Housing Authority co-operates with Department of Health to encourage elderly to be more physically active (with photos)
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
Having been affected by the epidemic and inclement weather, the elderly may have spent more time at home and could be less physically active as a result. In order to encourage them to stay active and healthy, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has co-operated with the Department of Health (DH) to promote a series of exercise videos for elderly public housing tenants, enabling them to follow the videos and exercise at home at any convenient time.
Produced by the Elderly Health Service (EHS) of the DH, the "Stay Active at Home" home-based video series contains a total of seven episodes and is designed for the elderly to help strengthen their muscles as well as to improve their limb co-ordination, balance, heart and lung function, and posture. The exercises' contents were specially designed by physiotherapists of the DH, and are also suitable for elderly people who do not exercise regularly.
"The HA's Healthy Ageing in Public Rental Housing Estates programme aims to promote healthy ageing among our elderly tenants, and doing physical activity is the key to staying healthy. Moreover, regular physical activity will help the elderly stay physically and mentally healthy, so we strongly encourage them to watch this video series and follow it to practise," the Deputy Director of Housing (Estate Management), Mr Ricky Yeung, said today (August 1).
Speaking on the collaboration, Mr Yeung said, "We shared the same goal with the DH in designing and producing the 'Stay Active at Home' home-based video series. We are glad to join hands to bring to our housing tenants the message 'You can work out at home'. It will be good for elderly tenants to stay active simply by following the videos to exercise while staying at home. Family members could join the elderly and work out together."
The Assistant Director of Health (Elderly Health), Dr Anne Fung, said, "The World Health Organization recommends that older adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity every week. Accordingly, the EHS produced a series of home-based exercise videos entitled 'Stay Active at Home'. Elderly people with different mobility levels can follow the demonstrations and perform exercise at home so as to increase their physical activity level, train different parts of the body, improve health and enhance self-care capacity."
The "Stay Active at Home" home-based video series has been uploaded to the EHS' website (www.elderly.gov.hk/english/fightvirus/physical_activity.html) as well as its YouTube channel. Posters on the video series have been displayed at the lift lobbies of all public housing blocks. Tenants can scan the QR codes on the posters to access the videos. They can then practise the exercises while watching the videos at home.
To further promote these exercise videos and to promote the message of being more physically active, the HA's Housing Channel, which is shown on the TV screens installed at the lift lobbies of all public housing blocks, will broadcast the trailers of the videos starting from today.
