A review of ageing in place: policies and initiatives in Hong Kong since 2010

Abstract

Hong Kong is fast becoming an ageing society and has to confront the challenges posed by an increasing number and proportion of older people. Ageing in place enables older people to remain living in their familiar physical and social environment, having neighbourliness, social support, peace of mind, psychological security, sense of place and identity. It also has positive contributions to quality of life and life satisfaction of older people. Urban development, gentrification, and declining traditional Chinese cultural values, however, all precipitate into weakening family and community support for older people to age in place. This chapter discusses the possible opportunities and strategies for promoting ageing in place in Hong Kong from a public policy perspective, which include the provision of home and community care, improving home modification and building maintenance, exploring assisted living initiatives, promoting ‘careful gentrification’, as well as enabling ageing in place in institutional settings.