IT could be the only chance in their long lives to find out about foreign cultures through living with people from different countries - even if it is only for a week.
A group of senior citizens from nine countries will converge on Hong Kong next week, joining scores of others from the territory, at a holiday camp in Sai Kung.
With a host of foreign national flags flying, it promises to be a lively affair, despite the age of the participants.
The visitors will gather for the 'Away From Home' project, run by the charity Helping Hand, with sponsorship from the Dutch airline, KLM.
It is Hong Kong's first opportunity to play host to such a unique group. Twelve pairs, each comprising of an elderly person and a young companion with proven ability to take care of their partner, are due to arrive this weekend. Helping Hand, a voluntary body established in 1978 for the welfare of needy old people, came up with the idea in response to a worldwide competition to find worthy cross-cultural projects. It is called 'Bridging the World' and was launched by KLM to celebrate its 75th anniversary last year.
The contest generated a huge response. Between last October and November, the Dutch capital was flooded with more than 12,000 entries from 120 countries.