Care for the Body and of the Spirit: Haven of Hope Christian Service - Helping the Elderly, Sick and Handicapped of Hong Kong

The case of Haven of Hope Christian Services (Haven) tells how a faith-based organization can stay true to its founding mission and values while responding to the tremendous growth of the community it serves. It tells how committed leaders, managers and staff integrate medical and social services to help comfort people in need, physically and spiritually.Today, Haven of Hope Christian Service's integration of medical and social services occurs at 46 locations, and has so far benefited about 100,000 people. It employs doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers and personal care workers. Many reverends lead regularly scheduled services at its facilities, which often include chapels. Medically, it focuses on chronic disease and mental or physical disability rather than acute illness. It also focuses on mental and spiritual counseling, and operates many different home-based and community-based programs aimed at the elderly and mentally challenged people.Haven's approach and philosophy remain rooted in the beliefs of Sister Annie Skau, a Norwegian nun and missionary who "saw the need of not only providing medical care, but also psychological and physical care" for the people it serves, said Dr. Lam Ching Choi, Haven's CEO

Improving argumentative writing: Effects of a blended learning approach and gamification

This study investigated the effectiveness of a blended learning approach—involving the thesis, analysis, and synthesis key (TASK) procedural strategy; online Edmodo discussions; online message labels; and writing models—on student argumentative writing in a Hong Kong secondary school. It also examined whether the application of digital game mechanics increased student online contribution and writing performance. Three classes of Secondary 4 students (16- to 17-year-olds) participated in the 7-week study. The first experimental group (n = 22) utilized the blended learning + gamification approach. The second experimental group (n = 30) utilized only the blended learning approach. In the control group (n = 20), a teacher-led direct-instruction approach on the components of argumentation was employed. Data sources included students’ pre- and post-test written essays, students’ online Edmodo postings, and student and teacher interviews. We found a significant improvement in students’ writing using the blended learning approach. On-topic online contributions were significantly higher when gamification was adopted. Student and teacher opinions on the blended learning approach were also examined

Short-term effects of a gain-focused reappraisal intervention for dementia caregivers: A double-blind cluster-randomized controlled trial

Objectives To examine the effects of a benefit-finding intervention, the key feature being the use of gain-focused reappraisal strategies to find positive meanings and benefits in caring for someone with dementia. Design: Cluster-randomized double-blind controlled trial. Setting: Social centers and clinics. Participants: 129 caregivers. Inclusion criteria were (a) primary caregiver aged 18+ and without cognitive impairment, (b) providing ≥14 care hours per week to a relative with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, and (c) scoring ≥3 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Exclusion criterion was care-recipient having parkinsonism or other forms of dementia. Interventions: The benefit-finding intervention was evaluated against two treatment-as-usuals, namely, simplified psychoeducation (lectures only) and standard psychoeducation. Each intervention lasted eight weeks, with a 2-hour session per week. Randomization into these conditions was based on center/clinic membership. Measurements: Primary outcome was depressive symptom. Secondary outcomes were Zarit Burden Interview, role overload, and psychological well-being. Self-efficacy beliefs and positive gains were treated as mediators. Measures were collected at baseline and posttreatment. Results: Regression analyses showed BF treatment effects on all outcomes when compared with SIM-PE, and effects on depressive symptoms and Zarit burden when compared with STD-PE. Effect sizes were medium-to-large for depressive symptoms (d=-0.77– -0.96), and medium for the secondary outcomes (d=|0.42–0.65|). Furthermore, using the bootstrapping method, we found significant mediating effects by self-efficacy in controlling upsetting thoughts and positive gains, with the former being the primary mediator. Conclusions: Finding positive gains reduces depressive symptoms and burden and promotes psychological well-being primarily through enhancing self-efficacy in controlling upsetting thoughts

Characteristics of biofilm formation from mixed microflora at mesophilic and thermophilic fermentative hydrogen production / Lam Wai Fung

Biofilm-based systems have been extensively used as immobilized cell systems as they enhance the reaction rates and population dynamics. Therefore, this study was done to characterize the biofilm formation from anaerobic sludge for fermentative hydrogen (H2) production at mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. This study has been focusing on the development of mixed microflora biofilms whereby the physical and chemical characteristics of the biofilm will be studied. Several tests were done to characterize the biofilm formation, which included the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to test the functional group present in the immobilized cell, analysis on the gas produced by the immobilised cells using a gas analyser, and lastly analysis on the chemical compositions presence in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of biofilm. This study had identified that the highest amount of gas collected which representing hydrogen is 470 ppm with the condition of 60 °C with GAC. From the FTIR analysis, the functional group exist in two peak 3308.3cm-1 and 1637.12cm-1 are the hydroxyl (O-H) group and the combination of C–N + N–H groups in proteins respectively. The transmission of each peak from the FTIR result, and the concentration of the carbohydrate and protein in the extracted EPS had increased with the increasing of the fermentation day, indicates that the physical and chemical properties of the EPS may change more than expected during biofilm growth and alteration

An investigation of the effectiveness of human resource management in the Hong Kong police

In the literature, there is the increasing trend to link human resource planning with strategic planning giving greater importance to, and greater involvement of, human resource management in organization strategy. Also the Hong Kong Police is a manpower oriented discipline force and the human resource management functions play a critical role in the effective management of these human resources. Therefore, the critical nature of the human resource management of the Hong Kong Police justifies a management report orientation where the focus is on the production of positive and practical recommendations. The objectives of the report are to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing human resource management system of the Hong Kong Police and also if and where appropriate to make recommendations designed to enhance the present system. In order to achieve the objectives, four aspects were evaluated. The first aspect is the human resource management goals of the Hong Kong Police. It was evaluated against the criteria of the extent to which it is consistent with the ii Vision, Statement of the Common Purposes and Values of the Police. The second aspect is its policies and practices of the each of the functions, which include 1. human resource planning (HRP), 2. recruitment and selection, 3. training and career development, 4. compensation and benefits management, 5. performance evaluation, 6. employee and labor relations, 7. counseling and 8. termination of the existing human resource management. It was evaluated through the comparison between the policies and practices of the each of the functions mentioned above and the corresponding theoretical functional goals. The third aspect is outcomes of human resource management, including complaints from the public, and opinions to it from the general public. It was evaluated against the overall goals of human resource management of the Hong Kong Police. The last but not the least, others, which are the things other than the above, factors viewed as relevant including what it has done during 1996 to 1999. Peters and Waterman Model was used as a framework for evaluating how well the Police was doing during this period. After considering all the aspects, we concluded that the Hong Kong Police did well in the planning process of the human resource management, as theoretically, the effectiveness of the human resource management was achieved. However, further improvement is needed in certain areas concerning the actual performance during the implementation, which may imply there are some problems that may affect the effectiveness of the human resource management of the Hong Kong Police. Based on the evaluation, we suggest that Competency Assessment Methods can be used as a framework for the Hong Kong Police to develop a set of competency for evaluating the performance of the employees. Also, a number of ways were suggested to improve the existing promotion mechanism. The supervisor’s recommendation involved in it can be improved by giving guidelines to the supervisors and having a group of supervisors to evaluate the performance of the employee. Also the recommendations should base on credible information. Moreover, feedback channels should be given to the employees to raise their opinions towards the decision in the promotion mechanism. In order to improve the competency of the supervisors, training should be given to strengthen their accountability for handling their work. Also a flexible and cafeteria benefits package was recommended to increase the flexibility of the existing benefits package iv for motivating the employees by giving autonomy to choose the benefits they need

Bureaucratising Co-production: Institutional Adaptation of Irrigation Associations in Taiwan

In 2020, Taiwan’s 17 irrigation associations were bureaucratised to become management offices of the Irrigation Agency under the government’s Council of Agriculture. This change marked the end of the parastatal mode of irrigation management that has in past decades played an important role in fostering Taiwan’s agricultural and economic development. As these parastatals have always been hailed by the international water research community as exemplars of co-production and state-community synergy, the change is baffling. While irrigation management in many places around the world has been moving towards a higher degree of decentralisation and self-governance, Taiwan seems to be moving in the opposite direction. How can we make sense of this change? What are the driving forces behind it? Does the bureaucratisation of the irrigation associations signify a failure of the co-production model? By tracing the evolution of irrigation institutions in Taiwan, this study examines the dynamic of institutional change as a response to the island’s changing political economy. The study shows that changes in the macropolitical-economic context prompted the Taiwanese government to reconsider two imperatives that underlie the institutional design of irrigation associations: robustness trade-offs and the modus operandi of co-production. The bureaucratisation of irrigation associations was an institutional manifestation of the adjustment of the two imperatives in adapting to the changing political economy

Hugus 哈格斯

Hugus is a pair of fluffy dolls designed for two parties who need to spend extended time periods separated by distance. Each of the parties owns one of the dolls. To connect the Hugus, all the parties have to do is to link up their smartphones with the Hugus App via Bluetooth, and set up a reunion date with a pairing code... 哈格斯是一對兩隻的毛毛玩偶，專為長期分隔異地的人而設計。二人雙方各擁一隻哈格斯玩偶，以智能手機透過藍芽接入哈格斯應用程式，再以配對碼設定相聚的日期，就能連結彼此的哈格斯... Award: Merit奬項: 優異

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the fatigue scale-adolescent

© 2015 Ho et al. Background: The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately assesses the level of fatigue among adolescent cancer survivors is crucial before any appropriate interventions to reduce their fatigue can be appropriately planned and evaluated. The study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Adolescents. In particular, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine its factorial structure. Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed. Adolescents (13- to 18-year-olds) who had survived cancer and attended medical follow-up at the outpatient clinic in Hong Kong were invited to participate. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Adolescents were assessed. Results: The content validity index was 0.92. There was a strong positive correlation between adolescents' levels of fatigue and depressive symptoms (r=0.53) and a strong negative correlation between adolescents' levels of fatigue and quality of life (r=-0.58). The mean levels of fatigue of the survivors group was significantly lower than that of those still receiving treatment in hospital, but significantly higher than that of their healthy counterparts. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that there were 4 factors underlying the Chinese version of the Cancer Module. Conclusions: The findings of the study add further evidence that the Chinese version of the Fatigue Scale for Adolescents (12-item) can be used as a reliable and valid tool in assessing cancer-related fatigue among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents who have survived cancer.published_or_final_versio

Tree management and the greening of the environment in Hong Kong : a study of collaborative governance

published_or_final_versionPolitics and Public AdministrationMasterMaster of Public Administratio