Professor Vivian W. Q. Lou is Head and Professor of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, and Director of the Sau Po Centre on Ageing, at The University of Hong Kong. As a leading scholar in family gerontology and gerontological social work, her research examines family caregiving for older adults with dementia, stroke, functional limitations, and end-of-life needs, together with the social adaptation, mental health, and well-being of Chinese older adults and family caregivers. Her work also spans smart ageing, assistive and wearable technologies, caregiver support, transitional care, community-based integrated care, and AI applications in social work.
Professor Lou is committed to translating research into practice through close collaboration with government, non-governmental organisations, social enterprises, industry, university partners, and local communities. She has led major cross-sector initiatives as Principal Investigator in caregiver support, later-life mental wellness, end-of-life community care, transitional care, and ageing-related technologies. These include the Jockey Club Carer Space Project, Jockey Club “Stand-by U” Caregivers Community Support Project, Jockey Club End-of-Life Community Care Project (Phase III), and Jockey Club Empowerment-based Transitional Care Project.
Her current public and professional service includes serving as a Co-opted Member of the Community Care Fund Task Force under the Commission on Poverty; a member of the Research and Evaluation Committee and the Advisory Group on Financial Education for Retirees of the Investor and Financial Education Council; and a member of the Medical and Support Services Sub-committee of the Council for the AIDS Trust Fund. Internationally, she contributes to World Health Organization (WHO) panels on anti-ageism and the life-course framework under the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, and to Generations and Caregiving Working Group at AARP International.
Professor Lou is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and interRAI, and has received numerous honours, including the HKU Social Sciences Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award (2026), Ageing Asia Global Ageing Influencer (2024), Smart Ageing Champion (Academic) (2024), AHFE Best Paper Award (2024), Woman Change Maker in STEM (2023), recognition among the Healthy Ageing 50 Leaders (2022), and the Career Achievement Award from the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (2019).
- Lou, V. W. Q., Chan, S. K. L., Tang, V. M. Y., Chandola, T., Chan, W. S., Quan, J., Lum, T. Y. S., Tsoi, T. C. W., Lin, W. W., & Leung, D. K. Y. (2025). Development and validation of a carer need screening tool (CNST-11) for carers of older adults: A need-stratified tool for services matching. The Gerontologist, 65(9), gnaf151. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnaf151
- 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, 141, Article 107610. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107610
- Lou, V. W. Q., Cheng, C. Y. M., Ng, D. K. S., Chan, F. H. W., Mo, S. S. L., Kung, E. K. M., & Luk, J. K. H. (2023). A mHealth-supported volunteer-assisted spiritual well-being intervention for discharged older patients: A tripartite collaboration. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 66(2), 189–207. DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2022.2068722
- 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), Article 15711. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315711
- Chen, K., & Lou, V. W. Q. (2020). Measuring senior technology acceptance: Development of a brief, 14-item scale. Innovation in Aging, 4(3), igaa016. DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa016
- Lou, V. W. Q., Chen, E. J., Jian, H., Zhou, Z., Zhu, J., Li, G., & He, Y. (2017). Respiratory symptoms, sleep, and quality of life in patients with advanced lung cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 53(2), 250–256.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.09.006
- Lou, V. W. Q., Lau, B. H. P., & Cheung, K. S. L. (2015). Positive aspects of caregiving (PAC): Scale validation among Chinese dementia caregivers. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 60(2), 299–306. DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2014.10.019
- Lou, V. W. Q., Chi, I., Kwan, C. W., & Leung, A. Y. M. (2013). Trajectories of social engagement and depressive symptoms among long-term care facility residents in Hong Kong. Age and Ageing, 42(2), 215–222. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afs159
- Lou, V. W. Q., & Ng, J. W. (2012). Chinese older adults’ resilience to the loneliness of living alone: A qualitative study. Aging & Mental Health, 16(8), 1039–1046. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2012.692764
- Lou, V. W. Q. (2010). Life satisfaction of older adults in Hong Kong: The role of social support from grandchildren. Social Indicators Research, 95(3), 377–391. DOI: 10.1007/s11205-009-9526-6
- 2025–date — 家庭抗逆力对失智老人照护困境的影响及干预研究 [Effects of family resilience on caregiving challenges among older adults with dementia and related intervention research]. National Social Science Fund Youth Project; CNY ¥200,000.
- 2025–date — Ambivalence in Decision Making for Independent Outdoor Mobility among Adult Child Carers of People with Dementia: A Biopsychosocial Model. General Research Fund; HK$1,729,226.
- 2024–date — Jockey Club “Stand-by U” Caregivers Community Support Project. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; HK$23,830,000.
- 2023–date — Jockey Club Carer Space Project. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; HK$27,040,000.
- 2022–date — Jockey Club End-of-Life Community Care Project (Phase III). The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; HK$51,150,000.
- 2024–2025 — Achieving Successful Caregiving through Social Media Engagement. General Research Fund; HK$1,147,015.
- 2023–2025 — Strength and Conditioning Training Robots: An AI Sensing and Feedback Approach. Sports Science and Research Funding; HK$15,835,040.
- 2023–2025 — Who Cares for Sandwiched Ageing Carers? Effects of Intergenerational Care Provision on Future Care Planning. General Research Fund; HK$1,439,022.
- 2023–2024 — Distance Caregiving: Intercultural Perspectives on Future Home Care. Germany/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme; HK$184,500.
- 2023–2024 — Effects of a Decision-support Intervention on End-of-life Care Planning in Patients with Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Their Family Members: A Mixed-method Approach. General Research Fund; HK$918,997.
- 2022–2024 — Development and Applications of a Daily-use Fall-risk Assessment Device to Prevent Older People from Falling. Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living; HK$2,873,330.
- 2021–2025 — Wearable Closed-loop Neural-control “Remind-to-move” Treatment for the Hemiparetic Upper Extremity in People with Hemiplegia after Stroke. Research Impact Fund; HK$9,190,000, including HK$400,000 allocated to Professor Lou.
- 2021–2024 — Jockey Club Empowerment-based Transitional Care Project. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; HK$6,060,000.
- 2020–2025 — Intelligent Robotics for Elderly Assistance in Hong Kong. Theme-based Research Scheme; HK$43,333,000, including HK$28,252,000 allocated to HKU and HK$3,600,000 to Professor Lou.
- 2020–2022 — When Both Spouses Have Functional Decline: Spousal Collaboration Dynamics in Mastering Daily Stressors Using Ecological Momentary Assessment. General Research Fund; HK$1,163,688.
- 2019–2021 — Meaning Making in Dementia Caregiving among Adult Children in Hong Kong: Testing a Generation Model. General Research Fund; HK$604,020.
- 2026–date — Co-opted Member, Community Care Fund Task Force, Commission on Poverty.
- 2026–date — Honorary Advisor, Elderly Services Association of Hong Kong.
- 2025–date — Advisor, Alliance of Silver Economy Development.
- 2025–date — Honorary Advisor, Executive Committee, Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association Limited.
- 2025–date — Member, Generations and Caregiving Working Group, Living, Learning and Earning Longer, AARP International; Employer Alliance participant since 2026.
- 2024–date — Panel Member on Anti-ageism, World Health Organization.
- 2024–date — Senior Consultant for Elderly Care Services, Xinyi Social Work Service Center, Doumen, Zhuhai.
- 2024–date — Member, Medical and Support Services Sub-committee, Council for the AIDS Trust Fund.
- 2024–date — Member, Research and Evaluation Committee, Investor and Financial Education Council.
- 2024–date — Member, Advisory Group on Financial Education for Retirees, Investor and Financial Education Council.
- 2024–date — Board Member and Director, Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association.
- 2024–date — Education Advisor, Outlying Islands Women’s Association.
- 2023–date — Panel Member on the Life-course Framework, United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, World Health Organization.
- 2023–date — Social Services Advisor, Pok Oi Hospital.
- 2023–date — Honorary Advisor, Service Management Committee, Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association Limited.
- 2023–date — Board Member, Senior Citizen Home Safety Association.
- 2022–date — Member, Human Resources Committee, Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association.
- 2021–date — Council Member, Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asian Region.
- 2021–date — Editorial Board Member, Educational Gerontology.
- 2020–date — Consultant, Social Service Division, Caritas Hong Kong.
- 2020–date — Chief Editor, Asian Journal of Gerontology & Geriatrics.
- 2019–date — Associate Editor, Aging & Mental Health.
- 2019–date — Editorial Board Member, Research on Aging.
- 2013–date — Council Member, Hong Kong Association of Gerontology.
- 2022–date — Senior Fellow, Advance HE.
- 2019–date — Fellow, interRAI.
- 2015–date — Fellow, Gerontological Society of America.
- 2026 — Social Sciences Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong.
- 2026 — Women’s Leadership in Asia: Breaking Barriers, Building Futures.
- 2025 — “Co-Create for Good” Partnership Engagement Programme Award, Christian Family Service Centre.
- 2024 — Ageing Asia Global Ageing Influencer.
- 2024 — AHFE Best Paper Award in Human Factors and Wearable Technologies for “Advancing the Development of Intelligent Wearable Robots for Elderly Assistance: An Innovative User-Centric Co-Creation (UC3) Framework.”
- 2024 — Smart Ageing Champion (Academic), Smart Ageing Leader Award, Golden Age Foundation.
- 2024 — Knowledge Exchange Excellence Award, The University of Hong Kong, for the Jockey Club JoyAge–Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness.
- 2024 — Faculty Knowledge Exchange Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, for the Jockey Club JoyAge–Holistic Support Project for Elderly Mental Wellness.
- 2023 — Outstanding Paper Award, Journal of Adult Protection, Emerald Literati Awards.
- 2023 — Women of Influence: Woman Change Maker in STEM Award, American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
- 2023 — Outstanding Paper Award, 30th Annual Congress of Gerontology, Hong Kong Association of Gerontology.
- 2023 — Smart Ageing Bronze Award–Elderly Care, Golden Age Foundation, for the Jockey Club Empowerment-based Transitional Care Project.
- 2022 — Named among the Healthy Ageing 50 Leaders under the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing.
- 2021 — Outstanding Paper Award, 28th Annual Congress of Gerontology, Hong Kong Association of Gerontology.
- 2019 — Abstract Prize, 9th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health.
- 2019 — Career Achievement Award, Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work.