Hong Kong: Embracing a Fast Aging Society With Limited Welfare

Abstract

With a noninterventionist government and an ideology emphasizing family self-reliance, yet one of the oldest populations around the world, Hong Kong faces many unresolved policy issues in aging, including public financial support, long-term care, and the lack of health or mental health care policies for older people. Despite funding limitations, research is vibrant and population aging is drawing more researchers into the field. Following a review of some of the major research activities, we conclude with some observations on a few key issues for the field of gerontology to move forward with in Hong Kong.

Successful Aging

“…In fact, it is increasingly questioned whether many European countries can sustain such high-cost models given the economic downturn as well as continuous aging of the populations (European Commission, 2012). 9 and89.2 respectively in 2026 (Census andStatistics Department, 2012;Cheng, Lum, Lam, & Fung, 2013). Asia is a rather heterogeneous continent in terms of socioeconomic development and population aging, and in this book, we shall focus on a few countries where population aging is happening more rapidly than the other regions.…”

“…This may explain why Chinese increase the number of family members and decrease the number of acquaintances from their social networks with age but Germans do the opposite (Fung, Stoeber et al, 2008). However, to the extent that people from different cultures define different goals as emotionally meaningful, they may use different strategies to optimize their emotional functioning with age (Fung, 2013). Similarly, the findings that Americans value high arousal positive affect but Chinese value low arousal positive affect (Tsai, Knutson, & Fung, 2006) may be a possible explanation for why emotional suppression (i.e.…”

“…Moreover, given the interdisciplinary nature of the field of gerontology, more interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary in order to advance the field in Asia (e.g., Cheng, Lum, Lam, & Fung, 2013). With perhaps the sole exception of Japan, investment in research, especially studies in gerontology, has not caught up with economic development in the region.…”

Changes in Prevalence, Outcomes, and Help‐seeking Behavior of Chronic Pain in an Aging Population Over the Last Decade

“…The data were compared with a similar study conducted in 1999 by our center to investigate the changes and trends regarding the prevalence of chronic pain and its related outcomes, as well as to provide new data on neuropathic pain in this population. This study also aimed to explore the changes in patterns of chronic pain in an aging population in a developed region such as Hong Kong, with one of the world's highest age expectancies, but without a comprehensive primary healthcare system such as that seen in the United Kingdom or other European countries . The mode and questionnaire used were similar to our previous study, with slight modifications to the questions and the addition of questions regarding neuropathic pain.…”

Better way to measure ageing in East Asia that takes life expectancy into account

“…‘Population ageing’ is held as one of the defining features of the policy and scientific literature regarding population challenges over the course of the 21st century in East Asia . As well as in countries well known for their aged population and associated challenges such as Japan and Republic of Korea , population ageing is also seen as a threat to future economic growth in China, with the oft‐quoted expression that the country will ‘get old before it gets rich’ .…”