key: cord-0685567-ic1j6gu8
authors: Yip, Ka-Huen
title: Ageing parents of children with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong
date: 2020-11-06
journal: Public health in practice
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100053
sha: 832b9edca454be090c716cc2324269d739b3b716
doc_id: 685567
cord_uid: ic1j6gu8

During the outbreak of COVID-19, the situation of aging parents of adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Hong Kong have encountered great difficulties in their daily lives. Due to the rapid changing conditions of the new virus COVID-19, it posed a lot of uncertainties and risks to the health of the public at large. In this regards, this group of parents and their children with ID are vulnerable to even greater risks and challenges in combating against the new virus. This paper has looked into the difficulties these parents and their children with ID have experienced and how they adjusted to carrying on with their living.

Ageing is an inevitable stage of life and the population of Hong Kong is growing old. According to statistics from the Census and Statistics Department (CSD) of the Hong Kong government, individuals in the age group '≥65 years' will comprise approximately 19-23% of the population by the year 2021. 1 An additional study by the CSD estimates that there are appropriately 154,000 people classified as having an intellectual disability (ID) in 2020. 2 In Hong Kong, there are a number of care facilities, such as sheltered workshops (for disabled adults), long-stay care homes (for individuals with previous mental health problems), care homes (for severely disabled persons) or hostels for rehabilitation services (for people with disabilities), organised by the government or non-governmental organisations. These organisations provide work training and residential care for those with ID in need. 2 Ageing parents may choose the option of waiting for allocation of residential care places for their children. As the places are limited, there is a lengthy waiting time from a few years to over 15 years to get a residing place for their children with ID in to these facilities. [6] [7] Until they are allocated a place, the underprivileged children with ID will have to stay with their parents at home.

It is also important to note that the management of these residential care facilities and hostels are facing a huge challenge to follow organisational policy to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Limiting the number of visitors to the facilities to avoid contact with the residents or requiring residents who have returned from visiting outside J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f connect with appropriate services. In addition, parents of children with ID, especially those in the older age groups, can make use of peer-support groups via different online communication channels to share their grievances, worries, advice and comfort.

It is hoped that, following the extreme situations brought about by the COVID-19 crisis, policymakers will invest and improve current caring and rehabilitative services; for example, by increasing the allocation numbers of residential care places for people with ID in order to shorten the waiting time. For further planning after the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers could consider providing and maintaining adequate and continuous healthcare support and care services for current and future needs of this unique group of ageing parents and their children with ID.

To enhance the social relations and health care assistance for children with ID and their parents, a person-centred approach with guidance from professionals working in social services and health care sectors, is necessary. It is hoped that with proper planning and resource allocation, ageing parents who are taking care of their children with ID can receive the attention and support from the community that they need in order to allow them to have peace of mind, especially during a pandemic crisis.

J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)

Social Welfare Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (KHSAR)

Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Population

The risks and prevention of novel coronavirus pneumonia infections among inpatients in psychiatric J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f hospitals

Patients with mental health disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (KHSAR)

Social Welfare Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Social welfare services in figures in 2019

Parenting in a time of COVID-19

No ethical approval was required.

No external funding was received for the research reported in the paper.

None declared.