Surveys by the Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre have found that 30 percent of elderly respondents experience significant loneliness and a similar percentage fear boredom.
The Anglican social welfare organisation has also urged the government to enhance its plans for a barrier-free and senior-friendly environment, and to raise public awareness around the concept of an elderly-friendly city, the Macau Post Daily reports
The survey findings, revealed at a press conference last week, reflected demand for cross-border medical services, with 25.7 percent of respondents saying they would consider retiring in Zhuhai and 21.7 percent saying they were looking at other mainland cities. This was consistent with the fact that Macao has far fewer residential care beds than is average for developed countries, based on its fast-growing elderly population – as well as a shortage of caregivers.
The two surveys were titled Review and Prospect Study on Age-Friendly City and Retirement Readiness and Retirement Happiness Index of Macau Residents 2024.
[See more: Caritas warns of a dire shortage of caregivers for Macao’s elderly]
The first surveyed 1,500 people over four years and included in-depth interviews with local experts, consultants, councillors and elderly service providers regarding Macao’s alignment with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) eight domains of age-friendly cities, which range from respect and social inclusion to housing. The retirement readiness survey gathered data from 786 residents aged 45 and above between May and September last year.
Results showed increased awareness of elderly care, with 70 percent of respondents aware of special service counters and 82 percent saying local youth had offered them seats on public transport. The surveys also indicated that smartphone usage among the elderly had increased from around 50 percent in 2020 to 91.2 percent in 2023.
Less positively, 32 percent of prospective retirees lacked exercise while 70 percent viewed “medical or insurance” costs as one of their major future expenditures. Almost a fifth of respondents required attention for their mental health, while almost a third feared boredom in retirement.
Macao’s Retirement Preparedness Index scored 5.45 out of 10, slightly below the mainland’s 2024 score of 5.53. While awareness of financial planning was reasonably high, SKH found that many people were not taking sufficient action.
