The findings of a survey show that 30 percent of the elderly respondents experience a significant degree of loneliness whilst about 19 percent of prospective retirees are in need of attention in terms of mental health, in response to which the Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre, which conducted the survey, urged the government to continue enhancing the planning for a barrier-free and senior-friendly environment, while raising public awareness of the concept of an elderly-friendly city.
Sheng Kung Hui, the Cantonese name for the Anglican Church, released the findings of two surveys on Friday, comprising the “Review and Prospect Study on Age-Friendly City” and the “Retirement Readiness and Retirement Happiness Index of Macau Residents 2024”. The first survey references the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Eight Dimensions of Age-Friendly Cities, having collected nearly 1,500 valid samples over the past four years, including in-depth interviews with five local experts, consultants, councillors, and elderly service providers this year to gather their perspectives on Macau’s elderly-friendly initiatives. The second survey, conducted between May and September last year, involved a questionnaire targeting local residents aged 45 and above, focusing on their financial planning and physical and psychological well-being in relation to their retirement, ultimately yielding a valid sample size of 786 respondents. A press conference was held on Friday at the centre.
The findings highlighted respondents’ and interviewees’ views on social participation, respect, and social inclusion, noting increased community awareness of care and friendliness towards the elderly, with growing importance placed on the integration between the elderly and the young generation. According to the findings, 70 percent of the respondents agreed that there are special counters for the elderly in general services, while 82 percent acknowledged a caring attitude by young people by offering them seats on public transport.
According to the findings, the respondents and interviewees also expressed a positive outlook on community and health services, particularly regarding the local government’s ongoing investment in optimising healthcare, including initiatives such as home care services, free medical care for the elderly, day respite care, and outreach medical services to residential care homes.
However, the findings also indicate that 30 percent of the elderly respondents reported experiencing a high degree of loneliness. In terms of information exchange, both respondents and interviewees affirmed the efforts of the government and social service organisations in enhancing the smartphone penetration rate and digital skills of the elderly, with the findings indicating that the percentage of respondents using smartphones has increased from around 50 percent in 2020 to 91.2 percent in 2023.
As far as physical health is concerned, the findings reveal that about 32 percent of prospective retirees lack exercise, and 70 percent view “medical or insurance” costs as one of their major future expenditures. Regarding mental health, the average score on the Mental Health Self-Assessment Scale for prospective retirees stood at 23.12, with about 19 percent requiring attention for their mental health. Additionally, around 31 percent of prospective retirees said they believe their lives will become more boring after retirement. As evidenced by the report, 25.7 percent of the prospective retirees interviewed would consider Zhuhai as a retirement destination, while 21.7 percent would look at other mainland cities, highlighting that demand for cross-border medical services should not be overlooked.
The findings also highlighted a comparison of surveys on retirement and financial preparedness conducted among prospective retirees in 2022 and 2024, with the average value of the Retirement Preparedness Index for local prospective retirees standing at 5.45 out of 10, which is slightly lower than the 5.53 reported for mainland residents in 2024. The prospective retirees in Macau recognise the importance and their responsibility for retirement finances, the findings added, scoring 7.62 for financial planning awareness and 7.05 for awareness of responsibility. However, the findings indicate that they are still insufficiently taking practical actions to prepare for retirement.
Representatives of the Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre release the findings of their survey during Friday’s press conference on the SKH premises. – Photo courtesy of TDM
