Study: Hong Kong seniors in Guangdong surge nearly 60% in decade
A new report by Our Hong Kong Foundation finds the number of Hong Kong residents aged 65 or above living long-term in Guangdong rose from 70,900 to 111,600 over the past decade, a nearly 60 per cent increase. The foundation urges the government to adopt a regional approach to elderly care, proposing
A study by Our Hong Kong Foundation has revealed that the number of Hong Kong residents aged 65 or above living long-term in Guangdong has surged by nearly 60 per cent over the past decade, from 70,900 to 111,600.
The foundation, which released its retirement policy research on 8 October, is recommending that the government shift its elderly care strategy towards what it calls a "Greater Bay Area regional complementary" approach, combining the strengths of mainland cities in the region to build a mutually beneficial and sustainable regional elderly care ecosystem.
The study surveyed more than 1,000 Hong Kong residents aged 36 or above who are interested in retiring in the Greater Bay Area. Among them, 48 per cent said they had encountered difficulties using specialist medical services in the region. Of those aged 50 or above who intend to retire there, 60 per cent said finding suitable care services was their main challenge.
The foundation suggested that the government could procure specialist services, such as cataract operations, knee replacement surgery and diagnostic imaging, from accredited private service providers in mainland Greater Bay Area cities. This, it said, would offer an alternative for elderly people with urgent treatment needs who cannot afford private medical costs in Hong Kong.
It also proposed establishing a Hong Kong-based "Greater Bay Area Care Service Navigation Network" to partner with institutions in Greater Bay Area cities, providing retirees with a fixed point of contact and support.
