A Different Perspective on Family Caregiving—from Hong Kong

Episode description:  

As National Family Caregivers Month comes to a close, we have the unusual opportunity to take a different view of caregiving from abroad—from Hong Kong. In today’s episode, we’ll be talking with Grace Cheng, the founder and CEO of Agewhale, a social organization whose mission is to provide solutions to help caregivers of older persons identify suitable services and resources so they can age well in place. Grace has always had a deep connection with older people. She took care of her grandparents in their final years and experienced firsthand the numerous challenges faced by family caregivers. She’ll describe how caregiving practices and policies are implemented in Hong Kong, which has one of the longest lifespans and lowest birth rates, and where the economic needs of the elderly exceed those of children. Grace will talk about the challenges confronting the caregiving field in Hong Kong, and how her organization strives to help businesses ensure that their employees effectively balance work and caregiving responsibilities. “Caring for our loved ones shouldn't come at the cost of our career, personal life and health,” she says. With the right resources, guidance and community, caregiving can be a positive and meaningful experience for all of us. Our loved ones deserve to age well—and so do we.”

Guest description:

Grace Cheng is the founder and CEO of Agewhale. Grace has always had a deep connection to older people, taking care of her grandparents in their final years and experienced firsthand the numerous challenges faced by family caregivers. Motivated by this personal experience, she established Agewhale in 2023 to support families in caring for their elderly loved ones. In 2024, she was selected to participate in the Professional Fellows Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, undertaking a fellowship at the Older Adults Technology Services, a charitable affiliate of AARP. Prior to founding Agewhale, Grace served as the General Manager of the Fair Employment Agency, a social enterprise dedicated to transforming the standards of the migrant domestic worker recruitment industry. Leading a team of over 20 employees, she guided the organization through the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, the agency has been recognized with multiple awards for delivering exceptional recruitment services to nearly 8,000 employers and migrant domestic workers. Grace graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a bachelor’s degree in social sciences. She holds certifications in advanced care planning, palliative care, dementia caregiving, mental health first aid, and caregiver support. Grace is actively involved in volunteering with organizations focused on eldercare and end-of-life care to enhance her understanding of the needs of seniors and caregivers. Her community involvement includes serving as the Fellowship Advisor of Resolve Foundation and the Enterprise Advisor of CLAP@JC.

Host:

   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonRoel

         https://www.facebook.com/Roel-Resources-LLC-489865071061329

   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-roel-5386056/

   X: @roelresources

Guest:

Contact: grace@agewhale.com; hello@agewhale.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agewhale

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agewhale/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agewhale

Keywords: caregiving, aging, seniors, , HongKong, ONhHagewhale