Elderly care in Hong Kong after 1997: innovations and improvisation.

On 1 Jury 1997, Hong Kong changed its identity from a British Crown Colony to a Special Administrations Region of China. Even before he was sworn into office, the first Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, had listed housing, education and elderly care as his priority policy areas. Three public figures were appointed to review these subject areas, to consult relevant parties and to come up with proposals on the way forward. That elderly care should be included in the priority list came as a surprise to no one. In 1994, the Hong Kong government, then under the governership of Chris Patten, had published a report of the Working Party on Elderly Care. This reviewed existing services and projected future needs in a factual manner, avoiding strategic discussions for fear of pre-empting future policy directions after 1997. Health care was excluded from its remit, as was future development of social security schemes.