Hong Kong to increase care services to cope with ageing population: chief

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Donald Tsang said Wednesday that the government would increase the supply of various subsidized elderly care services to cope with a surging elderly population.

As post-war "baby-boomers" approach retirement age, population in Hong Kong aged 65 or above is expected to surge from about 900,000 in 2010 to 2.1 million by 2030. The increase equals to 90 percent of the net increase in total population over the same period.

To improve elderly services, Hong Kong government proposed to substantially relax the limit of absence for the old age allowance from the present 240 days to 305 days a year, said Tsang in his annual policy address at the city's 60- member Legislative Council.

Therefore, an elderly recipient could receive a full-year allowance as long as he has resided in Hong Kong for 60 days a year.

The government would also find ways to facilitate and support elderly people to settle in the mainland after retirement if they wish, Tsang added.

Meanwhile, the government would significantly increase subsidized community care places for the elderly in 2011, and provide additional places for frail elderly people in need of residential care, Tsang said.

The policy address is the annual address by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Usually, it is addressed in October, on the opening of the city's Legislative Council.

Source: Xinhua