Everyday life mooring : Hong Kong elderlies' (im)mobilities in public open space

Abstract

Living in an expensive cramped space, Hong Kong’s elderly people spend lots of time outdoors. Public open spaces—such as parks and sitting-out areas—provide room for them to exercise, socialize and rest. The number of older persons aged 65 and over is projected to nearly double from 1.32 million in 2019 to 2.52 million by 2039. In view of the rapid expansion of ageing population, there will be greater demand for open space in Hong Kong. However, contemporary research neither provides an in-depth understanding of senior citizens’ embodied usage of open space, nor the importance of open space for meeting the social and physical needs of the elderly. Through a theoretical framework informed by mobility politics, governmobility and mobility justice, this research seeks to explore how the elderly experience and interact with open space in terms of their bodily movements and stoppages. Adopting a qualitative approach, this research revealed the critical importance of public open spaces for meeting the social, physical and mental health needs of elderly residents in Hong Kong. I demonstrate how Hong Kong’s valorization of a “fast-paced” and “hectic” work culture generated a discourse that the elderly people were denigrated as “Fai Lo” (useless old people). While elderly people were generally unaware of such a discourse, which contributed to their stigmatization and exacerbated tensions between different generations. Theoretically, this research extends mobility justice, mobility politics and governmobility to the context of Hong Kong. Practically, some policy ideas are advanced for ensuring elderly people’s needs are maintained, despite most interviewees believing the current provision of public open spaces was suitable for their needs. This research highlights the importance of both movement and non-movement in understanding how elderly people experience urban space, and it will be useful for the Hong Kong Government to develop quality planning of open space and welfare programmes that cater to the future societal needs of the ageing population.