Editorial | Boost monitoring and outreach efforts to protect Hong Kong’s elderly
As Hong Kong’s population ages, the need to care for those living on their own or with other vulnerable family members increases
When family tragedies happen and dominate the headlines, it is time to sit up and take notice.
Sorry tales involving the vulnerable and helpless taking their own lives or dying because of a lack of support or attention are evidence of the inadequacies in services for those in distress. Proactive measures must be taken to prevent such incidents.
The recent episode in which a 78-year-old man was found dead with his mentally disabled son unharmed next to him in a Tuen Mun public housing flat is yet another disturbing reminder that some families may have fallen through the gaps of the existing social welfare network.
The 44-year-old son was said to be in a disturbed mental state when the police broke into the flat earlier this month following reports of a foul smell.
Last August, a 60-year-old man and his 82-year-old bedridden mother were found dead in their Kwun Tong flat. The man apparently died in an accident while the elderly woman passed away because of a lack of care.
A spate of similar incidents in recent years prompted Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to establish a database to provide early intervention and support to carers who are looking after elderly residents or individuals with disabilities.