In recent years, warnings about Hong Kong’s rapidly ageing population have become increasingly urgent. Long hospital waits, chronic shortages in long-term care and a shrinking working-age population have led many policymakers and researchers to portray ageing as an approaching demographic crisis that a small, densely populated city might be unable to absorb. In some quarters,…
Visits to accident and emergency (A&E) departments at Hong Kong’s public hospitals have dropped by nearly 12 per cent since a new pricing regime took effect, while the number of people benefiting from fee waivers has tripled. The Hospital Authority said on Friday that in the first week after the new fees regime was implemented…
Hong Kong will overhaul public hospital fees from January 1 to ensure the sustainable development of its healthcare system amid challenges from an ageing population. Authorities estimate the increased fees could generate an additional HK$3 billion (US$385 million) a year, with the extra revenue earmarked to support patients facing financial hardship or critical illnesses. The…
A 90-year-old man from northern China, who has been travelling across the country in his van with his wife for the past two decades, has captured significant attention on social media. Wang Ruisen, from Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, bought his first van in 2003 to fulfil his dream of a…
Hong Kong’s Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing has announced dozens of measures to promote the “silver economy” and address the needs of the city’s ageing population. These cover five main areas: boosting consumption, developing tailor-made products, promoting quality assurance of “silver” products, strengthening financial and insurance protection, and encouraging older residents to re-enter the…