Every estate should have care facilities for seniors, Hong Kong’s first full elderly services plan proposes
Two-year study led by HKU also calls for long-term health insurance in face of city’s ageing population
Urban planning rules should be revised, requiring every estate to include elderly care facilities such as nursing homes, according to the city’s first comprehensive plan on elderly care service, led by the University of Hong Kong.
The Elderly Services Programme Plan, a two-year study commissioned by government advisory group Elderly Commission, also suggested introducing long-term health care insurance for the city’s ageing population to ease the financial burden of the government. Demand for long-term nursing facilities is projected to double from about 60,000 this year to 125,000 by 2051.
This is the first time since 1997 that long-term planning for the city’s elderly has been done. Dr Lam Ching-choi, chairman of the Commission, said it was “never too late” for such a plan.
“It’s the prime time to gain enough momentum to bring changes,,” he told the Post. Lam was confident that the suggestions would be implemented by the government, but acknowledged the challenges ahead.
Released yesterday, the blueprint, drafted by experts from five universities, suggested an “estate-based approach” in service provision so that new residential developments would be “self-containing” where possible.