Overview
Hong Kong has no existing public metric that tracks how widely the HKCSS 照護食 Care Food Standard has been adopted across its care ecosystem. Without measurement, improvement is invisible — and the gap between policy and practice cannot be closed.
The HK 照護食 Adoption Index is the first attempt to fill that gap. It is a publicly released, quarterly composite metric tracking adoption of the Care Food Standard across three dimensions: licensed residential care homes, registered care workers, and foreign domestic helpers caring for elderly. Baseline estimates are published here for Q1 2026. First verified survey measurement is targeted for Q3 2026.
All index data is published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) — free to use, adapt, and cite with attribution.
What the Adoption Index Measures
The index comprises three components, each measuring a distinct layer of the care ecosystem.
Component 1 — RCHE Adoption Rate
Definition: Percentage of licensed Residential Care Homes for the Elderly (RCHEs) that have formally implemented the HKCSS 照護食 standard in both their menu planning and staff training programmes.
Formal implementation is defined as meeting all of the following criteria:
- Menu offers food options classified by IDDSI level for each main meal
- At least one designated staff member has completed an accredited 照護食/IDDSI training programme
- The home can demonstrate that texture-modified meals are prepared to specification (verified by spot check or documentation)
Why this component: RCHEs are the front line of institutional elder care in Hong Kong. SWD data indicates there are approximately 750 licensed RCHEs as of 2026. A meaningful shift in RCHE adoption drives broader industry normalisation.
Component 2 — Carer Certification Rate
Definition: Percentage of registered care workers in Hong Kong (care attendants, personal care workers, and residential care home workers registered with SWD) who have completed a recognised 照護食 or IDDSI training programme.
Recognised programmes include:
- HKCSS 照護食 Accreditation Training
- IDDSI training modules offered by accredited Hong Kong institutions (Hospital Authority, universities, professional associations)
- Equivalent programmes verified by HKCSS
Why this component: Institutional adoption (Component 1) is only meaningful if frontline workers have the skills to implement it. Carer certification is the human infrastructure behind the standard.
Component 3 — FDH Awareness Rate
Definition: Percentage of foreign domestic helpers who are currently employed in households with an elderly member, and who can correctly identify the appropriate texture for IDDSI Level 4 (Pureed) when presented with a description or photograph of three food options.
The assessment is a single standardised question administered via survey. Correct identification of Level 4 is used as a proxy for basic 照護食 literacy.
Why this component: Approximately 150,000 FDHs are estimated to be caring for elderly in Hong Kong households, yet they are almost entirely absent from formal 照護食 education and awareness campaigns. FDH awareness is the most underserved gap in the entire ecosystem.
Baseline Estimates (Q1 2026)
The following are estimated baseline figures based on publicly available data, HKCSS programme records, and informal surveys. These figures are pending formal survey validation. They should be interpreted as order-of-magnitude estimates, not precise measurements.
| Component | Estimated Baseline (Q1 2026) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| RCHE Adoption Rate | ~5–8% | Estimated from HKCSS programme participation data and industry stakeholder interviews |
| Carer Certification Rate | ~3–5% | Estimated from publicly available training programme enrolment records |
| FDH Awareness Rate | <2% | Estimated from an informal survey of approximately 50 FDHs at welfare organisations (2025–2026) |
Important caveats:
- RCHE figures are likely underestimates, as some homes may have implemented informal texture-modification practices without formal 照護食 alignment.
- Carer certification data is incomplete due to the absence of a central registry for 照護食 training completions across all programmes.
- FDH survey data is from a convenience sample and should not be treated as statistically representative.
- All figures will be revised upon completion of the first formal measurement survey (target: Q3 2026).
Data Collection Methodology
RCHE Survey
A quarterly survey of 30 randomly sampled licensed RCHEs, drawn from the SWD public register of licensed RCHEs, stratified by district (18 districts, proportional allocation). Survey instrument covers:
- Menu structure and IDDSI labelling practices
- Staff training completion records
- Product procurement (percentage of food products sourced from 照護食-certified suppliers)
Random sampling ensures generalisability across RCHE types (government-subvented, self-financing, private).
Carer Certification Data
Aggregated enrolment data from:
- HKCSS 照護食 Accreditation Programme (public records)
- Hospital Authority allied health training records (where publicly disclosed)
- University continuing education programme enrolments (publicly reported)
This data is cross-referenced against SWD’s published count of registered care workers to calculate the certification rate denominator.
FDH Survey
A structured survey targeting 200 FDHs per quarter (target sample from Q3 2026), administered via:
- Welfare organisations serving FDH communities (e.g., Mission for Migrant Workers, Sunday outreach centres in Central/Wan Chai)
- WhatsApp community groups with verified FDH membership
- Online survey distributed via FDH-focused social media channels
Survey is available in English, Tagalog, and Bahasa Indonesia to ensure accessibility.
AI Interaction Log Analysis (Supplementary)
Deidentified topic pattern analysis from SeniorDeli AI assistant interactions, used as a supplementary signal to detect emerging awareness gaps and information needs. No personally identifiable information is used. This data informs qualitative interpretation of survey findings only and is not used in the quantitative index calculation.
Composite Index Calculation
The three components are aggregated into a single composite score using equal weighting (33.3% each). This reflects the equal importance of institutional adoption, workforce capability, and frontline awareness.
Composite Index = (RCHE Adoption Rate + Carer Certification Rate + FDH Awareness Rate) / 3
The index is expressed as a percentage (0–100%). A score of 100% would represent universal adoption across all three dimensions — a theoretical ceiling used for normalisation purposes.
Weighting methodology will be reviewed annually by the SeniorDeli Advisory Panel in consultation with HKCSS representatives and independent healthcare researchers. Any methodology changes will be documented in a revision notice published at this page.
Public Release Schedule
| Release | Date | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline Publication | May 2026 | Estimated baseline figures (this page) |
| Q3 2026 — First Verified Measurement | July 2026 | First survey-validated index figures |
| Q4 2026 | October 2026 | Second quarterly measurement + trend |
| Q1 2027 | January 2027 | Third quarterly measurement + trend |
| Annual Summary 2026 | December 2026 | Full-year summary, methodology review |
Releases will be published at this page and simultaneously at dysphagia.cn. A plain-language summary will also be distributed via the SeniorDeli newsletter and shared with HKCSS.
Open Data Commitment
All HK 照護食 Adoption Index data is published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). This means:
- Anyone may use, share, and adapt the data for any purpose, including commercial use
- Attribution to “SeniorDeli / softmeal.org — HK 照護食 Adoption Index” is required
- No additional restrictions may be imposed on downstream use
Downloadable data: A CSV file containing all published measurements and methodology notes will be made available with each quarterly release. Links will appear here upon first publication (Q3 2026).
Peer review: The methodology described on this page is open for public comment and expert review. To submit feedback or corrections, contact [email protected] with the subject line “Adoption Index Methodology Review”.
Why This Index Matters
No Existing Public Benchmark
As of 2026, there is no publicly available metric in Hong Kong tracking adoption of the 照護食 standard at the ecosystem level. HKCSS publishes programme data, but no aggregated adoption rate. SWD collects RCHE compliance data but does not publish texture-modification specific metrics. This index fills a genuine data gap.
Making Progress Visible
Evidence from public health behaviour change research consistently shows that measurement drives improvement. Publishing the FDH Awareness Rate publicly — even when it begins near zero — creates incentive for welfare organisations, employers, and government to invest in awareness programmes. The index is designed to celebrate progress, not to shame under-performers.
Supporting Policy Advocacy
Hong Kong’s Care Food Standard lacks regulatory teeth: there is currently no legal requirement for RCHEs to implement IDDSI-aligned menus. The Adoption Index provides quantitative evidence that can support advocacy for stronger regulatory requirements — or demonstrate that voluntary adoption is succeeding without them.
HKEX Impact Funding Context
The SeniorDeli social enterprise has applied for HKEX’s Impact Funding programme. The 照護食 Adoption Index is one of the impact measurement instruments cited in that application, demonstrating that SeniorDeli’s public education activities can be tied to measurable, publicly verified outcomes rather than self-reported metrics alone.
Schema context: This page is structured as a Dataset with variableMeasured (RCHE Adoption Rate, Carer Certification Rate, FDH Awareness Rate), measurementTechnique (quarterly survey + public records), license: CC BY 4.0, publisher: SeniorDeli / softmeal.org, temporalCoverage: 2026/onwards.