Blowing Water | Hongkongers live longer than any people on Earth, but what use is it when our elderly care is a disgrace?
Luisa Tam says the heartbreaking poverty experienced by many elderly residents bodes ill for the challenges Hong Kong society will face as life expectancy edges towards 100
For millennia, humans have been trying to defeat death, and some might say we are winning the battle. Through advances in medical care it has become easier to live longer and healthier lives.
But while living to 100 may become commonplace in the near future, questions abound about how prepared we are for such longevity.
Hongkongers already enjoy the longest life expectancy in the world – 81.7 years for males and 87.7 for females – according to government data released last year. The figure for both sexes has been steadily climbing for nearly five decades. In 1971, it was just 67.8 for men and 75.3 for women.
By 2066, the city’s men will live 87.1 years and women 93.1, projections say. At this rate it won’t be long before life expectancy hits the 100-year mark.
Unfortunately, not many governments are ready for this phenomenon. Populations in countries the world over are fast ageing, and many lack effective policies to adapt to the impending social and economic upheavals.
