OpinionHong Kong is no city for old folk, and an uncaring government is to blame
Peter Kammerer says high costs, pollution and pocket-sized breathing spaces make retirement in the SAR a daunting prospect, especially compared to his native Australia. But not everyone has an escape route
Retirement isn’t yet on my horizon, but it comes to mind each time I go on holiday. “Could I spend the rest of my life here?” is a fleeting thought after a day of exploring. I’m not intentionally going to places to plan my golden years, but it’s inevitable to have such feelings in middle age when away from Hong Kong. A city so unfriendly to the elderly is simply not somewhere I would like to stay after I stop working.
The old couple next door, he in his 90s and in a wheelchair, she in her late 80s and hobbling with a stick, moved a few blocks away last week to the Housing Society’s Tanner Hill project. Favourable rent terms and a waiving of fees and rates had convinced their children to shift their parents to the 588-flat complex in North Point.
A city so unfriendly to the elderly is simply not somewhere I would like to stay after I stop working
Their accommodation is just as roomy as before and their helper can still live with them, but they now have a range of elderly friendly facilities on hand. Included in what is termed luxury accommodation for people aged 60 and over are health care services, an indoor swimming pool, activities rooms and a library. Two small shopping malls are nearby and public transport a short walk away.
How retirement syndrome is hurting Hong Kong’s elderly
There aren’t many developments in Hong Kong that cater specifically to seniors. Tanner Hill is among the few, the focus being on easy access to facilities and services to ensure independence and privacy.
As pleasant as it seems, it’s not somewhere I’d be eager to retreat to, though. Retirement villages in my native Australia are far more appealing, their parkland, recreational facilities and clubhouses being more extensive.
That’s bound to be the case in a country with plenty of wide, open spaces. But there’s an even more significant matter to consider: a government that is caring.
