Hong Kong’s ageing challenge: is Singapore’s Kampung Admiralty model the answer?
With one in three Hongkongers set to be over 65, experts say the city may need to look abroad for ideas on housing its ageing population
Hongkongers Oscar and Stella Chan, a couple in their late 60s, have little interest in moving into a traditional residential care home.
The retired civil servants rent a flat in Ma On Shan in the New Territories and, while they acknowledge that ageing at home is not always “as straightforward as it sounds”, they believe conventional care homes can “feel restrictive”.
“If my financial situation and health allow, I would much prefer not to stay in a residential care home for the elderly,” Oscar said.
For him and his wife, if a move eventually became necessary, they would hope for something that offered privacy and independence, while still making support available when needed.
“It would need to be private, self-contained living with the flexibility to access support when needed,” he said. “It feels more realistic for people like us who are still active and value independence, but also want to plan ahead sensibly.”