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But in the short to medium term, it is difficult to expect current 3. Enhancing city-wide gerontech
end-users in the community to procure gerontech without some
infrastructural capacities
financial assistance, as Hong Kong’s inadequate retirement
protection system provides elderly with little incentive to
In Hong Kong, many end-users cannot easily view gerontech
spend money, especially on gerontech. However, elderly do
products and do not know where to procure these products within
have access to different voucher schemes that subsidise the
their local communities. In addition, many end-users who live in
cost of certain medical or welfare care services, and there is
the community—particularly those living in private housing—have
widespread support for vouchers to be expanded to cover the
difficulty installing gerontech in their homes. These issues indicate
procurement of gerontech.
the extent to which there are few “gerontech-friendly” public and
private infrastructures in Hong Kong.
Therefore, we recommend the Government to extend the
scope and increase the amount of the Elderly Healthcare
3.1 Increasing district-level accessibility
Voucher Scheme (EHCVS) and the Community Care Service
Voucher (CCSV) to allow for the purchase or rental of to gerontech
gerontech products. Such an extension is justifiable because
There is currently no public space where end-users can easily
the preventive and rehabilitative nature of gerontech products
access gerontech products in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. While
closely aligns with the EHCVS’s objective to promote preventive
there are a few privately-run gerontech showrooms, they are not
care and the CCSV’s objective to promote ageing-in-place.
present in all districts, and it is also often not possible to purchase
or rent gerontech products on display in these showrooms. We
We also recommend that the voucher extension be clear on
therefore believe that the Government should take a leading role
what gerontech products are covered for whom. This should be
in increasing the physical accessibility of gerontech products to
done through a pre-approved list with two tiers, namely Tier I for
end-users living in the community.
basic, lower-valued products that encourage prevention and Tier II
for more advanced, higher-valued products that can better support
frail elderly. All end-users can purchase or rent Tier I products
through the EHCVS voucher extension, while Tier II products are
reserved for users with moderate or severe needs to purchase or
rent via the CCSV voucher extension. Due to the Tier II products’
more advanced nature, an additional referral from an occupational
therapist or a physiotherapist should be required.

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