Editorial | Hong Kong private sector has role to play in provision of homes for the elderly
A Hong Kong development for those who are old and well-off has drawn attention to the wider social need for dedicated retirement living
Recent news of Hong Kong’s first private residence for those who are old and well-off highlights the needs of a rapidly growing elderly population. Entry costs for accommodation that include debentures, monthly fees covering utilities, food, housekeeping and nursing in the 21-storey Happy Valley development are beyond most budgets.
The project is targeted at a small market for high-end housing designed for the aged. But it does a service to the whole community by drawing attention to a growing social need for dedicated retirement living, including for the less wealthy.
At the same time the Development Bureau has proposed senior-friendly requirements for new private homes and other buildings frequented by the elderly, and exemptions for some from calculations of gross floor area as incentives to provide such facilities. That is a welcome sign we are coming to terms with an ageing society.
Last year, the city had about 1.68 million people aged 65 or above, or nearly one in four out of 7.5 million. By 2046 the number is projected to reach 2.74 million or 36 per cent of the population.
More than one in three will be elderly. Those figures alone should prompt reflection in public and private sectors on the changing face of housing needs.
