Jockey Club supports expansion of JC JoyAge project to provide mental-health support to a wider age range

A survey found that about one in seven of Hong Kong’s population aged 16 to 75 suffers from anxiety, depression or other common mood disorders. In response to this societal need, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has approved cumulative funding of HK$678 million in total through its Charities’ Trust to support JC JoyAge. The project aims to expand its community-based mental health support service to a primary-care level, benefiting a wider range of age groups.

Club Steward Bernard Chan delivers a speech at the JC JoyAge repurpose phase launch ceremony.

The announcement was made in a launch ceremony at The University of Hong Kong’s Rayson Huang Theatre today (27 May). Officiating guests included Club Steward Bernard Chan; Dr Libby Lee, Under Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government; Professor Vivian Yam, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Innovation Centre) (Interim) of The University of Hong Kong; Dr Lam Ching-choi, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health; and Dr Donald Li, Chairman of the Elderly Commission and Convenor of the Advisory Committee of JC JoyAge.

Group photo with officiating guests at the JC JoyAge repurpose phase launch ceremony.

Initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust since 2016, JC JoyAge has addressed the social problem of elderly depression through a cross-sectoral community support network, enhancing the capacity of professionals and caregivers while raising awareness of elderly mental health. Through collaborating with District Elderly Community Centres (DECCs) and Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness (ICCMWs) across all 18 districts of Hong Kong, the project has established an integrated service model covering more than 70% of service units providing relevant services. The project has also trained social workers and young-old volunteers as “Peer Supporters”, to deliver preventive service and interventions based on individuals’ depression risk level and symptom severity.

A beneficiary of the JC JoyAge repurpose phase joined the sharing session.

Building on this success and to address evolving mental health needs, JC JoyAge embarked on a new three-year phase in 2024. While continuing to provide existing services to the elderly through DECCs and ICCMWs across the territory, it is now expanding its community-based support services in a primary-care setting. Other key components are:

1. Primary Care Collaboration: partners Wong Tai Sin District Health Centre (DHC), Southern DHC, and Sai Kung District Health Centre Express (DHCE) to establish the “Jockey Club JoyAge Hub” and introduces “Primary Care Physician Co-Care Services” with designated general practitioners and family doctors.

2. Expanded Age Coverage: extends services to from individuals aged 60 or above to those aged 45 and above.

3. Enhanced Referral Mechanism: collaborates with Hospital Authority Clusters to refer stable and wait-listed psychiatric outpatient cases to community service units or designated DHCs/DHCE.

Club Steward Bernard Chan stated that primary care is a core focus of Healthy Community, a priority area under the Club’s charities strategy. The Club actively aligns with the Government’s direction on primary health-care development. The current phase of JC JoyAge partners DHCs/DHCE in three districts to build an integrated medical-social community mental health support network. Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, welcomed the development in the new phase of the project.

Officiating at the JC JoyAge repurpose phase launch ceremony are Club Steward Bernard Chan (2nd right); Dr Libby Lee, Under Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government (centre); Professor Vivian Yam, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Innovation Centre) (Interim) of The University of Hong Kong (2nd left); Dr Lam Ching-choi, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (1st left); and Dr Donald Li, Chairman of the Elderly Commission and Convenor of the Advisory Committee of JC JoyAge (1st right).

This project’s new phase aims to provide services to over 13,000 at-risk and depressed elderly and middle-aged people, with 90 service users referred to designated primary-care physicians for medical support. In addition, the project will train more than 70 social workers through professional workshops to enhance their mental health knowledge and competency. To strengthen the community network, the project will engage over 480 Peer Supporters to provide community support services and conduct over 1,500 public education programmes to enhance mental-health literacy, thereby building a healthier community.

The Club’s support for the expansion of the JC JoyAge project, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust today (20 October) shared experiences and insights from nearly three decades of support for healthy ageing at a high-level technical convening held alongside the 77th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific. The convening brought together government representatives, experts and partner organisations to explore how communities can better support older adults to maintain their health, independence and functional ability as populations age.

Recognising the implications of population ageing since the late 1990s, the Trust has pioneered over 60 healthy ageing-related projects and approved nearly HK$4 billion in funding. Spanning dementia care, mental wellbeing, chronic disease management, medication management, mobility enhancement and gerontechnology, these initiatives help older adults remain healthy, active and connected to their communities while contributing to the sustainable development of Hong Kong's health and social care services.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO (first left); Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (first right); Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (second left); and Professor Ruby Yu, Associate Professor, The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (second right).

At the technical convening, titled “From Commitment to Action: Advancing Healthy Ageing in the Western Pacific through Partnership, Innovation and Investment”, Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, joined regional leaders and experts to discuss practical approaches to strengthening health systems and community-based support for older adults. Participants shared country experiences and lessons learned, and explored opportunities for regional learning, technical exchange and future collaboration. 

The Trust’s support for The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in advancing healthy ageing through a wide variety of evidence-based and community-based projects was also shared at the convening, including the Trust-initiated Jockey Club Community eHealth Community Care Project and the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project.

Beneficiaries take part in a healthy ageing activity supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Over nearly three decades, the Trust has supported a wide range of initiatives that promote older adults’ health, functional ability, independence and connection with the community.

The Trust will continue supporting healthy ageing, with the aim of addressing health inequality, said Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. It will also pioneer a client-centred approach that empowers community partners to support older adults’ functional ability with a view to reducing disease burdens. We look forward to sharing Hong Kong, China’s experience, learning from friends and colleagues, and strengthening partnerships with the WHO and regional stakeholders to advance health-system transformation for healthy ageing.

The Club’s support for healthy ageing initiatives, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model, through which the Club generates sustainable economic and social value for the community through tax contributions, charitable donations and employment opportunities.