DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES AND POLICY FOR THE ELDERLY IN HONG KONG

The author reviews the development of welfare services and policies on the elderly in the past forty years. She identifies three eras, the budding period before 1980, the blossoming golden period, from 1981 to 1996 and the consolidation period, from 1997 to 2012. The author discusses salient features and provides critique on each of the three periods. She traces and analyses the characteristics of each period, and critiques on their trials, outcome achievements and challenges. She focuses on community care and restrains from other major educational, health and housing policies. With regard to future development, the author shares the thoughts of Dr. Butler and ideas from the IFA 2012 Prague Conference so as to stimulate collective thinking for future possible formulation of policy direction. The author also wishes to acknowledge support and advice from many geriatricians and psychiatric geriatricians of the Hospital Authority and Health Development who also played important part in the development of policy and services in the three periods.