According to reports, Cheuk Wing-hing, the Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service of Hong Kong, stated on October 16 at the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Summit that the development of the senior economy is integral to the overall economic transformation of Hong Kong. It significantly impacts consumption, dining, elderly products, technology products, and financial products, creating both economic and social benefits. Currently, the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport together host over 120 elderly technology companies, which have collectively raised more than HK$150 million over the past three fiscal years.
Cheuk emphasized that one of the tasks of the Elderly Economy Task Force is to develop the "silver industry." This includes promoting the research and development, commercialization, and industrialization of elderly products. The advancement of elderly technology cannot rely solely on the research and development efforts of companies; it is crucial to align products with the needs and preferences of elderly users to effectively connect with the market, thereby generating economic and social benefits. The Hong Kong Science Park is facilitating cooperation between park companies and the elderly care industry, hospitals, clinics, educational institutions, and social welfare organizations to help elderly technology companies develop products and raise awareness of various elderly technology solutions in the market.
On another note, the Hong Kong Productivity Council has recently launched free technical consultation services for elderly technology providers, elderly service providers, business associations, and social organizations, covering application, testing, and compliance standards for various technologies. Different research and development centers are also actively promoting the application of innovative technologies. To enhance elderly care services, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute signed a memorandum of cooperation with Po Leung Kuk Hospital in June this year to collaborate on various research projects. These projects include advanced AI platforms for patient health analysis, smart personal care, robotic systems, medication distribution, and AI companionship systems. The two institutions aim to incorporate a diverse range of innovative technological applications into the elderly nursing home project at the Po Leung Kuk Hospital in Tuen Mun, slated for completion in 2027, making it the largest smart nursing home in Hong Kong.
Additionally, the Logistics and Supply Chain Multi-Technology R&D Center is collaborating with a local property management company to provide intelligent robotic services for residents living in modest public housing, including the elderly. Cheuk also noted that financial support is crucial for promoting the application of elderly products. The Elderly and Rehabilitation Innovation Technology Application Fund, managed by the Social Welfare Department, supports eligible elderly and rehabilitation service units in purchasing, renting, or trialing technological products. These include monitoring systems for frail elderly individuals to intervene in cases of falls or accidents, wearable sensors for measuring heart rate and blood pressure, body composition analysers for health parameter measurement, and intelligent systems to prevent wandering indoors.
In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the government will inject an additional HK$1 billion into the Elderly and Rehabilitation Innovation Technology Application Fund and expand its usage to include elderly technology products suitable for home use starting in March this year. Eligible service units can purchase appropriate technological products for elderly individuals and caregivers to use at home, thereby extending the reach of elderly products from institutions to elderly homes and increasing the target audience.
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