After another tragedy, Hong Kong to review age threshold covering elderly needy
Welfare chief says age threshold for elderly may be lowered to widen mission of care teams carrying out visits after 70-year-old man found hanging
Authorities will review the age threshold defining older residents in need to better identify priority cases and prevent more tragedies from happening, the welfare chief has vowed after an elderly Hongkonger was found hanging in his flat.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han made the pledge on Saturday after the 70-year-old man was found hanging in his flat in Lai King Estate in Kwun Tong by his daughter the day before.
Police said the man’s wife, 78, was found unconscious in the bedroom with her head covered by a quilt. They were subsequently rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, where she was declared dead. He remained in an unconscious state as of Saturday morning, and his case has been classified as attempted suicide.
Sun said the couple were not included for targeted visits or follow-up by social workers based on the Housing Authority’s household register as they were both aged under 80.
“It was indeed a tragedy. But they had not been covered for welfare visits by social workers, who usually identify the elderly needy aged 80 or above in the Housing Authority’s household register,” he told a radio programme.
“I’ll ask my colleagues to follow up this case. In the future, we’ll optimise big data to see if we need to reduce the age threshold to cover more elderly needy as our priority care targets.”