Manulife Hong Kong Partners with Christian Family Service Centre to Support Health Recovery of Elderly and Build Resilience
End-to-end healthcare initiative showcases Manulife’s commitment to helping vulnerable seniors to safely access medical services from home
For Immediate Release
April 28, 2022
TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945
Hong Kong – Manulife Hong Kong is supporting elderly singles and couples with limited family support, or those with mobility problems, by partnering with Christian Family Service Centre (“CFSC”) to launch a healthcare program with flexible end-to-end medical services. The Manulife Health Resilience Program for the Elderly1 (the “Program”) aims to provide 1,000 online medical consultations for targeted seniors in phase one, with end-to-end support to help them rebuild their health from home. The Program includes online consultations with Chinese and Western medical practitioners and delivery of medicine.
Manulife is partnering with CFSC to respond quickly and decisively to the fifth wave of COVID-19 that has had a devastating effect on the medical needs and recovery of the elderly in Hong Kong. The Program, funded by the Manulife Charitable Foundation, will help seniors to build resilience and provide them with healthcare support tailored to their needs during the pandemic. Manulife is committed to empowering sustained health and well-being to make a positive impact to the Hong Kong community.
The Program will begin in May 2022 and run until April 2023. The CFSC team will help identify and reach out to senior singles and couples who have low mobility in two of Hong Kong’s districts with the highest incidence of poverty2 and that also have some of the highest concentrations of seniors -- Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin.
“As a trusted household name and leader in health protection, Manulife has always strived to empower sustained health and wellness in Hong Kong. Today, we continue to invest in initiatives that help people make healthier choices easier and more accessible. The Manulife Health Resilience Program for the Elderly aims to support underprivileged communities to recover from public health emergencies. It will also help accelerate Hong Kong’s recovery after the devastating fifth wave of the pandemic,” said Mr. Damien Green, Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau. “Built upon Manulife’s expertise, we are glad to once again join hands with CFSC to carry out this meaningful initiative to help local elderly residents rebuild their health and their lives. This program gives the elderly access to the most needed medical support with flexibility and convenience without worrying about financial stress.”
During the fifth wave of the pandemic, elderly residents received less attention for their exacerbated medical needs and mental well-being. In some cases, the situation was even worse for those with limited family support. In addition, with the relatively low vaccination rate among seniors, many were concerned about the health risks of leaving their homes and hence were house-bound. The Program will support the elderly community to rebuild their health and resilience from the recent wave of the pandemic.
Assisted by the CFSC project team or Manulife volunteers onsite with digital devices, the elderly will receive help at home to organize online medical consultations through digital communication tools with doctors from CFSC’s network. The online consultations will be conducted with either Chinese or Western medicine practitioners with the assistance of CFSC’s team. After the consultations, the CFSC project staff or Manulife volunteers will help to deliver prescription medicines directly to the doors of those in need, offering a one-stop service that will ease the minds of the elderly. The CFSC project team will also follow up on the elderly’s physical and mental health conditions and refer them to receive further medical treatment if required.
Kwok Lit-tung, JP, Chief Executive of CFSC, added, “Once again, we are thrilled and grateful to partner with Manulife to roll out this program and support needy communities in Hong Kong. When the fifth wave started, Manulife immediately contacted our Centre to provide free antigen rapid test kits to support grassroot families feeling the financial strain. Sharing the same commitment of Manulife to improve the well-being of the community and build a healthy city, we will continue to support the underprivileged, especially the vulnerable elderly, with extensive care and aid. Through partnerships with different organizations such as Manulife, CFSC strives to support groups that are most in need.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Manulife has donated thousands of face masks and hand sanitizers to the community. Manulife also launched the first-ever business-sponsored health voucher charity program, the “Manulife Health Voucher Program”, with CFSC to benefit 2,000 low-income families. Manulife combines its expertise with social investments and its volunteering force to create a long-lasting positive impact that empowers and builds a stronger Hong Kong community.
Photo:
Damien Green (2nd from left), CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, and Ivan Chan (1st from left), the company's Chief Agency Officer, together with Kitty Chau (1st from right), Assistant Chief Executive of Christian Family Service Centre, visit an elderly resident at her home where they see her partake in an online medical consultation through the newly launched “Manulife Health Resilience Program for the Elderly”.
About Manulife Hong Kong
Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited. As a member of the Manulife group of companies, Manulife Hong Kong offers a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individual and corporate customers in Hong Kong and Macau.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our global wealth and asset management segment, we serve individuals, institutions and retirement plan members worldwide. Our principal operations are in Asia and Canada, and the United States, where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. In the previous 12 months we made CAD$31.8 billion in payments to our customers.
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About Christian Family Service Centre
Christian Family Service Centre (CFSC) was established in 1954. Over the years, the Agency has developed into a multi-service agency, providing services throughout the territory. CFSC has 10 core services with 2 categories, (i) “People-centred Service” includes Children and Family Services, Youth and Education Services, Elderly Care Services, Services for People with Disabilities, Mental Health Services; (ii) “Community-oriented Service” includes Active Aging Services, Opportunities and Inclusion for People with Disabilities, Medical and Health Services, Community Development Services, Environmental Protection and Green Living. For more information about CFSC, please visit www.cfsc.org.hk.
Notes:
1 Among the service users of CFSC who are aged 60 or over and in need of help.
2 Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2020, by the Government of the Hong Kong SAR.
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