Happy Ageing in Peng Chau connects elderly with volunteers, building intergenerational bonds and support

Launched in 2019, the programme recruits volunteers – some as young as primary school pupils – to help the island’s elderly residents with daily tasks and encourage them to join social activities, said project manager Derek Tam Kin-chung.

The six-year endeavour – under the Hong Kong PHAB Association and funded by the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund – is set to end in 2025.

‘It can be very lonely’: why socialising is crucial for Hong Kong elderly

Projections from the UN suggest Hong Kong will have the world’s oldest population by 2050.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, the number of elderly persons is likely to increase from 1.45 million in 2021 to 2.74 million in 2046.

Their proportion of the population will also increase, meaning that more than one in every three people in the city, excluding foreign domestic workers, will be an elderly person.

But in Peng Chau, since youth and working-age adults often leave for school or work, one-third of the island’s residents are already seniors, according to Tam.

Happy Ageing’s volunteers help with anything from showing the seniors how to use a cellphone to organising holiday celebrations.

Charlotte, who has lived on Peng Chau her entire life, regularly offers her services for health-related issues and enjoys celebrating the seniors’ birthdays.

“I’m pretty sure it was in the December birthday celebrations that this one amazing elderly lady brought a bunch of sweet treats that she had made herself,” the student shared.

“She let everyone take one home, and it was just an amazing display of how versatile the citizens on Peng Chau are.”

Charlotte admitted that she also felt the positive impact from Happy Ageing: “Sometimes when I meet them [the elderly] on the street, they will say a greeting, and I will say a greeting back.”

“It’s just an amazing dynamic between the volunteers and the elderly patients where we know we’re symbiotically benefiting each other.”

Participants like Charlotte develop a rapport with the seniors, especially because some need more attention and care than others.

“Some volunteers ... will visit them once or twice a month,” Tam noted, adding that it was because “some elderly do not go out [due to] physical problems”.

Despite the high percentage of seniors living on Peng Chau, the island is too small to house a hospital. For any medical issues, volunteers often accompany them on the ferry, taking them to and from their hospital check-ups.

Your Voice: Plight of the elderly in Hong Kong and Singapore

One of the greatest challenges, however, is maintaining the seniors’ homes, which often need repairs as they were built decades ago.

Li Siu-wan, 73, has lived on Peng Chau for more than 20 years and has benefited from the project’s maintenance services, having “struggled to find craftsmen to assist with home repairs” in the past.

Despite the small island’s isolation and limited resources, Tam noted that the mental well-being of most elderly people on Peng Chau was “relatively good”.

“The community network in Peng Chau is ... close-knit, and many elderly people in need often receive support from neighbours and volunteers,” he said.

In Hong Kong, concern over seniors’ mental health has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic, as elderly residents struggled with isolation and many were left behind amid the waves of emigration.

The city has more than 188,000 people aged 65 and above who live alone.

Last year, the Society for Community Organisation released a survey which found that half of Hong Kong’s lower-income elderly had moderate to severe depression or anxiety. In 2022, elderly suicides hit a record high, with 44 per cent of the 1,080 cases that year involving those aged 60 or above.

Welfare sector lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen recently called for authorities to strengthen outreach services for seniors living alone.

Elderly and young volunteers connect through Habitat for Humanity’s home services

To take care of seniors’ mental health, Tam emphasised the importance of social activities and connection. He recommended that young Hongkongers encourage ageing family members to seek community.

“The elderly usually stay at home after they retire, and this is not good for their mental health,” the project manager explained.

“Encourage ... grandparents to go out and join the activities provided by the community centre, [so] they can meet more people, and they can have more support in their daily life.”

Happy Ageing makes sure to host a myriad of activities addressing psychological needs, social engagement and health issues.

“[I’ve] become more outgoing and more involved in the community. I’m getting to know more Peng Chau residents,” Li said, adding that she enjoyed events where she could play with the island’s children.

About two years ago, Li had the opportunity to share about her experiences on an episode of the television programme Happy Old Buddies, which aired in June 2022. On the show, she explained how games could promote intergenerational integration.

Even as the project is set to end next year, Happy Ageing is ensuring that Peng Chau’s community is built upon a foundation of kindness for all generations.

If you have suicidal thoughts or know someone who is experiencing them, dial 18111 for the Mental Health Support Hotline. You can also call 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services.