Changes to Hong Kong’s public transport subsidy scheme saved the government HK$69 million (US$8.8 million) in the first month, with fewer elderly and disabled commuters taking expensive long-haul routes for short trips, the welfare minister has said. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that, following revisions to the concessionary fare…
Hong Kong authorities will not cap the monthly number of subsidised trips that eligible elderly and disabled people can take under a revamped transport fare scheme, largely because implementation costs would exceed the savings. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han revealed the decision on Friday, as data showed that an average of only…
Hong Kong authorities may widen support to cover more younger elderly residents to bolster protection, the welfare minister has said, calling current efforts to identify at-risk seniors “just the beginning” as the city reels from two tragedies in a week. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han told the South China Morning Post that…
Hong Kong’s housing authorities will expand the use of smart technologies, such as door sensors, in-home fall detectors and stair climbers, to enhance safety and convenience for elderly residents at public estates as the city’s population ages. Michael Hong Wing-kit, deputy director of housing overseeing estate management, said a pilot scheme to install sensors, which…
Hong Kong authorities should step up support for elderly at risk of suicide across all social classes, analysts have said, after a 73-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of murdering her husband in a hotel before taking sleeping pills and losing consciousness. They added that officials should broaden efforts to educate frontline workers…
Some elderly residents facing eviction from a block of subdivided flats in Hong Kong have expressed concerns that they could lose their jobs if forced to relocate to allow for their landlords to upgrade the homes to comply with new regulations. Residents of Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building were previously told they needed to…
Hong Kong authorities have identified 1,600 at-risk elderly households in public housing, but analysts have said the figure fails to reflect the scale of this group of vulnerable residents and urged the government to speed up search efforts. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that authorities had identified high-risk cases…
With more than one in three Hongkongers estimated to be 65 or older by 2050, the city must decide whether to spend the coming years improving an overburdened healthcare system or to entirely transform the structure to address the silent epidemic of mental health crises among the elderly. Hong Kong is expected to have the…
Hong Kong’s famed Peak Tram will raise its fares from next Monday, with standard ticket prices for children and the elderly increasing by nearly 40 per cent. The Peak Tramways Company announced on Monday that return tickets for adults would cost HK$116 (US$15) while one-way tickets would be HK$82, a rise of 7 to 8…
A 100-year-old grandmother-turned food blogger in Shanghai has trended on social media thanks to her enthusiasm for eating a range of foods. The centenarian’s culinary likes include strong flavoured foods normally shunned by elderly people. The lifestyle of Zhong Wenyu, who turned 100 in September, is far different from that of many senior citizens who…