This initiative addresses the challenges older residents of Hong Kong face when relocating to Mainland China, particularly within GBA, for retirement or long-term living. Despite cross-border welfare policies, many struggle to integrate socially due to:

Unfamiliar elderly service/care systems;
Cultural differences and socio-cultural adaptation barriers;
Limited and sometimes distanced family and social support;
Potential increase in medical and healthcare costs; and
Lack of accessible information about local policies and resources.

Crucially, there is insufficient data on older adults' needs and backgrounds, as well as consistent tools to measure their social integration. These gaps make it difficult to design targeted policies, plan support services, or empower older adults to make informed decisions about their living arrangements. The project aims to improve cross-border ageing experiences for Hong Kong retirees by bridging these knowledge and resource divides

The project delivers a three-in-one solution to address cross-border ageing challenges:
(a) Community Empowerment:The project will document and present personal stories, relevant policies, practical resources (e.g., neighbourhood case studies, care service maps) through easy-to-read zines and open-access online platforms. These tools aim to demystify retirement and senior living in Mainland China and resuce fears/concerns about relocation.
(b) Stakeholder Capacity Building:Through professional networks, workshops, toolkits, and free guides will equip healthcare providers, social workers, and community groups with evidence-based methods to understand Hong Kong older residents’ needs and improve the planning and operation of elderly care services.
(c) Policy Optimisation/Implementation Support:The project will create a localized assessment tool for governments to allocate resources equitably and optimize eldercare policies using real-world data. This ensures policies match the actual needs of Hong Kong older residents in the Greater Bay Area.

This initiative empowers older Hong Kong residents with clear, practical insights into Mainland China’s living conditions, enabling informed decisions about cross-border living. It equips elderly services operators and government agencies by offering data-driven frameworks to enhance service design, resource allocation and policy making and implementation. By fostering inclusive communities, the project strengthens social integration and wellbeing for older adults settling cross-border. Ultimately, it contributes to the making of a supportive ecosystem for ageing population in the Greater Bay Area, fostering a smoother transitions and better quality of life.

• Primary Beneficiary: Hong Kong older residents in Mainland China (Quantity: 500)


• Secondary Beneficiary:  Hong Kong older residents in Hong Kong (Quantity: 2000)


• Other Beneficiaries: Student volunteers, urban planners, elderly services and residential care home operators, property development and management professionals, and general public (Quantity: 5000)

2025

Active Ageing