Hong Kong near bottom of world ranking for psychological health for the elderly
While city came in 19th for overall well-being, critics say government must do more to get people working later in life and provide universal pensions
The psychological health of Hong Kong’s elderly has been ranked close to the bottom in the world, despite a government initiative to allow them to travel around the city for a flat HK$2 fare.
While Hong Kong ranked high in physical safety and civic freedom and top in access to public transport, it fared poorly in pension coverage and relative psychological well-being – coming in 60th and 79th respectively.
Gerontologists argue it is time for the city to increase the retirement age and rethink how to bring the elderly back into society after they have retired, either through voluntary or involuntary means.
“Until very recently, when you got to be 60 or 65, you were out of society ... If life expectancy is increasing all the time, [retirees] could end up with 30 years without anything to do if you do not raise the retirement age,” said Professor Jean Woo Ling-fong, director of the S.H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics at Chinese University.