Extreme heat leaves Hong Kong's low-income elderly physically and mentally distressed

Nearly 80 per cent of Hong Kong's low-income elderly residents have suffered physical or mental distress during extreme heat, according to a Greenpeace survey that has intensified pressure on officials to expand heat-prevention programmes.

The finding comes as hospital discharges and deaths linked to heatstroke among people aged 65 or above surged 16-fold over the past decade, climbing from four cases in 2015 to 68 in 2024, the steepest rise across all age groups, Department of Health data cited by Greenpeace showed.

Physical toll widespread

About 78 per cent of the 127 elderly respondents interviewed reported at least one form of heat-related physical discomfort, including dizziness, headaches, vomiting, difficulty breathing and a racing heartbeat. Others described mood disturbances and poorer sleep quality, while 5.5 per cent said they had been hospitalised for a heat-related illness in the previous year.

Greenpeace canvassed residents aged 65 or above across seven districts with rapidly ageing populations, including Kwai Tsing, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City. More than half lived in public housing, while 35 per cent lived in inadequate housing.

Record heat, rising vulnerability

The survey took place against a backdrop of sweltering conditions that saw Hong Kong record a maximum temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius earlier this month, the highest since records began in 1884. Temperatures were forecast to reach 33 degrees on Friday.

Health authorities have identified elderly people as the city's demographic most at risk from extreme temperatures. The sharp climb in heatstroke cases among older residents underscores the vulnerability of a group already grappling with limited housing and financial resources.

Source: South China Morning Post