- Entitlement and access to public health care services
- Medical treatment: consent and withdrawal
- Advance Directives
- Taking care of a mentally incapacitated person: Guardianship or Committee
- Enduring Power of Attorney
- Elder abuse
- Medical negligence
- Medical insurance
- Care by residential care homes for elderly persons
- Overview of residential care homes for elderly persons in Hong Kong
- Licensing system for residential care homes in Hong Kong
- The Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation
- The Code of Practice for Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons)
- Monitoring of residential care homes
- The Complaint Mechanism
- The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance
- How to select a suitable residential care home and how to adjust to group living in residential care homes?
- Elder abuse
- Common examples of accidents which may cause personal injury to elderly persons in residential care homes
Care by residential care homes for elderly persons
Elder abuse
Elder abuse is a grave and intolerable crime, and must be dealt with seriously. As elderly persons often become physically and mentally frail, they can be susceptible to abuse and neglect, both by family members and health care employees. We need to protect the elderly from abuse at the hands of mal-intentioned family members or hired caregivers.
The elderly are protected from such abuse by legislation for criminal offences, including the Crimes Ordinance (Chapter 200), the Offences Against the Person Ordinance (Chapter 212) and the Theft Ordinance (Chapter 210). They may also apply to the Court under the Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance (Chapter 189) for an injunction order against molestation by their spouse, children or other relatives, as specified in the Ordinance. For more details on elder abuse, please click here.
According to the Mental Health Ordinance (Chapter 136), the Guardianship Board has the power to issue a guardianship order to appoint a guardian to make decisions on behalf of a mentally incapacitated person (including an elderly person) in respect of his personal or healthcare matters, or to hold, receive or pay a specified monthly sum on behalf of the person. This arrangement can further protect the rights of older persons who are under guardianship. Please click here to read our other topic “Taking care of mentally incapacitated elderly persons: Guardianship or Committee?”
Elder abuse incidents in residential care homes for the elderly must not be tolerated and must be dealt with seriously. If any staff of residential care homes abuse an elderly person in their care, the Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for The Elderly of the SWD should be informed and they will investigate.
