SLP Group 9 Project -- Caregiving, not Sacrificing

Summary

The video examines the strain on Hong Kong’s “sandwich generation”—adults aged 45–65 who care for both older and younger family members. Caregiver burden can affect mental, physical, and social wellbeing, as well as create financial stress. Caregivers may worry constantly about a loved one’s health and lose time for sleep, exercise, nutritious meals, hobbies, and social events. They may also feel isolated. Family expectations and stigma can make it harder to ask for help.

A case study of a 45-year-old school clerk illustrates how these pressures can build. She cares for her mother, who has dementia, and supports her son through exam stress while her husband works late. The video uses Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory to show how her wellbeing is shaped by overlapping influences, including her own stress and sleep, family relationships, work and household demands, her husband’s job, and wider cultural expectations. Because dementia can progress, caregiving needs may intensify over time without support.

Strategies and Support Discussed

• Try brief stress-management practices: The World Health Organization’s Doing What Matters in Times of Stress toolkit suggests grounding, “unhooking” from painful thoughts, and making room for difficult emotions. The video presents these as practical exercises that can be used for a few minutes a day.
• Reach out for support: The video gives the Social Welfare Department caregiver-support hotline as 182183, available 24 hours a day. It says social workers can offer counseling, crisis assessment, and referrals.
• Ask about respite and care services: Social workers may assess a family’s needs and help arrange options such as daycare or residential respite for the person receiving care.
• Make small acts of self-care possible: The video encourages taking even a few minutes for oneself and contacting a friend or hotline rather than carrying the burden alone.
• Recognize the need for help: Caregiving does not have to mean sacrificing one’s own wellbeing. Seeking support is presented as a way to reduce strain and prevent burnout.

Presenters and Sources

• Presenters: Not individually named; the video is presented as an SLP Group 9 project.
• Sources and frameworks mentioned: The World Health Organization’s Doing What Matters in Times of Stress; the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department caregiver-support hotline; Mind HK; a 2023 Mind Education survey; and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory. The video also refers to secondary sources without naming them individually.