Elderly Meal Delivery Service: Introduction to Meal Preparation/Delivery Services for Seniors, Ordering Methods, and Prices

By: Wolf Yip

As the population ages and immigration trends continue in Hong Kong, providing appropriate care for seniors, whether healthy or frail, has become a significant challenge. While many non-profit organizations and community centers offer self-service meal boxes or dining hall lunches, these services still require seniors to travel to centers for meals, which can be difficult for those with health issues or mobility challenges. To address the diverse needs of seniors, various government, private, and non-profit organizations have developed home meal delivery services, each differing in target audience, costs, and coverage areas. Below is an overview of existing meal delivery services for seniors in Hong Kong.

Government Agencies

These services are available across all 18 districts in Hong Kong and typically cover basic dietary needs while integrating with other social welfare measures like health checks and social activities. The primary target is low-income or special-needs seniors, requiring applicants to undergo a standardized assessment to determine eligibility.

Social Welfare Department

The “Integrated Home Care Services” caters to two types of cases:

1. Ordinary Cases (individuals with no or mild physical impairments)

2. Frail Cases (seniors assessed by the department as having moderate to severe physical impairments)

Those needing only basic daily living assistance can apply as “Ordinary Cases” without undergoing the “Elderly Service Unified Assessment.” Services for “Ordinary Cases” include personal care, simple nursing, shopping, and delivery services. “Frail Cases” receive more comprehensive care plans tailored to their needs, including personal care, rehabilitation exercises, and day-time in-home care.

The “Enhanced Home and Community Care Services” also requires assessment for frail seniors needing community or residential care services before they can access home meal delivery.

Eligible individuals must be 60 years or older and identified as needing higher levels of care through a simple assessment tool (interRAITM Check-up) or the unified assessment mechanism. In emergencies where assessments cannot be completed promptly, seniors may still access home support services under justified circumstances.

For further details on available services in various districts, including contact information for organizations providing these services, please refer to the relevant resources.

List of Integrated Home Care Services Teams (as at 1 April 2024)

List of Enhanced Home and Community Care Services Teams (as at 23 February 2024)

List of District Elderly Community Centres

 Elderly Community Care Service Voucher Pilot Scheme (ECCSV)

The Elderly Community Care Service Voucher Pilot Scheme was launched by the government in 2013, allowing eligible seniors waiting for community or residential care services to apply for vouchers to purchase services from approved providers at reduced prices.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Be aged 65 or above.

2. Be assessed and recommended by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) for community or residential care services.

3. Be on the Central Waiting List for subsidized care services.

4. Not have received any residential or subsidized community care services.

Application Process

• The SWD invites eligible seniors on the Central Waiting List to join the voucher scheme via mail.

• Seniors can apply by filling out the form included in the invitation letter and submitting it with necessary documents.

• If no invitation is received, seniors or their families can inquire and apply through various methods, including contacting the Community Care Voucher Office.

Approval Process

• After receiving an application, a social worker will conduct a health and home care assessment to verify eligibility.

• The entire approval process typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. Some applicants may need to undergo income assessments.

Voucher Issuance

Once approved, seniors receive a voucher notification detailing their voucher number and co-payment level, which determines their out-of-pocket expenses. They can then contact approved service providers to purchase suitable services.

Approved Service Providers 

Note that only agencies listed under “Home-based” services that specify meal delivery are eligible for home meal delivery services.

Non-Profit Organizations

Non-profit organizations focus on providing meal delivery services for seniors in need, ensuring that they can access healthy meal options through volunteers and community support. Their target audience primarily includes local low-income residents, beneficiaries of social welfare, and seniors living alone. Some organizations may also offer meal delivery services for a fee. Among them, Lok Sin Tong provides lunch at its dining hall, while the “Home Meal Service” program by the Hong Kong Christian Service collaborates with social workers from local elderly centers to obtain lists of seniors in need. Due to limited resources, non-profit centers generally cover only their respective areas and do not provide services throughout Hong Kong.

Currently, meal delivery services that can be applied for online include:

Lok Sin Tong

The Lok “Meal” Hall Nutrition Meal Service Center located in To Kwa Wan currently provides nutritional meal delivery services for seniors and individuals in need in the To Kwa Wan area. Meals are customized monthly by locally qualified registered dietitians, including options for soft meals.

• Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM

• Phone: 2334 5009

• Email: [email protected]

• Fax: 2356 1793

• Address: Room 16, Block A, Mei Wah Industrial Centre, To Kwa Wan, Kowloon

Lok Hong Ling Community Service

Lok Hong Ling’s service areas include Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai. Services are provided within the community for seniors without any infectious diseases. All seniors must undergo a professional assessment to confirm service content. Cooking methods avoid frying and provide personalized meals according to seniors’ health conditions and dietary needs, including low-sodium, low-phosphorus meals, minced meals, pureed meals, special gout meals, and vegetarian meals to meet various health needs.

• Phone Number: 3795 2985

• WhatsApp: 9506 5165

• Address: Room 507, Lane Up Building No.4 Jianfa Lane Tuen Mun

• Email: [email protected]

Private Organizations/Social Enterprises

Private organizations focus on providing meal delivery services for seniors living at home (such as those living alone or in older couples) and emphasize personalized care and healthy eating. Unlike regular restaurants that offer takeaway services, they have registered dietitians design nutritious meals. Some organizations participate in the government’s “Elderly Community Care Service Voucher” scheme, allowing more seniors to access services at reasonable prices while sharing the burden with non-profit and government organizations.

Woopie Club

Woopie has thirteen centers across Hong Kong, with a price of $61 per meal. Those in need of service can make an online appointment for a basic assessment with a case manager. The target audience includes seniors aging in place, those recently discharged from institutions, seniors needing nursing, rehabilitation, or respite care, and seniors holding community care service vouchers. There is no information on meal options or special requests on the official website; these should be discussed after the basic assessment.

• Phone Number: 2155-0338
• Email: [email protected]
• Branch Address List 
  

Elderly Home Association - Easy Concierge Service

The company behind the establishment of the “Peace Bell,” the Elderly Home Association also offers a concierge service providing home meal delivery. Carers can book appointments through the Easy Concierge® APP and online forms, with services arranged within as fast as 3 hours.

Seniors with higher self-care abilities can choose to have carers assist with reheating food and accompany them outside. The basic three-hour charge is $300, with subsequent hours starting at $100.

For seniors with lower self-care abilities who need meal delivery, they can opt for living assistance services that provide comprehensive in-home care, including personal hygiene care, personal care, preparing daily meals, escorting outside, accompanying to medical appointments, shopping, and emotional support. The basic three-hour charge is $435, with subsequent hours starting at $125.

For those needing nasogastric feeding, health care services also provide related services suitable for seniors with lower self-care abilities requiring simple nursing care, including basic supervision, accompanying outside, reheating food, bathing and changing dressings, wound care, handling urine/stool bags, and nasogastric feeding. The basic three-hour charge is $570, with subsequent hours starting at $135.

The official website offers online payment options accepting credit cards, UnionPay, and QR code payments. Payments can also be made at convenience stores, by mailing checks, or through ATM/bank transfers.

Currently, consultation methods include making an appointment via the official website form, downloading the Easy Concierge® mobile application, or calling 2338 8312 or WhatsApp 9152 1900. For in-person inquiries at the association’s offices:

• Aimin General Office: 2/F S2 Aimin Plaza, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon

• Chuk Yuen Office (Maintenance Center): G/F Room 102-121, Siu Yuen House, Chuk Yuen South Estate, Wong Tai Sin

Manna Meal Delivery

Manna’s service area is located in Kwun Tong District and provides lunch and dinner starting from $20 per meal; an additional $10 transportation fee applies for remote areas. If there are actual financial difficulties after meeting with Manna’s social worker, adjustments may be made. The organization prioritizes meal delivery for seniors living alone or older couples; meals are balanced and include soup. Delivery days can also be flexibly arranged.

Currently, Manna’s restaurant has expanded to To Kwa Wan area; however, meal delivery services have not yet extended beyond Kwun Tong District. For service inquiries, you can visit the restaurant address in Kwun Tong District or call/WhatsApp Mr. Ng at 6368 1886.

• Address: 1/F Baptist Church Choi Ping Road No.11
• Phone: 6523 3217
• Operating Hours: (Tuesday & Thursday to Sunday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Wednesday 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM; Closed on Monday)
  

Lok Hong Elderly Social Services

Lok Hong Elderly Social Services provides meals for seniors in need residing in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung areas at a price of $60 per meal. As an approved unit under the Elderly Community Care Service Voucher scheme, seniors who have applied for the scheme can obtain services at a lower price.
In 2020, Lok Hong also established a day center called “Elderly Joy Pavilion,” where publications provided on the Social Welfare Department’s information network indicate that meal delivery services cost $58 per meal and soft meal services cost an additional $5.90 per meal. Home-based services provided outside normal service hours (Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM) will be charged at a price that is 20% higher than regular service hours—$70 per meal.

Contact Information:

• Address: Shop No.318-319 Xiangshan Shopping Centre Tsuen Wan

• Phone: 2661 6800

• WhatsApp/Signal: 9855 8273

• Email: [email protected]

Overall, the characteristics of the three types of organizations differ, which can be understood from the table below: