Page 54 - OHKF_Gerontech_report_en

At present, one of the most important financial drivers to Hong 2.1 Elderly living in care homes
Kong’s gerontech ecosystem is the Government’s $1 billion
The $1 billion I&T Fund has two schemes: i) procurement/rental
I&T Fund. As mentioned previously, the $1 billion I&T Fund
of innovative technology products; and ii) trial use of newly
subsidises Government-subvented elderly and rehabilitation
developed products (SWD I&T Fund Manual, 2021). For the
service units to purchase and rent gerontech products. One of
first scheme, the SWD collaborated with several stakeholders
the main beneficiaries of the fund are therefore end-users living in
to draft a list of Recognised Technology Application Products
residential setting, as these end-users can directly use products
(Reference list), which includes devices, equipment, tools,
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purchased or rented by residential homes in their daily lives.
mobile applications and high-end hardware and software.
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A brief overview of the Reference list with products ranging
However, as illustrated by Figure 14, only less than 8.1% of
over 23 categories can be found in Annex II (SWD I&T Fund
Hong Kong’s elderly live in residential settings, whereas the vast
Reference List, 2021). For the second scheme on trial use of
majority of elderly (91.9%) live in domestic households within the
newly developed products, applicants are encouraged to use
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community (C&SD, 2018). Even though the Government’s official
funding to trial products of their choice that are not included in the
ageing policy is “ageing-in-place”, the existing gerontech subsidy
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Reference list (SWD I&T Fund Manual, 2021).
does not directly cover elderly living in the community who wish
to acquire gerontech products or services. This creates a major
limitation for the market to generate momentum and expand.
Recommendation 2.1A: Regularise
This chapter consists of two sub-sections:
and extend the scope of $1 billion
• Section 2.1 will focus on how to enhance and expand funding
opportunities through the $1 billion I&T Fund for elderly in I&T Fund to increase coverage
residential settings.
among service units
• Section 2.2 will focus on how to leverage existing pipelines such
as the voucher schemes to empower the elderly in community
The bold initiative to set up the $1 billion I&T Fund has generated
settings to acquire gerontech products.
some momentum in the gerontech market. For example,
22 The $1 billion I&T Fund also covers service units that deliver community care and home-based services, such as Day Care Centre/Unit for the Elderly, District Elderly Community
Centres, Neighbourhood Elderly Centres. However, CCS are generally underutilised by the elderly (SWD I&T Fund Manual, 2021; Elderly Commission, 2017).
23 Similarly, only 12.4% of PwD reside in institutions, while 87.6% of PwD reside in domestic households (C&SD, 2014).
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The list is reviewed periodically by the Expert Group of the $1 billion I&T Fund under the HKCSS and updated through continuous dialogue between HKCSS, stakeholders, and the
relevant panels of the I&T Fund. The applicant organisation can also use the funding to train respective staff to develop the technical know-how to use products, and cover costs for
maintenance for a period of five years (SWD I&T Fund Manual, 2021).
25 Applicants may identify suitable technology research and development companies as working partners to try their newly developed technology products designed specifically for the
nursing and rehabilitation needs of elderly persons or PwD (SWD I&T Fund Manual, 2021).
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