Public Sector Reform Conference 2010 “Public Service 2020” “Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”

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Public Sector Reform Conference 2010“Public Service 2020”

“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”

Dr. C.H. LeongChairman

Elderly Commission10 November 2010

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• No controversies“老吾老以及人之老”

• Everyone will grow old — there is no exception

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Five areas:• the situation;• the possible problems;• the challenges;• the opportunities;• the perceived deficiencies.

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1980Today

? 2020

Elderlies of 2020 will be different from those of today.

Elderlies of today is very different from those 10 years ago.

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly” The situation

1971 2009 2019 2029

Expectation of life at birth (years)

Male 67.8 79.7 81.5 82.8

Female 75.3 85.9 87.9 89.2

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2004 2008Educational attainment

Primary education 65% 71%

Secondary education and above

21% 27%

Census and Statistics Department (2009). Socio-demographic Profile, Health Status andSelf-care Capability of Older Persons.

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2004 2008Smoking 13.7% 13%

Indulge in alcohol 11.4% 12%

Census and Statistics Department (2009). Socio-demographic Profile, Health Status andSelf-care Capability of Older Persons.

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The situationSTATUS of elderlies today and the future

•Better educated•Better health •Financial independent•Better spending power

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- “Grey Power” - Societal and elderly issues advocates

• 2008 Legislative Council Election• about 344,000 registered electors aged 61 or above

who cast their votes, accounting for 22.6% of the total number of electors casting their votes

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly” The Problems

Elderly care = “welfare”?

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly” The Problems

Elderly services spans many jurisdictions:

• Health, education, transport, housing, leisure etc.

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Problems• Portrait of the elderly

– 長者道路安全– 道路安全議會– 衞生署

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Problems

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The Problems• Age discrimination

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The Challenge• Seniors’ views

– A healthy body– Social networks, support, participation– An adequate dispensable accounts– Intergenerational harmony…

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The Challenge• New cohorts of elderlies

in 2020 will want to

–develop positive self image;–actively participate in the society;–take responsibility and contribute.

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Opportunities• The Elderly Academy

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Opportunities• Neighbourhood Active Ageing Project

http://www.elderlycommission.gov.hk/cn/download/Programmes_and_events/TON_9608.JPG

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The Opportunities• Neighbourhood Active Ageing Project (con’t)

– Identifying Hidden Elders– Assist and prevent possible elder abuse– Assist and prevent early suicidal– Assist and identify early dementia

長者隱蔽六年• 七十九歲的鍾先生退休前任職銷售經理，退休後因年老相繼被僱主拒絕聘用。• 他坦言 : 「冇人請對我好大打擊，覺得生無可戀，朋友唔想見，除咗食嘢之外，都唔想落街」。

08 年虐老逾 600 百宗阿華的個案只是冰山一角，根據 2008 年《虐待長者個案中央資料系統》中顯示，該年的虐老個案有 647 宗，其中身體虐待佔了一半以上，精神虐待居次，有兩成，其他包括侵吞財產及長者性虐待等個案。按「芷若園」社工的經驗，長者一般面對多於一種虐待，他們往往到了不能再忍受，甚或被人發現才願意尋求協助。

去年 962 人自殺長者佔三分一升5%

• 長者是自殺高危族，佔自殺人數約三分一。生命熱線 3 年前展開外展服務，安排義工探訪有早期自殺徵兆及自殺念頭的長者提供情緒支援，有長者更直言「義工仲好過自己嘅親生子女！」• 61 歲的羅婆婆現時獨居， 28 歲時喪夫，獨力養大一子一女，但子女長大後卻從未給過家用。領綜綬的羅婆婆近 3 年間 4 次中風，出院時子女也沒有接她回家，後來在醫院碰到一個「好心婆婆」藉詞照顧她，後來卻在羅婆婆家中偷竊。羅婆婆一時想不通，曾想過自殺：「諗住殺咗兩個仔女再自殺，養大佢哋有咩用？」

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Opportunities• The “Silver Market”

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”The Opportunities• Pre-retirement Preparations

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“Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”Deficiencies• Income securities

– Old age allowance ( 生果金 )– Mandatory Provident Funds

• Are these enough?

• Flexible retirement age• Action at variance with Policy

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ConclusionsKey to success• Think out of the box;• Be innovative, and• Dare to change with changing needs

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See you in 2020

Thank you

Documents

Public Sector Reform Conference 2010 “Public Service 2020” “Enriching the Lives of the Elderly”