Dr. Vivian Lou

wlou@hku.hk
(852) 3917 4835
CJT-522
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Prof. LOU W.Q. Vivian

Professor

Professor Lou is a Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at The University of Hong Kong, serving as the Director of the Sau Po Centre on Ageing and the Master of Social Sciences (Gerontology) program. Her extensive research covers family caregiving, active ageing, and their health impacts, notably pioneering studies on Chinese family caregivers’ mental health and financial effects. Recently, her work has extended to exploring positive aspects of Chinese family caregiving, encompassing secondary caregivers, social support, domestic helper roles, intervention strategies, and gerontechnology. She is now teaching social gerontology, comprehensive geriatric assessments, and human development for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is also a member of the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund, the Statistics Advisory Board, the Elderly Academy Development Foundation, the Investor and Financial Education Council Advisory Group, and the Senior Police Force Central Advisory Board.
   
Professor Lou’s scholarship and contribution to the gerontology field have been recognized by the following awards: AmCham Women of Influence Award (Woman Change Maker in STEM) (2023); The Healthy Ageing 50, The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2022); Senior Fellowship of Advance HE (2022); Smart Ageing Gold Award – Social & Community Engagement, Golden Age Foundation (2021); AGESW Career Achievement Award (2019).

Publications

  • Lu, N., Lou, V. W. Q.*, & Mao, S. (2023). Stressor Trajectories among Older Adults with Disabilities and Positive Caregiving Experiences among Family Caregivers in Urban China. Health & Social Care in the Community, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/5296995
  • Chen, K., Lou, V. W. Q.*, & Cheng, C. Y. M.. (2023). Intention to use robotic exoskeletons by older people: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis approach. Computers in Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107610
  • Chen, S., Liu, H., & Lou, V. W. Q.*. (2022). Monitoring daily well-being and meaning-making tendencies among adult child working dementia caregivers: validating an experience sampling study protocol. BMC Geriatrics, 22 (714), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03372-1
  • Lou, V. W. Q.*, Cheng, C. Y. M., Yu, D. S. F., Wong, D. F. K., Lai, D. W. L., Chong, A. M. L., Chen, S., & Chou, K. L.. (2022). Meaning Making as a Lifebuoy in Dementia Caregiving: Predicting Depression from a Generation Perspective Using a Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), 15711. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315711
  • Liu, H., & Lou, V. W. Q.* (2019). Transitioning into spousal caregiving: Contribution of caregiving intensity and caregivers’ multiple chronic conditions to functional health. Age and Ageing, 48(1), 108-114.

Externally funded research

Project Title PI/Co-I Funding Source & Amount Period / Status
Opening the black box of a multicomponent intervention for informal dementia caregivers: A randomized controlled trial using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST)

Co-I

(PI: Prof. K. L. Chou, Department of Asian and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong)

Health and Medical Research Fund (Ref. no. 18191781)

HK$1,470,200

Dec 1 2021 – Nov 30 2023

Ongoing

Wearable closed-loop neural control ‘Remind-to-move’ treatment for hemiparetic upper extremity in people with hemiplegia after stroke

Co-PI

(PI: Prof. K. Fong, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Research Impact Fund (Ref. no. R5028-20)

HK$9,190,000 (Allocated to VW Lou: HK$400,000)

May 1 2021 – Apr 30 2025

Ongoing

Hospital discharge support and transitional care project for older people PI

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

HK$6,060,000

Apr 1 2021 – Mar 31 2024

Ongoing

Evaluation of JC-Carer Alliance Project PI

Hong Kong Association of Gerontology

HK$16,000,000 (Allocated to VW Lou: HK$600,000)

Feb 1 2021 – Jan 31 2023

Ongoing

An exploratory study on the institutionalization of a case management model for community care services in Hong Kong

Co-I

(PI: Dr. W. S. Kan, Felizberta Lo Padilla Tong School of Social Sciences, Caritas Institute of Higher Education)

University Grants Committee Faculty Development Scheme (Ref. no. UGC/FDS11/H06/20)

HK$387,420

Jan 1 2021 – Dec 31 2022

Ongoing

Intelligent Robotics for Elderly Assistance in Hong Kong

Co-PI

(PI: Prof. W. P. Wang, Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong)

Theme-based Research Scheme (Ref. no. T42-717/20-R)

HK$43,333,000 (Allocated to VW Lou: HK$3,600,000)

Nov 1 2020 – Oct 31 2025

Ongoing

Ecological momentary intervention for stroke caregivers’ psychological support: a andomized controlled trial

Co-I

(PI: Dr. J. J. Lee, School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong)

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (GRF) (Ref. no. 17617620)

HK$734,456

Jan 20 2020 – Jul 12 2021

Completed

When Both Spouses Have Functional Decline: Spousal Collaboration Dynamics in Mastering Daily Stressors Using Ecological Momentary Assessment PI

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (GRF) (Ref. no. 17605119)

HK$1,163,688

Jan 1 2020 – Jun 30 2022

Ongoing

Third age planning and productive ageing for young-olds PI

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

HK$12,950,000

Nov 1 2019 – Apr 30 2023

Ongoing

Social capital and the health among older populations in China: From the perspective of active aging framework

Co-I

(PI: Dr. N. Lu, School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China)

National Social Science Foundation of China (Ref. no. 19ASH018)

HK$419,090/RMB350,000

Jul 1 2019 –  Jul 31 2022

Ongoing

Meaning making in dementia caregiving among adult children in Hong Kong: testing a generation model PI

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (GRF) (Ref. no. 17613218)

HK$604,020

Jan 1 2019 –Dec 31 2021

Ongoing

Resident to resident aggression in residential care homes in Hong Kong: the interrelationship among resident characteristics, caregiving context and the physical environment

Co-I

(PI: Prof. E. C. W. Yan, Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (GRF) (Ref. no. 15606018)

HK$680,420

Jan 1 2019 – Dec 31 2021

Ongoing

Quality of life of lung cancer patients and effective intervention through supported care approach

Co-I

(PI: Prof. Y. P. He, Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

National Natural Science Foundation of China (Ref. no. 71874111)

HK$670,476/RMB560,000

Jan 1 2019 – Dec 31 2022

Ongoing

Defining Sonhood: the exploration of lived experience of the caregiving sons in their late adulthood in Hong Kong PI

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (PPR) (Ref. no. 2017.A8.076.18B)

HK$607,582

Oct 3 2018 – Oct 2 2019

Completed

Preventing elder mistreatment: resilience and risk patterns of family caregivers

Co-I

(PI: Dr. E. C. W. Yan, Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (GRF) (Ref. no. 15603017)

HK$667,220

Jan 1 2018 – Dec 31 2020

Completed

A study on the health status and social support needs of the elderly who provide home care

Co-I

(PI: Dr. X. Zhao, Peking University)

National Natural Science Fund of China (NNSFC) (Ref. no. 71704006)

HK$239,480/RMB200,000

Jan 1 2018 – Dec 31 2020

Completed

Promotion of volunteerism among Hong Kong retirees: an intervention study

Co-I

(PI: Prof. K. L. Chou, Department of Asian and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong)

Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (PPR) (Ref. no. 2016.A5.023.16C)

HK$712,307

Jan 1 2017 – May 30 2018

Completed

Honor (fellowship, award, honorary appointments)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION / MEMBERSHIP
2022 – date Member, Advisory Committee for the School of Social Sciences of Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE)
2022 – date date Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
2018 – date Member, British Society of Gerontology
2016 – date Associate Fellow, interRAI (A collaborative network of reserchers and practitioners in over 35 countries committed to improving care for persons who are disabled and/or medically complex)
2015 – date Fellow, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
2013 – date Council Member, Hong Kong Association of Gerontology
2006 – date Member, Society for Social Work and Research
2002 – date Registered Social Worker, Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board
2001 – date Member, Hong Kong Social Workers Association
1999 – date International Member, American Psychological Association
HONORARY ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS (2015-date)
2021 – date Adjunct Professor, International School of Social Work, East China University of Science and Technology, P.R.C.
2020 – date Expert Panel, Institute on Ageing Research, China National Committee on Ageing, ECNU, P.R.C.
2019 – date Associates, Centre for Ageing Research and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
2019 – date Honorary Professor, School of Social Development, ECNU, P.R.C.
2019 – date Expert panel, Centre for NPO Research & Evaluation, Shenzhen, P.R.C.
2018 – 2019 Visiting Fellow, Centre for Research on Ageing, Faculty of Social, Human and Mathematical Science, University of Southampton, U.K.
2018 Visiting Professor, Department of Global Health & Social Medicine (School of Global Affairs), Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, King’s College London, U.K.
2016 Visiting Scholar, School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, VA, U.S.A.
2015 date Honorary Research Fellow, Centre on Behavioral Health, HKU, H.K.
HONORS & AWARDS
2023 19th Women of Influence – Woman Change Maker in STEM Award
2022 The Healthy Ageing 50 Leaders, the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, Switzerland
2022 Senior Fellowship of Advance HE, U.K.
2021 Smart Ageing Gold Award – Social & Community Engagement, Golden Age Foundation
2019 Abstract prize, 9th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health, International Network of Social Work in Health and Mental Health, York, U.K.
2019 Career Achievement Award, Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work, U.S.A.
2018 Textbook excellence award, Human Behaviour and the Social Environment, Jiangsu Province, P.R.C.
2018 Outstanding paper, 15th World Congress on Long Term Care in Chinese Communities, Hong Kong, P.R.C.
2012 Outstanding paper, 19th Annual Congress, Hong Kong Association of Gerontology (HKAG), Hong Kong, P.R.C.
2011 Outstanding paper, 8th World Congress on Long Term Care in Chinese Communities, Hong Kong, P.R.C.
2011 Sik Sik Yuen Outstanding Academic-Community Partnership Project
2011 Best paper, 1st National Young Scholars Forum on Gerontology and Geriatrics, P.R.C.
2009 Outstanding paper, 17th Annual Congress, HKAG, Hong Kong, P.R.C.
2008 Outstanding paper, 16th Annual Congress, HKAG, Hong Kong, P.R.C.
2007 Outstanding paper, 15th Annual Congress, HKAG, Hong Kong, P.R.C.

Key Community Services

Government Committee Member
2020 – present Investor and Financial Education Council Advisory Group – Financial Education for Retirees
2020 – present present Senior Police Force Central Advisory Board
2020 – present present Elderly Academy Development Foundation
2019 – present Community Investment and Inclusion Fund
2018 – present Statistics Advisory Board, Government of the Hong Kong SAR
Editorial Board Membership
2021 – date

Educational Gerontology

Editorial board member

2020 – date

Asian Journal of Gerontology & Geriatrics

Chief Editor

2019 – date

Aging & Mental Health

Associate Editor

2019 – date Research on Aging
Editorial board member
2019 – date

Journal of Gerontological Social Work

Editorial board member

Community Service
2021 – date Council Member, Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asian Region (CIFA)
2020 – date Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC) Advisory Group – Financial Education for Retirees
2020 – date Consultant, Social Service Division, Caritas Hong Kong
2020 – date Senior Police Force Central Advisory Board
2019 – date Elderly Academy Development Foundation
2019 – date Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF)
2018 – date Statistics Advisory Board (SAB)
2016 – date Elderly Commission (EC)
2013 – 2019 Social Work Training Fund, Labour and Welfare Bureau
2008 – date Board of Director, Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association
2002 – date Consultant, Hong Kong Outlying Islands Women’s Association Ltd
Organizational Leadership
2023 present Social Service Consultant, Pok Oi Hospital
2022 present Member, Advisory Committee for the School of Social Sciences of Caritas Institute of Higher Education