Media

International Conference on Healthy Longevity: The Emergence of Oldest‐Old and Centenarians

05 May 2011

The Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with the University of Georgia, USA will hold an international conference "The Emergence of Oldest‐Old and Centenarians" on May 6 and 7 (Friday and Saturday). It will be the first conference ever held in Hong Kong to gather overseas scientists and local researchers for intellectual exchanges on issues including demography, psycho‐social, behavioral, functioning and geriatrics of the oldest‐old across Asian and Western countries.

Longevity or the notion that aging and death might be postponed or even avoided has existed throughout human history, inspiring myths, literature, and prompting all manner of experimentation. In recent years, demographers reported that the number of very old people, those over 100 years, have doubled every ten years among industrialized countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. The dramatic increase of longevity in the past 20 years has inspired systematic scientific studies of the oldest old.

About ten systematic interdisciplinary studies in different parts of the world have conducted long‐term sustained research on longevity. Most investigators from these studies are present will attend this conference. Their experiences shed new light on a better understanding of healthy longevity and provide insights into multi‐disciplinary academic research, health care, and ageing policy. On behalf of the Conference Organizing Committee, Dr. Karen S L CHEUNG would like to invite press members to attend this first‐ever event with the details as below.

Date: May 6‐7, 2011 (Friday and Saturday)
Time: 8:30 am - 11:15 am
Location: Wang Gungwu Theatre, Graduate House, HKU, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

For further information or arrangement of individual interviews, please contact Mr. Philip HUI at 2241 5582 or send an e‐mail at hkp7286@hku.hk .