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The social context of Hong Kong's booming elderly home industry
Author(s) -
Cheng Sheung-Tak
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00942152
Subject(s) - business , context (archaeology) , payment , purchasing , economic growth , social environment , demographics , marketing , economics , finance , political science , sociology , geography , demography , archaeology , law
Hong Kong experienced a rapid increase in private homes for elderly people in recent years. This paper examines the social background of that development. Private elderly homes thrived in a context of rising demand due to changing demographics, particularly massive emigration secondary to political instability, which created a large potential market of elderly people in need of residential care. However, entrepreneurs would not be attracted unless it is a profitable business, and much of that profit is likely derived from social security payments to elderly people. Because the amount of social security benefits is way below the level required for purchasing good quality service in the private sector, many elderly people are bound to live in very poor residential settings.