A refresher course on the prevention of elder abuse was jointly organised by the Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) and the Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit (FCSV) on March 21 for about 200 Senior Police Call (SPC) Home Visit Captains from districts.

Social workers from the CEASE Crisis Centre of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals were invited to explain the legal knowledge, cases and prevention of elder abuse from different angles.

Superintendent (Community Relations) of the PPRB Wong Ping-ping said in an opening speech, "The Senior Police Call Home Visit Captain Programme was launched in June 2018 with the aim of showing care and concern to hidden and singleton elders through regular visits by Home Visit Captains in districts and social workers from elderly centres. The Home Visit Captions also bring to the elders the latest police messages on crime and fraud prevention as well as road safety. So far 236 Home Visit Captains have been trained. The refresher course aims to enhance the professional knowledge of Home Visit Captains and their awareness of suspected elder abuse, thereby facilitating early identification of elder abuse and helping the elders in need to seek appropriate assistance."

Also speaking in the course, Senior Inspector of FCSV Tam Yik-wun said, "The Police have been working closely with the relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations through an inter-departmental and multi-agency approach to protect the best interests and rights of the elderly. We are very honoured to have solicited the support of the CEASE Crisis Centre. The centre has not only sent its professional social workers here to explain the issue of elder abuse, but also invited two elders to share their experience as ex-abused victims. We hope that when encountering suspected cases of elder abuse in future, Home Visit Captains can be empathetic when listening to the elders, be around them to offer help and encourage them to seek help from the Police and relevant organisations."

During the course, Home Visit Captains asked questions actively and said the course gave them a better understanding of the psychological condition of abused elders and a range of community support services available to them. It also increased their understanding of elder abuse cases and enhanced their ability to communicate with abused elders.