SLW continues Dublin visit (with photos)

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, is continuing his six-day visit to Dublin, Ireland, today (July 6, Dublin time).
 
     Apart from attending the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development 2018 being held in Dublin from July 4 to 7, Dr Law and the Director of Social Welfare, Ms Carol Yip, along with the delegation have also visited a number of elderly care-related institutions while in the city.
 
     On the sidelines of the world conference, Dr Law will address a luncheon co-hosted by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) today to speak with social work personnel from around the world on Hong Kong's promotion of gerontechnology.
 
     During the past two days, Dr Law and Ms Yip, together with representatives of the HKCSS, also paid visits to various institutions involved in elderly care services or planning.
 
     Among those, they first visited Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing, a research facility on gerontology. Located in a university teaching hospital in Dublin, the institute provides clinical care to the elderly and conducts research on challenges of ageing.
 
     They also visited the Louth County Council yesterday (July 5, Dublin time) to learn about its age-friendly programme which is the first of its kind in Ireland. They were briefed on how elderly-friendly initiatives were integrated into community planning, such as outdoor space, transportation, housing, employment and health service. They then toured Great Northern Haven, a smart housing demonstration project, in NetwellCASALA, which is a research centre on ageing in place established in a joint venture between a local institute and the government. They were briefed on the use of technologies for the self-management of chronic patients in home care settings.
 
      Earlier, Dr Law took the opportunity to have dinner with some Hong Kong youths who have travelled to Dublin through participating in the Hong Kong/Ireland Working Holiday Scheme. He said he was pleased to hear them discuss their short-term employment and travel experiences in Ireland.
 
     Dr Law and the delegation will conclude their visit and set off for Hong Kong tomorrow evening (July 7, Dublin time).