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their existing neighbourhood. An example of how gerontech can Hong Kong also suffers from poor linkage between medical and
help encourage ageing-in-place is through intelligent sensor- social institutions. This is a problem because many elders and
equipped devices and smart wheelchairs, which can improve persons with disabilities (PwD) require holistic long-term
the functional capacity and delay institutionalisation of elderly. care (LTC) that involves both medical and welfare services
and professionals. The likelihood of requiring such care is Introduction
Another key challenge that elderly in Hong Kong face is chronic high among elderly, as the chances of acquiring a disability or
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illness, with 78.1% of persons aged ≥ 65 suffering from a multiple impairments increases with age. For example, an
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chronic health condition (C&SD, 2019). This high prevalence of elderly recovering from stroke may require outpatient treatment
chronic diseases among the elderly causes increasing strain on from a doctor, case management with a social worker, and
scarce medical resources. Reorienting our healthcare system regular training sessions with a physiotherapist (PT). Therefore,
to emphasise primary care can better accommodate the health Hong Kong needs to promote an integrated care model which
needs of an ageing population. Primary care includes health emphasises closer coordination between medical and social
promotion, supportive care, as well as disease prevention and services (OHKF, 2018). Gerontech can help facilitate this, for
management—including rehabilitation (Food and Health Bureau example by implementing an automatic tablet dispensing
(FHB)—What is Primary Healthcare, 2021). Due to its preventive medication system in residential care homes through the help
nature, primary care therefore represents a more cost-effective of pharmacists and nursing care staff, which could be further
way to achieve better health outcomes for the elderly (FHB, facilitated by collaboration between Hospital Authority and the
2010). Gerontech can help promote primary healthcare, as Social Welfare Department (SWD).
chronic conditions can be managed better with the use of smart
health monitoring devices, thereby lowering demand on A final challenge resulting from Hong Kong’s ageing population is
medical services. manpower shortage, as the ballooning of Hong Kong’s ageing
population corresponds to a decline in the city’s prime working
population (aged 15–64). Figure 3 reflects the drastic shifts in
Hong Kong’s population structure from 2020 to 2069 (C&SD,
2020; 2021, August 11). 6

4 Among the most prevalent chronic diseases are hypertension (51.5%), high cholesterol (26.1%) and diabetes mellitus (23.4%) (C&SD, 2019).
According to the C&SD (2014), the overall prevalence of persons with disabilities increased from 5.2% in 2007 to 8.1% in 2013. The largest increases were observed in persons
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aged ≥ 70 with a prevalence rate of 42.6%, with restricted body movement being among the highest.
6 The ageing population (aged ≥ 65) is projected to grow from 19% of the total population in 2020 to 35% in 2069 representing an increase of approximately 1.8 million people with
an alarming concentration of elderly aged ≥ 85 bracket (“old-olds”) projected to rise in the next couple of decades.
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