Legislative Council caregiver report: 230,000 people need long-term care from family members, and it is not uncommon to take care of the elderly

With an aging population in Hong Kong, there are more and more people who need care, such as the elderly and the disabled, and the situation of caregivers has also attracted attention.

The Legislative Council recently released a report on caregivers, stating that there are 230,000 people in Hong Kong who need long-term care from their families. Many of these caregivers have to juggle work, and there are many cases of "care for the elderly".

Taking Australia as an example, the report gives a clear definition to caregivers, then provides appropriate financial and various support, and provides services according to their needs.

Statistics show that it is not uncommon to take care of the elderly.

(File photo/Photo by Gao Zhongming)

40% of elderly long-term care recipients are cared for by family members and friends

The report of the Legislative Council quoted the Census and Statistics Department's "2021 Population Census Thematic Report: Elderly", indicating that there will be 226,000 older care recipients in Hong Kong in 2021, and their spouses, children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and other family members will be the main caregivers for a long time By.

Statistics show that about 40% of elderly caregivers are the sole or primary caregivers of family members and friends aged 65 and above. The second is women, whose employment rate is higher than one-third.

Elderly services lack long-term planning, caregivers are under great pressure

At present, the government has provided various supports, such as increasing the monthly subsidy for caregivers of low-income families to 3,000 yuan, and setting up respite services, etc.

Stakeholders mainly request the government to formulate policies based on "caregiver-oriented" and regard caregivers as "priority service targets".

However, the elderly services in Hong Kong lack long-term planning, and the waiting time for nursing services may be several years, which puts caregivers under long-term pressure.

Sources: Census and Statistics Department and Legislative Council Secretariat.

The report of the Legislative Council referred to Australia's "Caregiver Certification Act" to set a "legal definition" for caregivers, and introduced support measures around caregivers, including financial support, counseling platforms, comprehensive support services, home care programs, and respite services, etc. , also mentioning to provide 10 days of paid personal leave per year for caregivers with full-time jobs, so that they can be more flexible and balanced.

Establish legal definitions to provide people-oriented and convenient support

The report proposes to refer to Australia, designate "legal caregivers" and continue to pay attention to their well-being, and provide one-stop service channels for individual caregivers to solve problems such as service fragmentation and mismatch between supply and demand.

People-centred policies should be formulated to make it easier for caregivers to receive financial and practical support, and to help them seize opportunities in other areas of life, such as employment and education.

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