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14 / PERISCOPE

our months ago, Fredaley, an or- by non-governmental
dinary housewife, left her home organisations, training
Fin the Philippines and came to classes are available in
Hong Kong alone. Barely able to speak Wan Chai, Kowloon
a word in Cantonese, she had no expe- City and Tsuen Wan [I have learnt] how to
rience working as a domestic helper. districts. feed the elder, [help them]
But her employer Ms Yue still decided Training courses
to hire her to take care of her father are taught by profes- take a bath and help them
who is over 90 years old. sional nurses, physi-
otherapists and oc- take medicine
Retraining abroad cupational therapists,
An 18-month pilot scheme was covering common el-
launched by the Social Welfare De- derly care skills such as
partment in 2018 to strengthen the fall prevention, first aid and assisting them take medicine,” Fredaley says.
skills of foreign domestic helpers in the elderly with mild mobility impair- Yue notices Fredaley’s performance
taking care of frail elderly and en- ment to change positions. Domestic has improved after joining the pilot
hance their quality of life in the com- helpers will be awarded attendance scheme, which equips her with medi-
munity. In collaboration with the De- certificates after finishing the course. cal knowledge.
partment of Health and six District “[I have learnt] how to feed the el- Wiri, 24, another domestic helper
Elderly Community Centres operated derly, [help them] take a bath and help from Indonesia who joined the train-

Foreign domestic helpers attending the Pilot Scheme on Training for Foreign Domestic Helpers on Elderly Care