The rapid pace of life in Hong Kong and the high price index, coupled with the fact that many young families have emigrated in recent years, have led many old friends to plan to spend their retirement life on the Mainland, for the sake of the low cost of living index and the greater sense of security in life as they are taken care of by relatives on the Mainland.
Wing Keung is 68 years old and worked as a company driver before retirement. He divorced his wife in early years and had a son, who started a family a few years ago and has a daughter. His son and his family of three emigrated to the United Kingdom about a year ago, leaving Wing Keung alone in Hong Kong. He has few friends in Hong Kong and most of his relatives live in the Mainland.
"In the past, I had a job, which I called a spiritual support, but now that I have retired, I seem to have nothing to do every day. I tried to find a driver, but as soon as I saw my age, the other person told me, "Go back and wait for the news", and I used to have a stable income, and my life was fine. In the past, when my son and his family were here, I could go and play with my grandson when I had time, but now they have gone to England and have a new life, so I have to be in Hong Kong alone.
I don't have a lot of friends, but I have a lot of relatives, my cousins are in Shenzhen, they are very concerned about me, they greet me on festivals, and make me dinner and tea every time I come to Hong Kong. Recently, when I had nothing to do, I went back to visit them and stayed there for two weeks, I feel comfortable living in Shenzhen, the pace is not so fast, the cost of living is lower than Hong Kong, and I would like to retire in Shenzhen.
If I really want to live a retired life in Shenzhen, does it mean that I will emigrate in disguise? When I thought about it, I was a bit reluctant to emigrate because I was afraid that I would have to pay a large sum of money to emigrate and I was afraid of the hassle. When I talked to my cousin, they welcomed me to emigrate to Shenzhen because they knew that if I was alone in Hong Kong, they would worry about what I would do when I was in trouble, but if they were with me, I would have someone to take care of me if I was in trouble, and they would have a place for me to live, so I wouldn't have to worry about my housing problem. As for medical benefits, they said that recently the government launched the "Elderly Card" for the elderly, which has many benefits that even elderly living in Hong Kong can apply for, but they were not very clear about the benefits, how to apply and the details, and told me that I might have to ask them again.
So I searched for information on the internet and found many articles on elderly in Sunyu Academy, so I left a message to ask for details of the Elderly Card. Their staff was very nice and gave me very detailed answers, such as explaining what the Elderly Card is all about. It turns out that the Elderly Card is an electronic identity card for governmental elderly services commissioned by the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs to be issued by the Ping An Bank, the China Construction Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. It is a co-branded financial IC card that combines the functions of identity identification, senior citizens' preferential treatment, policy subsidies, financial debit account and Shenzhen Tong. Anyone residing in Shenzhen and aged 60 or above, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents, can apply for the card.
In terms of benefits, there are as many as 10 items, such as: free rides on Shenzhen city buses and the Shenzhen Metro; free access to parks and tourist attractions invested by the Shenzhen Municipal Government (e.g. Lianhuashan Park, Shenzhen Bay Park, Daxiaohuimesha, the Sea Garden, Xianhu Botanical Garden, and Hehu Xindu); and free access to cultural venues (e.g. museums, cultural centers, libraries, and art galleries) throughout the city of Shenzhen. Free or discounted access to public stadiums throughout Shenzhen.
There are several other concessions that should be enjoyed first in accordance with the relevant regulations, including elderly canteen subsidies and concessions, Old Age Allowance (OAA), subsidies for ageing in place, reduction of notary public fees and solicitor's fees, as well as priority for free legal aid from legal aid organizations, etc. The most important one is personalized financial services. The most important thing is the personalized financial services. Although I do not have much savings, I would like to handle my funeral savings better, and I may not remember where my money is if I am too busy to find out what I need to do.
I heard that there are so many benefits that I want to apply for them right away, so I asked how to apply for them. The staff of Sunyu explained to me in detail how to apply. At the moment, there are four ways to apply for the Elderly Card:
(1) Online self-service application: You can apply through the public number "Shenzhen Civil Affairs", the public number "Ping An Bank, Shenzhen Branch" and the "Ping An Pocket Banking" APP.
(2) Centralized Community Acceptance: The Civil Affairs Bureau of each district organizes and guides community workstations to set up a day of centralized community acceptance to apply for cards, and Ping An Bank staff members go into the community to provide card application services for the elderly.
(3) Appointment on website: You can go to Ping An Bank outlets in Shenzhen to make an appointment on-site after the appointment has been successfully made. At present, all Ping An Bank stores in Shenzhen can provide the service. Some branches of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) also offer INDIGO card application service.
(4) Appointment for on-site processing: For the elderly who are mobility-impaired or bedridden and hospitalized, they can contact their community and make an appointment with the bank for on-site processing.
After listening to the four methods, I think it would be better for me to have a centralized community-based application process. I was worried that I might push the wrong button when registering online, and they gave me a Ping An Bank enquiry hotline at 95511 (IDD phone is required), so that I can call if I have any questions about the details. They also mentioned that I need to have a cell phone and proof of address in China to ensure a smooth application process. I am glad that with the help of Sunyu's staff, I can enjoy more protection and benefits in my retirement life."
In recent years, many elderly people have chosen to spend their twilight years in the Mainland. The advantages are that the living index is lower, the pace of life is suitable for the elderly, and the food culture is similar, so the elderly do not need to make any special adaptations in order to start a new life. In addition, many elderly people are in a similar situation as Wing Keung: their sons have emigrated with their families and they are left alone in Hong Kong, so they might as well move to the Mainland to live with their relatives and friends, so that they will at least have friends and relatives around them and will not be alone in their lives.
Nowadays, there are many measures in the Mainland to support the elderly and the elderly in general. If you or the elderly around you have any enquiries or want to know more, please feel free to leave a message to us and we will be happy to answer your questions. Caring for the elderly and the community is our mission, and we are happy to be their back-up.
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