Ageing in Place : A Comparative Study between Beijing and Hong Kong

Abstract

This thesis critically investigates the concept and development of China’s Ageing in Place (AIP) strategy in the context of Beijing and Hong Kong. It focuses on governance, healthcare, and support for family carers to enable elderly residents to safely remain in their own homes and communities, and its primary aim is to explore how AIP can be optimised in both Beijing and Hong Kong, which represent contemporary ageing Confucian societies, through a comprehensive comparative analysis. The objectives of the thesis include assessing governance models and healthcare systems integration, as well as the efficacy of existing support mechanisms for family carers while drawing on a blend of comparative, qualitative, and normative ethical research methods. By examining AIP’s operational dynamics, collaboration models, and policy initiatives in both locales, this study seeks to identify best practices and propose further improvements that respect the cultural values of each locale and improve service delivery.

The research methodology combines in-depth interviews with normative analysis to understand and evaluate the different approaches taken in Beijing and Hong Kong. In terms of governance, Beijing’s government-led model contrasts with Hong Kong’s NGO-centric approach, highlighting divergent strategies in the community-driven provision of care for the elderly. In terms of healthcare, this thesis compares the integration of services within community settings and emphasises the role of the public and private sectors in delivering care. The analysis of support for family carers of elderly community members examines the adequacy of current practices and introduces comparative insights from countries such as Singapore, Australia, and the UK. It is hoped that the synthesis of these findings will inform policy recommendations aimed at enhancing carer support in Beijing and Hong Kong. Comparative analyses of the governance, healthcare, and carer support for AIP in Beijing and Hong Kong were conducted to foster mutual learning between the two regions; and by extension, through advocating for the integration of Confucian ethical principles, this thesis also proposes a culturally attuned framework for sustainable and ethical elderly care provision, which could potentially serve as a model for other societies influenced by similar values.

Date of Award	25 Apr 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Ruiping FAN (Supervisor)