香港迈向老龄化的政策路径：塑造包容性住房和社区景观

April 2025 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARY2BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND16 CHAPTER 1.Home Modification in Existing Housing26CHAPTER 2.Inclusive Design in New Housing38CHAPTER 3.Purpose-Built Senior Housing52 COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY67 CHAPTER 4.Property Manager Empowerment68CHAPTER 5.Community Capacity Optimisation78CHAPTER 6.Age-Friendly City Landscape86 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY What is senior living andwhy is it important? demographic, a significant majority (over 80%) would like to age inplace (C&SD, 2009; Lum et al., 2016). If possible, they would like toremain in familiar environments rather than moving to institutional caresettings, even when in declining health. In recent years, senior living has become a significant topic inHong Kong due to the city’s rapidly ageing population. Projectionssuggest that by 2046, people over age 65 will make up 36.0% of thepopulation compared to 20.5% in 2021 (C&SD, 2023). Within this •Increased by 101.18% (2015–2024)•2024–2025: estimated recurrent expenditure on elderly servicesis about HKD 16 billion, representing an increase of about 60%from 2019–2020 enable seniors to live more independently and to connect with thecommunity. We project that if this vision is realised in Hong Kong,annualhospitalisation spending could at least drop by HKD 5.67 billion in2046 as compared to the current levels (C&SD, 2023; Departmentof Health, 2018; Stark et al., 2021; Tang et al., 2021; WTW, 2024). Fiscal challenges also point towards the importance of a comprehensivepolicy framework for senior living. In the year 2024–2025, the Hong KongGovernment spent HKD 127.9 billion on healthcare, accounting for16.26% of its total expenditure (HKSARG, 2024a). With the number ofseniors in Hong Kong increasing, there will likely be a corresponding risein healthcare and social welfare expenditure. About the research Today, the Hong Kong Government has an explicit policy objective ofpromoting “ageing in place as the core, institutional care as back-up.”This not only aligns with the preferences of seniors, but can also helpreduce health expenditure for families and governments (Marek et al.,2012). However, a large proportion of seniors in Hong Kong continueto reside in institutional care settings (SWD, 2023a). This research discusses policy recommendations that enhance thesenior living landscape in Hong Kong. This includes home modification,inclusive design, senior housing market from the housing perspective,and enhanced property management services, optimised communityservices, and inclusive public spaces from a community perspective. For many seniors, ageing in place is not an easy experience. A studyevaluating Hong Kong’s 18 districts with the World Health Organisation’s(WHO) Age-Friendly City framework reveals that Hong Kong’s housingand community support, as well as health services, rank lowest in termsof age-friendliness (CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing et al., 2019).Housing issues include safety concerns, inconsistent design standards(especially in private housing), and a lack of affordable senior housingoptions. Regarding community support, issues include a general lackof support for seniors in daily personal needs, a lack of capacity incommunity services to provide effective support, and a lack ofage-friendly outdoor and indoor public spaces that enable seniors tofeel connected with their community. The recommendations proposed in this report stem from insightsgathered through interviews with57 individuals from 29 groupsfromvarious backgrounds, such as universities, government officials, NGOs,healthcare, and business sector representatives. A senior living environment that encourages ageing in place at its coreshould comprise affordable, well-designed and safe housing options withgood connectivity to public amenities and services, and a continuumof accessible and affordable health and social support services which 1. Enhance seniors’access to homemodification services Home modifications are environmental intervention that seek to improvehome performance. They can enhance mobility, reduce fall risks, andboost physical and mental wellbeing, which are essential to older adults’quality of life and can reduce healthcare costs for governments. Effectiveservices often require multidisciplinary collaboration (Carnemolla &Bridge, 2014). Hong Kong has a “double ageing” challenge: rapidly ageing populationand building stock. As it is difficult for demolition and redevelopmentto catch up with the speed of ageing of buildings, or to relocate thelarge number of seniors living in ageing buildings, therefore buildingrehabilitation or home modification is crucial (Ling & Lee, 2019). Home modification services are available for residents of public rentalhousing. They are provided by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS). However, data forassessing the quality and effectiveness of Housing Authority’sservices is not made public, and participation