AIC Excellence Award “Own Your Life”

AIC Excellence Award “Own Your Life”

I joined Hovi Care in early 2021. This move was a major transition from childcare to elder care. My decision to leap into this field was motivated by my desire to gain experience in a different field after working in early childhood for almost 18 years. Today, I my passion and desire to work here remains high.

Surprisingly, the senior care industry is as rewarding as the early childhood industry. The only difference is we look after the seniors and engage the sponsors who are their guardians instead of managing children and their parents. When I stepped into this elder care center for the first time, I had mixed feelings because I had to deal with clients and sponsors who are in a state of worry, confusion, desperation, despair, fear, and guilt, as opposed to children who are happy, cheerful, playful and care-free.

However, the doubts dissipated shortly after I joined Hovi Care. The elderly are engaged in a variety of tabletop activities, social interaction, and physical activities. It is filled with life and vigorously active in the center. Each member of the staff is so well trained in the use of the FINGER approach, and they engage the clients effectively – and most of all evidence-based approach.

Hovi Care captured my heart.

Own Your Life

Several months later, I had the opportunity to participate in the ‘Community Care Excellence Awards’. It was in 2014 that the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) introduced the biennial Community Care Excellence Awards. Individuals and project teams who have demonstrated exceptional service and dedication in delivering quality care to their clients in the Community Care sector will be recognized with the Community Care Excellence Awards.

Our team participated in the Client Experience Improvement Award. This award recognizes outstanding projects that improve the quality of food, person-centred care (individuality), and dementia-friendly initiatives for clients.

Our project is entitled “Own Your Life”. We received a Silver Award for our efforts. “Own Your Life” is designed to encourage clients to take responsibility for their lives. It provides outdoor experiential therapy that aims to enhance the physical, social, and emotional well-being of clients as well as to stimulate their intrinsic motivation for personal growth. This project was introduced in May 2021. Incorporating physical activities into natural environments enables clients to gain a direct connection to nature and stimulate their intellectual, social, and physical abilities. The program will include activities such as ball sports, parachute play, rope exercise, walk and talk therapy, chair yoga, intimate interaction sessions, and equine-assisted therapy.

As part of our mission, Own Your Life strives to promote positive aging by energizing our clients. The importance of positive aging for the elderly is vital to achieving holistic well-being. The majority of our clients, who suffer from dementia, are socially isolated and suffer from frequent injuries caused by falls and poor physical awareness, which can exacerbate their condition. Under this project, outdoor experiential programs are provided to help enhance the health and well-being of participants on a physical, social, and emotional level. It promotes a slowing down of the decline in physical function and cognitive function in the elderly, by increasing their engagement, social skills, and physical health awareness. By providing client-centered outdoor and social activities, this project will also assist us and the clients in understanding the clients’ needs and enable staff to assess the clients’ potential growth. With increased awareness of their own capabilities, there will be a cognitive dissonance between their perceived abilities and their actual abilities in a social setting involving physical activity. By exposing them to such activities, clients are encouraged to work together with peers and staff to enhance their participation. Therefore, clients are intrinsically motivated to grow and ultimately own their lives, in line with our mission.

 Our motto, “Own Your Life“, has been practiced throughout our care model and will continue.