Ageing population in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is facing a rapidly ageing population. The number of elderly people aged 65 or above in Hong Kong is expected to surge from around 1.4 million to over 2.5 million by 2039. In other words, one in every three persons will be elders. Therefore, long-term strategies must be formulated to meet the opportunities and challenges brought about by demographic shifts.
Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project
In response to the challenges and opportunities arising from the city’s ageing population, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has initiated and funded the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project (“JCAFC Project”) since 2015 in partnership with four gerontology research institutes in Hong Kong, namely the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Sau Po Centre on Ageing (The University of Hong Kong), Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies (Lingnan University), and the Institute of Active Ageing (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) to promote an age-friendly culture in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. Through a series of publicity and public education campaigns, the JCAFC Project aims to build an age-friendly city which can cater for the needs of all ages. For more details, please visit www.jcafc.hk
Charter for Age-friendly Shopping Malls
This year, the JCAFC Project is launching the “Charter for Age-friendly Shopping Malls”(“Charter”). Under the theme of “Creating an age-friendly and inclusive shopping environment and experience for all”, the Charter aims to encourage shopping malls to provide visitors with a convenient and barrier-free environment, as well as deliver quality and professional services through better attending to the needs of all ages, such as providing clear signage, adequate seating to visitors and arrange training for employees to support different customer groups.
Participating in the “Charter for Age-friendly Shopping Malls” represents the mall’s commitment to undertaking continual improvement for the well-being of senior citizens and people of all ages, and catering for the needs of all visitors through appropriate measures and top-notch services.
An increasing number of studies have shown that the older adults represent a dynamic emerging market. Through implementing age-friendly measures, operators of the mall will not only respond to social needs and practice Corporate Social Responsibility, but will also attract a wider range of customers of all ages, resulting in a win-win situation for shopping malls, merchants and citizens. The Charter is supported by the Institute of Shopping Centre Management. It is hoped to boost the participation of the shopping centre industry through its professional network. Beside, all participating malls can also join the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme 2022. A set of certificate and stickers of City Partnership Scheme will be distributed to all eligible parties in order to recognise their participation and contribution.
Objectives
Under the “Charter for Age-friendly Shopping Malls” :
- Shopping malls will be recognised for their efforts in implementing age-friendly measures to encourage more shopping malls to provide an inclusive environment and facilities for visitors at different ages.
- We aim to enhance public awareness of age-friendly measures at shopping malls and promote an age-friendly culture within the community in order to build Hong Kong into a city that can cater for the needs of all ages.
Application deadline
