The care of old people in Hong Kong.

It is said that the pressures of life are forcing Hong Kong people to forget their traditional roles by neglecting their old people. I do not agree to this viewpoint. In the description of welfare services, elderly persons are those persons aged sixty and over. It is estimated that the elderly population in Hong Kong will rise from 721600 in 1989 to 959600 in 1999. In Hong Kong, it is generally considered a virtue to honor  old people and it is accepted as a family responsibility to take care of the older members.

Hong Kong is a place where the East meets the West. It is influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures. The tempo of life in Hong Kong is fast. In a commercial city like Hong Kong, people's relations are   often based on mutual benefits. Some people say that the Hong Kong people are self-centered and even forget their traditional roles by neglecting their old people. Although the pressures of life in Hong Kong challenge the traditional concepts and values, the aged are respected by the majority. Take my family as an example. I have a grandmother who lives with me and my family respect and love her. Moreover, we are able to speak the same dialect and share the same feelings.  As a matter of fact, Hong Kong people are strongly influenced by Confucianism; therefore, we show honor to the old people naturally.

The Hong Kong government has introduced a wide range of services to the old people. First of all, community support services play an important role in supporting the old people to live in the community. These include multi-service centers, day care centers and home help services. Moreover, residential services are provided for those elderly who, for health or for other reasons, are unable to look after themselves and who have no relatives or friends to help when required.  Furthermore, Old Age Allowance is provided when one reaches 65 year-old. In fact, the Hong Kong government had spent 280 million dollars on the services for the old people in 1990/91. The draft White Paper on social welfare into the 1990's and beyond claimed,' the future will see an increased emphasis on the family as a unit, children and youth at risk and the elderly. Whenever resource constraints dictate a need to place a top priority in running the programmes, precedence will be given to developments which focus on these groups.' Only the government is powerful enough to assist the aged.

The pressures of life should not be the excuses for neglecting the old. Undoubtedly, Hong Kong is a busy city. However, why is it that with so much spare time in our life, we do not make use of it to care for the elderly in our places? Surely, no one wants to be neglected. Why don't we try to share our love and concern for  the old people?