Hong Kong’s ageing population must have a bigger say in their end-of-life care

Hong Kong enjoys a very low mortality rate and the highest life expectancy rate in the world: in 2014, life expectancy was 81.2 years for men and 86.9 years for women. The city’s evolving demographic and social landscapes continue to have profound effects on how we deliver public health care services with limited resources while managing community expectations.

According to the latest projections, Hong Kong’s population will increase from 7.2 million in 2014 to a peak of 8.2 million in 2043, after which it will fall to around 7.8 million in 2064. Adding to this challenge is the ageing population trend. The proportion of elderly people aged 65 and above is expected to rise markedly, from 15 per cent in 2014 to 33 per cent in 2064.

Hong Kong has a problem with population ageing, rather than an elderly problem

In 2014, 75 per cent of elderly people were suffering from one or more chronic conditions and this figure is on a rising trend while people are living longer. It is vital for the Hospital Authority to reflect on our progress and experiences over the past 25 years, and to use the knowledge as a springboard for meeting challenges and planning for the future.

While we remain consistent in our overarching objectives, how we cope with the challenges must be under continual review to ensure we are pursuing the most effective strategies based on the social environment, our available resources and changes in medical technology and practices.

In this much changed social environment, it is no longer sufficient to focus solely on quantitative metrics such as surgical outcomes and demand on acute services.