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iRetireeHK 退優

iReitreeHK is the app targeting the mental health of retirees (60-75 years old), which helps them to re-find their value in society through providing psychosocial support and hence promote active ageing. The R&D team hopes that through iRetiree's website and application, the social participation of the young and old generation can be maintained and the sense of connection can be enhanced. Their ultimate goal is to help elderly find their social value again, and to brighten them every day.

The issue

Ageing problem is a global issue and also one of the major crises in Hong Kong. The increasing and large proportion of elderly urge them to focus more on elderly's needs. They discover that technological devices would be the new solution to the Hong Kong ageing problems in the future. Besides, retirees are facing occupational maladaptation, showing by hardly adopting their new role from workers. Under suffering from boredom and lack of attention, they have a larger opportunity to feel disconnected from the community which lead to depression. Besides, elderly’s mental health issues are not commonly discussed in Hong Kong and the social resources are far from enough to care for all who are in need. If they want to seek help from mental health support through the public, the waiting time can exceed 2 years.

The solution

iRetiree is a mobile app which provides different kinds of psychosocial support and self-helping techniques to users which safeguard them from mental health crises. The contents are specifically designed for tackling the root of mental health problems brought by sudden role transitions. They believe that “prevention is better than cures”. iRetiree hopes to help retired users to prevent and reduce their chance of getting mental health illness through 4 significant features: Test and screening, mental health kits, activities and forum. For instance, they provide the guideline for elderly to use different psychological testings including Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) to evaluated individual level of depression.

Impact

They aiming to serve 20,000 users after 12 month, and 10% of the target market (140,000 users) in the future. Regarding social impact they help improve the mental health and social health of the retirees and elder population in Hong Kong. Furthermore, they encourage student to join their activities to stimulate the bond between the younger generation and the elderly.

Beneficiaries

Elderly aged 60 to 75

Project team

Fung Cho Kwan

Chan May Tsun

Kwong Ching Tin

Ip Hong Yiu

Yip Yiu Chung

Project Advisor: Dr. Siu Yan Ho

Awards:

HKBU Best Pitch Perfect 1.0 (first runner up)

Student Symposium Service-Learning X Design-Thinking Workshop (first runner up)

Science and Technology Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) - (Cohort 21-06)

Funding source

SEED Fund 2020-21

Classification of project types

Mobile app / Mental health / Active ageing / Psychosocial support / Self-helping techniques

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