No time to die: most Hongkongers don’t know enough about end-of-life care services
- Survey finds almost 80 per cent of respondents do not know where to find services, while 55 per cent had ‘little confidence’ in making that decision
- Government data says 98,000 of us will die each year in the city by 2066
Almost 80 per cent of Hongkongers have no idea where to obtain end-of-life care services, a think tank’s survey has found, highlighting the inadequate resources and education devoted to the city’s rapidly ageing population.
Typically for terminally ill people who wish to stop receiving life-saving treatment if they are expected to die within the next six to 12 months, end-of-life services encompass physical, social, and emotional support for the patient and their families, so patients can live out their last days with dignity.
But, according to a recent survey, 77 per cent of those interviewed said they did not know where to find those services, while about 55 per cent said they had “little confidence” in making end-of-life arrangements, while 12 per cent said they took care of elderly or terminally ill people at home.
Government data shows there will be an estimated 98,000 deaths a year by 2066, up from 46,700 in 2016, at a time when public hospitals already face a shortage of bed space and medical staff.
“In order to meet the demands of an ageing population in the future, we need to focus on integrating end-of-life services within the community, instead of relying on terminal illness treatment from public hospitals” said Pamela Tin Sze-pui, who led the survey commissioned by Our Hong Kong Foundation.
