HONG KONG (SE): “Our parish has not organised an event in response to this day, because our care for the elderly should be given every day. The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is just a reminder,” said Father Thomas Law Kwok-fai, parish priest of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Wan Chai, as he believes that a parish should provide ongoing support through various programmes and initiatives in the daily lives of the elderly.
The parish holds monthly meetings where elderly members can socialise, pray and enjoy refreshments, and also organises regular talks. Recently, in June and July, the church also worked with professionals, such as physiotherapists and pharmacists, to organise various talks offering practical advice and support on topics ranging from medication management, the importance of preventing falls, and how to deal with emotional challenges such as loneliness and depression.
At the same time, the community tries to integrate faith-based elements such as prayer and spiritual guidance into the talks.
Father Law also stressed the importance of not only caring for the elderly themselves, but also supporting those who care for them, as many elderly people rely on family members for daily care. And he notes that many of the caregivers in his parish are in their 60s or early 70s and are also in need of care themselves.
The parish priest says it is also very important that he meet with the elderly for breakfast after Mass to encourage open communication and to listen to their concerns and needs. “It’s a chance for us to just sit and talk and see what we can do within our capacity, and then we go on with what we need to do,” he noted.
