Yiyan Wang

The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Exchange to Victoria University, Australia

Thanks to the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards, I was provided with the opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Australia for half a year. During these 6 months, I settled down, adjusted and enjoyed life in Melbourne. It was a wonderful and unforgettable experience in my life.

I carried out a research study entitled “Home and Community Care Redesign for the Chinese Elderly Living Alone in Urban Cities: Comparison in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Australia”. With the help of my supervisor, Dr. Marty Grace at Victoria University, and others, I successfully interviewed 6 Chinese elderly people living alone, 3 government officers involved in home and community care, 2 non-governmental organization managers and one government-hired home and community caregiver for Chinese elderly living alone. The process of finding potential interviewees, as well as conducting and analyzing the interviews, gave me a much deeper understanding of my research and encouraged me to explore the area more. Moreover, Victoria University has provided me an excellent office with a computer, printer, and fax machine, which have been necessary for me to conduct my research smoothly.

Meanwhile, I have loved the wonderful life in Australia. The blue sky, the fresh air, the cute animals and the friendly people in Melbourne have impressed me very much. We can learn a lot from how Aussies protect their community, the country and the earth, how they welcome people from other countries and how the government ensures the livelihood of the elderly in their later life.

Thanks to the Endeavour Support Team, my supervisor Dr. Marty Grace, Social Work Unit and Victoria University for their support. Without them, I could not have conducted my research successfully.

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