Community Support: Filling the Gaps

Hospital-based dysphagia services in Hong Kong are strong, but the transition to community care after discharge often exposes significant gaps — in therapy continuity, caregiver training, nutritional support, and practical assistance with daily meal preparation. Community resources exist to address some of these gaps, though navigating the landscape can be complex.

This page maps the key community support resources relevant to dysphagia management in Hong Kong.

Social Welfare Department (SWD) Services

The SWD funds and regulates a range of community care services for elderly people and people with disabilities in Hong Kong.

Integrated Home Care Services (IHCS)

• Provides home-based personal care, household support, and in some cases meal support for eligible elderly and disabled people
• Two service modes: Ordinary Cases (for those with moderate needs) and Infirm Cases (for those with greater physical dependency)
• Eligibility assessed through SWD assessment; waiting list applies
• For carers: meal preparation assistance can be included in the IHCS care plan, which may help dysphagia-appropriate food preparation
• Referral: District Social Welfare Offices or through the HA’s Medical Social Worker (MSW) during hospital admission

Home Help Service

• Provides practical home assistance including meal preparation for homebound elderly
• Can be instrumental in supporting dysphagia-appropriate meal preparation if helpers are trained
• Referral: District Social Welfare Offices

Enhanced Home and Community Care Services (EHCCS)

• A more intensive version of IHCS for those with higher care needs
• Includes professional nursing, allied health, and personal care components
• Allied health component may include some dietitian or SLT input depending on the contracted provider

Day Care Centres

• District Elderly Community Centres (DECCs) and Enhanced Home and Community Care Services centres provide day attendance services
• Meals are served at day centres; staff awareness of dysphagia needs varies but should be documented in individual care plans
• Provides respite for family caregivers

Carer Resource Centres (CRCs)

• SWD-funded centres providing training, counselling, and peer support for family caregivers
• Some CRCs offer training sessions on elderly care including feeding and dietary management
• Find your nearest CRC: swd.gov.hk (Elderly Services section)

NGO Support Programmes

Hong Kong’s NGO sector provides a wide range of community elderly services, many of which are relevant to dysphagia management.

Major NGOs with Relevant Services

Caritas Hong Kong

• Community care centres across Hong Kong and Kowloon
• Home care services, meals-on-wheels, and day care
• Some programmes include caregiver training

Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS)

• Casework, counselling, and family support services
• Caregiver support groups where dysphagia and elderly feeding challenges can be discussed

St. James’ Settlement

• Elder care services in Western district; day care and home care
• Active caregiver support programmes

Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council (NAAC)

• Community services across multiple districts; elderly care components

Haven of Hope Christian Service

• Elderly services in Kowloon East and New Territories
• RCHE and community care programmes

Jockey Club Age Well programme and similar funded initiatives

• Various grant-funded community health and care projects, some addressing nutrition and feeding in elderly

Caregiver Training Programmes

Formal caregiver training that specifically addresses dysphagia and modified diet management is available through several channels:

Hospital Authority Caregiver Training

• HA hospitals provide discharge training for caregivers of patients with dysphagia
• This typically includes: IDDSI level explanation, thickener preparation demonstration, mealtime positioning, and warning signs
• Request this training proactively before discharge if it is not offered automatically

SWD/NGO Caregiver Training

• Some SWD-funded Carer Resource Centres offer training courses on elderly care including feeding and nutrition
• The Elder Academy network at universities and community colleges may offer relevant courses

SeniorDeli Training Resources

• SeniorDeli provides training materials and resources for care facilities and families on IDDSI-compliant meal preparation and texture modification for Chinese cuisine
• See seniordeli.com for current training programmes and resource availability

Food Subsidy and Nutritional Support Schemes

Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)

• Low-income elderly people receiving CSSA may use the benefit toward food costs including modified diet food and oral nutritional supplements
• Special needs grants under CSSA can cover specific items for people with disabilities or medical conditions

Oral Nutritional Supplement Subsidies

• Oral nutritional supplements (e.g. Ensure, Fortisip) prescribed for hospital inpatients are provided by HA pharmacy
• After discharge, prescriptions for ONS can be filled at HA general outpatient pharmacies if referred by a hospital doctor or dietitian
• The cost is subsidised at HK$15 per attendance for eligible patients — substantially cheaper than retail pharmacy

Meals-on-Wheels Services

• Operated by many NGOs; provides delivered meals to homebound elderly
• Dysphagia-appropriate meals (texture-modified versions) are available through some providers, but availability varies by district and provider
• Note: Families should confirm with the meals-on-wheels provider that texture modification is appropriate for the individual’s IDDSI level before commencing

Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme

• Eligible elderly people (aged 65+) receive HK$2,000 per year in health care vouchers
• Vouchers can be used at registered private health care providers including dietitians and, in some cases, speech therapists in private practice
• This can partially offset the cost of private allied health review for dysphagia management

Accessing These Services: Practical Starting Points

1. If currently hospitalised: Ask the ward Medical Social Worker (MSW) to assess community care needs and initiate referrals before discharge
2. If in the community: Contact the nearest District Social Welfare Office with the patient’s HKID for assessment
3. For NGO services: Contact individual NGOs directly — most have enquiry hotlines or walk-in services at community centres
4. SWD hotline: 2343 2255 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm) for general enquiries and referral guidance

Related Resources

• Public Hospital Dysphagia Services in HK
• HK NGOs and Support
• Financial Support for Dysphagia in HK
• Caregiver Burnout Prevention

Information on this page is for informational purposes only. Service availability and eligibility criteria may change; confirm current information directly with the relevant agency.