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Hong Kong Association of Banks issues guideline on serving people with dementia
The EOC welcomes the issuance of the Guideline on Banking Services for Persons with Dementia by the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) this month, a seminal move towards enhancing financial inclusion and promoting equal access to banking services in Hong Kong.
The Guideline establishes key principles and recommends good practices in providing banking services to persons with dementia. It covers various aspects such as communication with customers with dementia, measures to protect them from risks, and the role and responsibilities of authorised persons holding an enduring power of attorney.
In particular, banks are recommended to enhance understanding among frontline staff about dementia, the severity of which varies with each person affected by the condition. Knowledge about the different stages of dementia, for example, would enable staff members to better assist persons with dementia to understand the banking services available to them. The Guideline also recommends that appropriate training on the Disability Discrimination Ordinance should be provided to bank staff.
In September 2021 the EOC was invited to join an online sharing session held by the HKAB to discuss the draft Guideline along with NGOs and members of the banking industry. Upon its release, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority issued a circular calling on all banks providing retail banking services to observe the recommended practices.
A similar guideline, tailored for the provision of banking services to persons with intellectual disabilities, was issued in December 2020.
