Dr Karen Cheung

Dr. Karen CHEUNG Siu-Lan is Adjunct Professor in Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies at Lingnan University, Adjunct Associate Professor of Practice in WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, School of Nursing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Fellow in Sau Po Centre on Ageing at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the Director of Mindlink Research Centre, the Member of Service Development and Management Committee in The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, the Honorary Director of the 2024-2025 Lantau Island District the Senior Police Call Scheme (SPC) and the Executive Committee Member of the 2024-2026 South China Athletic Association.

After completing her PhD at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in 2003, she awarded with the European Commission’s fellowship to conduct post-doctoral research in Europe. She was the recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships in 1999/2000 & 2000/2001. She was awarded “Best Teaching Assistant Coordinator” at HKUST in 2002. She was also the scholarship recipient of the Croucher Foundation, RAND/NIA, Wellcome Trust Fund & IUSSP. Returning from Europe, she joined the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at HKU in 2009 and took up the position of Honorary Assistant Professor in 2012-2017. During her time in HKU, she has led the team to conduct “Hong Kong Centenarian Study” and “Reaching out Dementia Caregiver Support Project (REACH-HK).” Both studies are for the first time in Hong Kong. From 2018 to 2020, her team also developed and piloted the smart version of the “REACH-HK” (REACH-HK II). She has been involving with international networks of Réseau Espérance de Vie en Santé (REVES) and International Centenarian Consortium (ICC), and International Centenarian Consortium-Dementia (ICCD) and collaborating with Centre for Genomic Sciences at HKU to examine variants at healthy longevity candidate genes, as well as developing a global comprehensive model and indicators to assess successful ageing and frailty with a multi-dimensional and inter-disciplinary approach.

In 2021, she launched a new book “Healthy Longevity: Evidenced-based Study of Hong Kong” and partnered with Yan Chai Hospital (Social Services Department) (YCHSS) to carry out a pilot study of “Holistic Healthy Life Education” non-pharmaceutical intervention for middle-aged elders with psychosomatic and cardio-metabolic symptoms. From 2021 to 2022, she and her team completed “Hong Kong Centenarian Study II” which was funded by the University Research Grants Council. In 2023, she cooperated with the Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club Madam Wong Chan Sook Ying Memorial Care & Attention Home For The Aged to conduct a pilot project of “the Digital Version of Memory Treasure Hunt” (eMemory Kits). It aims to improve cognitive function and quality of life of older adults with mild cognitive impairment and/or dementia. eMemory Kits include two electronic devices for memory and cognitive training: (1) tablet (APP) and (2) set-top box and software (VR).

In 2024, she cooperated with YCHSS again to officially launch “The Digital Version of Holistic Healthy Life Education” (e2HLE) intervention for community-dwelling older adults aged 50 years or above with psychosomatic symptoms, and hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hypercholesterolemia. The program is a holistic health-based, person-centric and multi-component intervention, combined with the World Health Organization Integrated Care for the Elderly (ICOPE) model, and provides older adults with a self-monitoring bio-signal system “Hera Leto”, through gerontech and diverse lifestyle modification measures. The content includes a 3-month intervention, including self-care, fitness training, self-acupressure, stress and emotion management, a whole-food plant based diet, and meditation and mindfulness training. The goal is to achieve weight loss, enhance intrinsic capacities (i.e., mental and psychological wellbeing, vitality, and nutritional health), and improve cardiometabolic characteristics (e.g., blood pressure and lipid profile) among older adults.

Since 2001, she has delivered more than 140 research outputs, including books, consulting or contract research reports, working and conference papers, and peer-reviewed journal articles. She has published prolifically in top-specialty or top-generalist journals such as Demography, Population Studies, Demographic Research, European Journal of Ageing, Asian Population Studies, Genus, International Journal of Geriatrics and Psychiatric, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, Achieve of Geriatric and Gerontology, Aging and Mental Health, BMC Geriatrics, BMC Neurology, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, Healthcare, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, Innovation in Aging, International Journal of Aging & Human Development, among others. Her research has been widely cited and generously funded by the RCG and various private foundations.