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The three-year Jockey Club “Shining Journey 50+” Women Wellness Programme (the programme) concluded in June this year. A study by the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) revealed that it has significantly enhanced the overall wellness of women aged 50 to 64, effectively building health reserves, delaying functional decline, and boosting confidence in self-care. Study findings have been published in Experimental Gerontology and will be published in The Journal of Frailty & Aging.

Regaining strength and confidence

The programme, part of CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors, was funded by a HK$46 million donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. As the first project targeting women aged 50 to 64 and based on the WHO Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, it aims to address the unique physiological, mental and social challenges faced by menopausal and post-menopausal women.

The Jockey Club CADENZA Hub, in collaboration with The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon, St. James Settlement, The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Society of Rehabilitation and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, launched the programme in July 2022. By its end in June 2025, over 13,000 women had benefited, seeing improvements in both their health and intrinsic capacity (IC).

Participants underwent a series of physical and mental health assessments. Women identified as needing further support were invited to join a 12-week programme consisting of 24 comprehensive training sessions, held twice weekly for two hours each. The first hour focused on exercise training, including flexibility and stretching, muscle strengthening and resistance training, balance exercises, aerobic activities, and cardio workouts to improve physical agility and endurance. The second hour was divided into two phases: the first four sessions involved nurses and dietitians helping participants set health goals, conducting simple assessments, and offering health advice. Subsequent sessions featured cognitive training and psychosocial activities to enhance cognitive abilities and mental well-being.

The Jockey Club Institute of Ageing at CUHK was responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the programme through a pre- and post-test analysis. The study compared 117 women who completed the programme with 59 women who did not participate. Findings revealed significant improvements in participants’ overall IC — a composite measure of physical and psychological capabilities — with the most notable changes observed in mobility and cardiorespiratory function. (Please refer to appendix table 1)

Focus group interviews further validated the programme’s impact. Participants said that health programmes tailored to their age group are extremely important yet insufficient, with this programme helping to fill the service gap. One participant, Siu Fong, shared: “I’ve always wanted to increase my muscle mass. The diverse exercise training provided by the programme has not only improved my muscle mass, but my long-standing shoulder and neck pain has also eased.” Another participant, San San, said the programme sparked her interest in exercise. Now she is learning to dance and even seeks out different activities to try: “I never imagined I would take the initiative to do these things, but now I feel life has so many possibilities.”

Ms Angel Hui, Centre Manager and Senior Physiotherapist of the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub, remarked: “The comfortable environment and warm atmosphere at CADENZA Hub make participants feel safe and supported. This positive sense of engagement is key to driving healthy behaviours. The programme’s success also shows that combining professional interventions with a welcoming setting can effectively boost health motivation among middle-aged and older women.”

Professor Jean Woo, Director of CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing and Jockey Club CADENZA Hub, added: “We adopted the WHO’s ICOPE framework as the blueprint for the programme because it emphasises maintaining IC rather than focusing solely on disease. For 50+ women, our goal is to enhance intrinsic capacity, delay functional decline, and help them stay active and independent across physical, mental and social dimensions — achieving healthy aging. Research findings confirm that this person-cantered, holistic approach can indeed bring positive change.”

Health workshops boost knowledge and confidence

The programme also featured health workshops, each lasting 1.5 to 2 hours, covering topics such as exercise training, mind-body wellness, dementia, nutrition, emotional management, urinary incontinence, pain management and sleep — common health concerns for 50+ women. Some sessions were specially designed for women in caregiving roles, teaching self-management and elder care skills.

Analysis of pre- and post-workshop data from 690 participants showed significant improvements in knowledge related to urinary incontinence care, musculoskeletal health and nutrition, skin and hair care, dementia and pain management. Self-care efficacy and efficacy in caregiving also increased, with the most notable gains in topics such as skin and hair care, dementia, emotional well-being and communication, musculoskeletal health and nutrition, and sleep.

Study reveals health challenges among 50+ women

Another large-scale study analysed health survey responses from over 11,000 Hong Kong women aged 50 to 67. The research team identified four representative health profile groups, with more than 75% of respondents showing varying degrees of intrinsic capacity and functional decline. Even more concerning, 10% of respondents exhibited significant deterioration across all domains of intrinsic capacity — including sensory, mobility, cognition, and psychological functions — showing that challenges to healthy aging are already widespread after age 50. (Please refer to appendix table 2)

Dr Ruby Yu, Senior Research Fellow of the CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, noted, “This study confirms that midlife is a critical period for women. Strengthening intrinsic capacity at this stage can effectively build health reserves and prevent future functional decline.”

Policy and Community Service Implications

Despite the conclusion of the programme, the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub is continuing to operate on a self-funding basis and collaborating with various organisations to extend the impact of the programme.

In recent years, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has actively promoted women’s health and emphasised preventive primary care interventions. The CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing notes that this series of studies, combining ‘micro-level interventions’ with ‘macro-level data,’ provides a comprehensive picture of the health status and improvement potential of 50+ women. Findings show that an integrated intervention model — combining exercise, cognitive training, and health literacy education — can effectively delay functional decline, enhance physical and mental well-being, and boost confidence in self-care. This offers important evidence for policy development and community support services.

The research team hopes these results will drive more community-based primary healthcare services tailored for 50+ women, enabling them to proactively manage their health in familiar settings, starting at midlife.

For more details, please visit the Programme website: https://jcshining50.hk/