Ageing well in the community: Using time-banking to promote social capital for mutual help and healthy ageing

Community Engagement as a Public Policy Imperative in Caregiving Research

Professor Terry Lum
Henry G. Leong Professor in Social Work and Administration, The University of Hong Kong

Associate Professor Nathan Boucher
Associate Professor of Medicine, Nursing and Public Policy, Duke University

Professor Terry Lum is a renowned expert in long-term care, productive ageing, and geriatric mental health. As the Henry G. Leong Professor at The University of Hong Kong, he has advised the Hong Kong Government on major ageing policies, including long-term care assessment systems, community care voucher schemes, innovative support for caregivers, and a stepped-care model for mental health.

Professor Lum leads pioneering projects such as the HKJC JoyAge and Age Friendly City initiatives, and serves on two WHO committees on healthy ageing and long-term care, and is a commissioner of the Lancet Commission on Long Term Care. A Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and recipient of the Career Leadership Award in Social Work Gerontology, Professor Lum’s work extends across academic, policy, and community spheres to address the evolving challenges of an ageing society.

Associate Professor Nathan Boucher is an expert in assessing patient and caregiver experiences during serious illness. As a Research Scientist with US Veterans Administration Health Systems Research and faculty at Duke University, he specialises in both qualitative and intervention research at the intersection of social care and healthcare for populations in need.


Dr. Boucher leads projects to support family caregivers and older adults—including those assisting older adults re-entering the community from prison—and develops innovative interventions for families living with dementia and other serious illness. Dr. Boucher’s multidisciplinary perspective bridges clinical practice, health/social policy, and community engagement to drive meaningful advances in health and social supports for older adults.