Under the JCECC Project: End-of-Life Care in Residential Care Homes for the Elderly, the Integrated Residential Care Home End-of-life Care Support Team (IRHEST) seeks to provide palliative and end-of-life support for terminally ill residents within government-subsidised RCHEs, facilitating dignified and peaceful final journeys. Supported by dedicated professional teams, the initiative currently reaches nearly 100 participating RCHEs throughout Hong Kong—including various subsidised and contract homes. Collaborative efforts are made with RCHEs to establish robust end-of-life care service models, thus ensuring that residents receive holistic and appropriate care during the latter stages of life.
What is IRHESTs
Main Areas of Work
- Training and Knowledge Transfer:The Hong Kong Association of Gerontology leads knowledge transfer efforts for subsidised contract and nursing homes across Hong Kong. The team assists these homes in developing independent end-of-life care services and provides online learning resources, supporting the sustainable development of such services.
- District-Based EOL Teams:Four district-based end-of-life (EOL) teams have been established under the project:
- Haven of Hope Christian Service (Kowloon East)
- Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Sha Tin, Tai Po, North District)
- The Salvation Army (Kowloon Central)
- Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited (Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi)
- List of Subvented RCHEs Joined the Project: Click here
- Key Responsibilities of District-Based EOL Teams:
- Assist RCHEs within their districts to establish and enhance end-of-life care service models;
- Promote autonomy in end-of-life care: Facilitate discussions on Advance Care Planning with residents and families, preparing them to participate in decisions regarding preferred place of death (see Note 1);
- Enhance collaboration between RCHE staff, project EOL teams, and the Hospital Authority’s Community Geriatric Assessment Teams (CGATs) to deliver resident-centered care and lower unnecessary hospital admissions;
- Address symptoms and provide support for residents’ physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs, thereby enhancing quality of life and honoring final wishes;
- Provide families with relevant information to facilitate preparation and coping during the loss of loved ones, supporting meaningful farewells;
- Offer RCHE staff comprehensive end-of-life training, consultation services, psychological support, and access to practical resources to ensure high-quality care provision;
- Deliver end-of-life care room services by accommodating residents who choose to remain within the RCHE in their final days, maintaining a serene and dignified setting that allows the presence of family and friends.
Note 1: Preferred Place of Death Options:
Promotional Video
JCECC – EOLC in RCHE” Project and Dying in Place in RCHEs: https://youtu.be/C6q0kC7SiqE
Enquiry
The five Project partners of JCECC, which include Hong Kong Association of Gerontology (Training and Knowledge Transfer), Haven of Hope Christian Service (Kowloon East), Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Sha Tin, Tai Po, North District), The Salvation Army (Kowloon Central) and Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited (Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi) are ready to provide IRHESTs service to patients and carers in different districts.
