MR CHAN KIN-POR (in Cantonese): Thank you, President. Population aging is an important issue which advanced countries have to face. It is a major challenge to social resources, healthcare and social support services. I thank Mr Adrian Pedro HO for proposing this motion today and other Members for proposing amendments. I support all of them.
When we talk about ageing, many people may associate it with negative connotations such as illness and mobility problems. Getting old is actually a problem which everyone will have to face. What the elderly can do is to reduce or delay the problems brought by ageing, and the best way to deal with it is to change one’s way of life, maintain a strong body, delay the age of having chronic illnesses and lengthen the time of having a healthy body, so that they can live a healthy happy life despite being old.
Doing daily exercise is very important to the elderly. Given that the elderly population will continue to grow, I urge the Administration to constantly reviewthe adequacy of community recreational facilities, such as sports venues, fitness equipment and pebble walking trails. The elderly should be encouraged to do more stretching exercise, swimming and aerobics, which can train their bodies, maintain their muscle mass and develop their self-care ability, as well as preventing the degeneration of their joints. Besides, they should have a healthy diet. Many elders think that eating lightly is healthy, which is wrong. Having a balanced diet and adequate nutrition are very important. Elderly people are particularly in need of protein, minerals and vitamins to boost their immune system, maintain healthy bones and teeth, and slow down aging. We need to promote the correct concept of healthy diet and reverse the misconceptions among the elderly; and to achieve longevity and good health, it is crucial to pay attention to diet and daily exercise.
In addition, it is crucial for the elderly to maintain a network of interpersonal relationships to reduce loneliness. Maintaining a happy state of mind is very beneficial to health. We can promote the elderly learning scheme and provide different interest classes and skill training courses for the elderly, such as gardening, mobile phone trainings, singing and dancing, so that the elderly can have the opportunity to learn new knowledge and skills. This will enhance their self-esteem and overall quality of life, and maintain their enthusiasm and vitality. After learning new knowledge, the elderly can become a mentor to teach other “old pals”, so that they will have something to invest their energy in and make new friends. When their social circle is expanded, their emotional distress will naturally be reduced. Society should pay more attention to helping the elderly to maintain their physical and mental health, so that they can enjoy their twilight years after many years of hard work.
Moreover, in recent years, there has been concern over how to make good use of innovative technology to improve the quality of life of the elderly. For the elderly who are physically challenged or mobility-handicapped, we can improve their quality of life with the help of gerontechnology. For example, a smart pill box with alarm function can be used to remind the elderly to take their medication on time; a smart watch can be used to monitor the health condition of the elderly and remind them to do moderate exercise; and bathroom aids can also help the elderly to take baths more safely and prevent them from slipping and falling. Using these simple gerontechnologies will not only facilitate the daily life of the elderly, but also enhance their quality of life and reduce their psychological stress and live more comfortably.
Hong Kong’s ageing population is a problem that warrants our attention and concern. To be able to live a long and healthy life is very important. The recommendations above will enhance the physical and mental health of the elderly and improve their quality of life. Reducing the dependency of the elderly on society will be of great benefit to Hong Kong as a whole.
Thank you, President.