conducted an online questionnaire survey, and collected feedback from 117 members of the public in June 2024. Twenty per cent of respondents indicated that they had tried home-based rehabilitation training under the advice of doctors/professionals, and another 20 per cent said they had purchased appliances to help them do so on their own, but most of the products did not have a technological element. Forty per cent of respondents cited the high price as a main factor hindering home-based rehabilitation, and "lack of relevant information" was another major factor (35 per cent).

Dr Siu explained that as the population ages, the prevalence of chronic diseases is expected to increase, as well as the demand for health services for older adults. The Hong Kong SAR Government has promised to encourage gerontechnology for better care of the elderly, and the experiences of many people using telemedicine and rehabilitation equipment during the pandemic have laid a good foundation for the use of technology in home-based rehabilitation. Dr Siu pointed out that, based on their findings, the research team have suggested medical-social collaboration in home-based rehabilitation is essential, and can provide better professional medical advice and successful case sharing. Assistive technology through education at the community level should meet user expectations and increase confidence in technology.

Representatives from Lingnan University, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao, were at the inauguration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Rehabilitation Work Force, a collaborative initiative for cooperation and growth in rehabilitation medicine. The Work Force organises regular seminars and academic conferences, and is a first-class platform, which actively promotes the education of talents in science and technology, thereby accelerating the development of the rehabilitation field.