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Ageing society
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Ageing society. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
Illustration: Henry Wong
China manufacturing

‘Buy a robot for retirement’? China’s androids are set to change everyday life

While they are not yet capable of performing a wide range of everyday tasks, rapid development promises a bright future for humanoid robots, including in elder care.

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Wellness

Feeling lonely? How dementia risk goes up with social isolation

Wellness

How to slow or reverse ageing? Experts reveal latest longevity trends

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Viral stories

‘Don’t want to die alone’: Japan grandma steals to get free care, help in jail

Despairing grandmother who lives on meagre pension says she would rather take ‘stability’ of prison than life on outside.

A grandmother in Japan says she would rather face the “stability” of incarceration than life on the outside, highlighting the country’s ageing population problem. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com/yahoo.jp
Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong to be ‘more targeted’ in helping poor amid deficit: No 2 official

Government will not simply cut social welfare resources, Eric Chan says, as city grapples with deficit set to reach about HK$100 billion.

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Malaysia

Care or convenience? Debate rages over Malaysia’s ‘abandoned’ parents

High cost of private care, genuine concern over their elders’ health issues among reasons Malaysians cite for ‘abhorrent’ practice.

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Japan

Japan records biggest jump in foreign workers as it tackles labour shortages

Vietnamese, Chinese and Filipinos were the top three nationalities in Japan’s foreign labour force.

FILE PHOTO: Japanese national flag hoisted atop of the Bank of Japan headquarters building is seen between traffic signals in Tokyo, Japan January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
Wellness

How to age well? Eat right, stay socially active, celebrity doctor says

Ian K. Smith, an author and ex-talk show host who worked under Barack Obama, shares ways to live better longer. Avoiding loneliness is key.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Lunar New Year dirty secret? Abandoning elderly relatives in hospital

A frustrated doctor’s viral TikTok video has exposed Malaysians’ hidden holiday habit of using hospital wards as makeshift nursing homes.

Hong Kong transport

HK$2 fare scheme: 56% of Hongkongers support raising age level, survey finds

More than half of residents in favour of raising age threshold to original 65, up from current 60, according to Democratic Party poll.

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The public transport subsidy scheme is currently under review and has long been considered a heavy financial burden on the government. Photo: May Tse
Wellness

China’s rural healthcare challenge: spend more or move people to cities

With doctors and medical students avoiding China’s rural hospitals because of low pay, villagers don’t receive adequate healthcare.

Patients in a hospital in Duan Yao, in Guangxi, China. Rural healthcare is falling behind as the authorities in Beiing focus on urbanisation. Photo: Reuters
Wellness

She can deadlift 102kg at 64. How building muscle helps women as they age

Building muscle through resistance or strength training helps protect from sarcopenia, an age-related condition women suffer more than men.

China's economic recovery

Pet healthcare booms in China as furry friends outnumber infants and toddlers

Pet economy offers better career prospects as clinics and hospitals open across country.

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China's population

No more ‘dragon babies’: China’s birth figures likely to tumble again in 2025

When China recorded an uptick in births last year, some argued the country’s baby bust may be ending. But those hopes are likely to be dashed in 2025, demographers say.

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China is likely to see another decline in the number of new births in 2025, demographers say. Photo: Getty Images
South Korea

For the first time in a decade, Asia’s lowest birth rate is on the rise

South Korea has the world’s lowest fertility rates, but an uptick in pandemic-postponed marriages has sparked optimism for family growth.

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Fathers hold their newborn babies at a hospital in Goyang, near Seoul, South Korea, on January 1. Photo: Yonhap/EPA-EFE
Wellness

What’s having dementia like? This experience reveals the pain, frustration

A psychologist’s ‘virtual dementia tours’ are designed to build sensitivity and awareness in those caring for others with the condition.

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Wellness

Explainer | This condition could cause blindness. Only an eye test can detect it

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of severe vision impairment, comes in dry and wet versions, with treatment for both.

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Chinese culture

Being Chinese | The beauty of being a filial Chinese daughter

Despite the caregiving challenges, there’s a beauty in accepting filial piety is not a choice but a necessity: roles and responsibilities are clear.

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Amy Wu and her father, Dr Joseph Wu, attending the annual senior prom event organised by the New York Dutchess county government’s Office for the Ageing in October 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Evelyn Loo
China's population

China’s population drops for third year in a row despite uptick in births

Though China’s birth rate rose this year after an all-time low in 2023, the country’s overall population continued its decline.

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Hong Kong

Editorial | Hong Kong meal coupons provide more food for thought

City scheme involving the government and five restaurants will help feed the elderly and disadvantaged.

Wellness

Dementia risk for obese, physically inactive teens found by study

Teenagers and their parents had better watch out. An unhealthy lifestyle in childhood has been linked to the onset of dementia in adulthood.

High body mass index and blood pressure, and low levels of physical activity, in childhood affect brain health in adulthood and could trigger dementia, new research suggests. Photo: Shutterstock
China birth rate

Chinese city bucks birth rate decline as cash incentives bear fruit

A city in China has defied national trends and reported a 17 per cent increase in births, credited to sizeable cash payments for parents.

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Numerous cities in China are offering incentives to encourage their residents to have more children. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong

He escaped death by beheading in 1940s Hong Kong, then became a British oil exec

Now 98 years old, Hui Yin-kan survived the Japanese occupation during World War 2.

Hong Kong society

Food coupons being dished out to 50,000 elderly Hongkongers for HK$25 meals

Residents will get five coupons which they can use to pay a discounted price of HK$25 for each of five designated meals offered at restaurants in the scheme.

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Banking & finance

Cross-border retirement plans could give Hongkongers cheaper healthcare: experts

Hong Kong has an ageing population, a low birth rate and many retirees are financially unprepared for the future, experts say.

A panel discussion at the Asian Financial Forum with, from left to right, Prudential Hong Kong CEO Lawrence Lam, General Re’s Orchis Li, HKU’s director of the Asia Global Institute Tang Heiwei and Wilson Tang of BOC Group Life Assurance. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Wellness

How mouth-taping could reduce snoring – but beware of side effects

Mouth-taping is purported to provide many health benefits relating to sleeping and oral health, but could also be dangerous for some people.

An advert on eBay shows mouth patches being used to encourage nose breathing while sleeping. Photo: ebay.co.uk/@evansm_5354
Hong Kong youth

Letters | How to save our children from smartphones and social media

Readers discuss the harmful problem of online addiction, the mixed messages sent to Hong Kong seniors, the HK$2 fare scheme, and a troubling taxi ride.

Wellness

3 fitness trends for 2025, including advances in wearable tech

Leading global trends in the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2025 report include advances in wearable tech beyond tracking steps.

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