78% of low-income elderly Hongkongers report heat-related distress, survey finds

In Hong Kong, nearly 80 percent of low-income elderly individuals have reported experiencing physical or mental distress due to extreme heat, highlighting the need for government support and heat-prevention measures. A survey conducted by Greenpeace found that elderly people in Hong Kong are the most vulnerable demographic to extreme temperatures, with a sharp rise in heatstroke-related hospital discharges and deaths increasing 16-fold between 2015 and 2024.

This summer, Hong Kong has experienced scorching weather, with temperatures forecasted to reach 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) on Friday. In a study released on Monday, Greenpeace interviewed 127 elderly residents aged 65 or above from July and June across seven districts with rapidly aging populations. Over half of the respondents lived in public housing, and 35 percent lived in inadequate housing.

Around 78 percent of the respondents experienced at least one form of physical discomfort due to high temperatures, such as dizziness, headaches, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and a racing heartbeat. Additionally, 5.5 percent of the respondents were hospitalized for heat-related illnesses in the previous year. The survey also revealed that many elderly individuals lack awareness of heat-prevention measures; 71 percent believed that staying indoors eliminated the risk of heatstroke, while 35 percent said they rarely turned on their air conditioning due to concerns over high electricity costs.

Prudence Yeung, a Greenpeace campaigner, emphasized the government's failure to address the health risks faced by elderly people, particularly those with chronic illnesses, and the resulting medical costs. The government's protocols for supporting residents during cold weather, such as supply distribution, check-in calls, and home visits, are already in place, but only about 20 percent of respondents received heat-related community services like heat-safety education or cooling supplies in the past two years.

The survey also pointed out the shortcomings of temporary heat shelters, with 95 percent of respondents stating they never or rarely used them due to distance or lack of awareness. Nearly 30 percent of the respondents were unclear about the government's available support. Yeung called for the Social Welfare Department to collaborate with social welfare agencies for home visits to the elderly during extreme heat and allocate resources for cooling supplies and electricity subsidies.

She urged the government to create a comprehensive, "people-centred" heat-action plan that would lead to swift, cross-departmental measures and initiate community support during periods of extreme heat.