Government Unveils 73-Point Plan to Tackle Aging Population as Elderly Set to Exceed One-Third by 2046
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong government published its Response to Population Aging Report on September 18, 2026, presenting 73 countermeasures across 11 domains to address the challenges posed by an aging society. The report forecasts that the elderly population will grow to 2.74 million by 2046, accounting for more than one-third of the total population. Some measures complement initiatives announced in this year's Policy Address, creating a coordinated approach to elderly care.
Key Points
- The elderly dependency ratio is projected to climb from 382 per 1,000 working-age residents last year to 632 by 2046, significantly increasing the burden on the working population
- The Primary Healthcare Authority will progressively integrate elderly health center services into the District Health Network starting this year, expanding to over 100 service points by 2028
- A community pharmacy program will launch by the end of 2026 to facilitate medication access for residents, while the Health Bureau reviews the Second Hospital Development Plan
- The Labour and Welfare Bureau proposes adding 3,000 subsidized residential care places by end of 2030, bringing the total to approximately 43,000
- The Civil Service Bureau concluded that further delaying civil servant retirement age is not advisable at this stage after conducting a comprehensive review
- The government will pilot handing over newly built elderly care homes to private operators under specified conditions and expand the Guangdong Care Home Scheme to more Greater Bay Area cities
- Authorities have commissioned the Hospital Authority to conduct the first round of medical manpower projection to assess workforce supply and demand gaps over the next 10 to 20 years
Why It Matters
The report underscores the scale of Hong Kong's demographic transformation, with the elderly population expected to more than double current levels within two decades. The proposed measures aim to transform elderly care delivery from institutional focus to community-based support while addressing critical healthcare workforce shortages that could strain public medical services as demand accelerates .
The report underscores the scale of Hong Kong's demographic transformation, with the elderly population expected to more than double current levels within two decades. The proposed measures aim to transform elderly care delivery from institutional focus to community-based support while addressing critical healthcare workforce shortages that could strain public medical services as demand accelerates .