A survey released by the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Centre yesterday shows that over 95 percent of senior citizens’ main source of income come from the government.
The centre presented the survey’s findings of its AgeWatch Index during a press conference on premisjes of the Sheng Kung Hui (S.K.H.) North District Youth Service Team (Fai Chi Kei).
Sheng Kung Hui is the Cantonese name for the Anglican Church.
According to a statement provided by the centre, representatives of the centre visited 12 elderly service organisations and surveyed 391 senior citizens aged 60 or over last October.
According to the findings, within the 95 percent of senior citizens who depend on the government’s financial support as their main source of income, about 40 percent have zero income without government support. The findings also show that 40.7 percent of the seniors do not have enough savings for emergency situations.
In terms of medical treatment, 68.8 percent of the seniors don’t save money for medical fees and 47.1 percent are worried that they wouldn’t be able to afford their medical fees in the future.
According to the statement, “there are reasons” that many senior citizens do not seek medical treatment at the government healthcare facilities that provide the elderly with free treatment and medicines. The statement did not elaborate.
The findings also show that senior citizens are aware that medical fees are getting more expensive. However, the findings also show that over 90 percent of the senior citizens are “satisfied” with the government’s medical benefits for them.
In terms of physical and psychological health, 56 percent said they were in good health. The statement said that according to the five items of the so-called FRAIL assessment – Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of Weight – 34.5 percent of the respondents said they have at least three, while 69.6 percent said they need to take medicine for their health conditions.
The survey also found out that 39.1 percent of the senior citizens said that their health conditions are causing them “emotional reactions”. The statement did not elaborate.
The service director of the centre, Lee Kwok Hoo, encouraged youths to communicate more with their parents and grandparents. He pointed out that many senior citizens long for more company to overcome their loneliness. He also said that families should start saving for their future needs.
Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Centre Service Director Lee Kwok Hoo talks to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference about the findings of a survey on senior citizens’ AgeWatch Index at the Sheng Kung Hui (S.K.H.) North District Youth Service Team (Fai Chi Kei). Photo: Prisca Tang
