My research interest in caregiving has grown from both academic engagement and lived experience. During my time working for JC Carer Space Project, I examined the challenges faced by carers, their unmet needs, and their interactions with community services. Yet this research became profoundly meaningful to me when I also became a carer myself. This transition allowed me to understand caregiving not only as a research topic, but as an embodied experience shaped by responsibility, uncertainty, emotional labor, and institutional constraints. It deepened my awareness that caregiving is never merely a private family matter; rather, it is a critical social issue that reflects how societies recognize and support invisible labor.
My primary research interest lies in carers’ needs and in how these needs shape their willingness and capacity to use social services. Carers often encounter complex and evolving difficulties, including psychological stress, financial pressure, time conflicts, and limited access to reliable information. However, the existence of need does not automatically lead to help-seeking behavior. Many carers remain outside formal support systems. I am particularly interested in this gap between “having needs” and “using services,” as it reveals the broader social, cultural, and institutional barriers that influence carers’ decisions.
By integrating personal experience with sociological inquiry, I aspire to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of care. Not only documents carers’ needs, but also informs policies and services that enable carers to be seen, supported, and empowered.
By: Ms. Wendie LIN, Senior Research Assistant
Email: wendie@hku.hk