The Role of Elder Mediation in Strengthening Health Care in the Asia-Pacific
摘要
As Hong Kong and the wider Asia-Pacific region face the profound implications of population ageing, healthcare systems are under mounting pressure to manage chronic conditions, long-term care needs, and family caregiving responsibilities. While policies such as Hong Kong’s Elderly Services Programme Plan (ESPP) and Elderly Care Service Model (ECSM) promote ageing in place, families often struggle with disputes over medical treatment, care arrangements, financial contributions, and transitions to institutional care. These conflicts, when left unresolved, can lead to delayed decision-making, fractured relationships, and increased burden on public services. This chapter explores the potential of elder mediation as a structured, empathetic, time-appropriate, and cost-effective tool to strengthen healthcare in Hong Kong, and to enhance its holistic system of care for the aged, encompassing community support and social services. Elder mediation aligns closely with core healthcare values such as dignity, autonomy, and person-centred care. It fosters collaborative decision-making in complex areas, including advance care planning, end-of-life choices, financial safeguarding, and elder abuse prevention. Through practical case examples and policy analysis, this chapter highlights how elder mediation can bridge medical, legal, and familial considerations, especially when integrated into community care and supported through digital innovation. Despite its promise, elder mediation remains underdeveloped in Hong Kong. This chapter calls for formal recognition, professionalisation, and systemic integration of elder mediation services as part of a forward-looking strategy to support older adults and reduce pressure on an overstretched healthcare system.