This document outlines a lesson plan on elderly problems in Hong Kong. It includes a role play activity where students will be divided into 6 groups to discuss issues related to caring for the elderly. Specifically, the lesson will involve a news reading and discussion about a case in Australia where an elderly woman was abandoned by her children at a train station. Students will consider whether family or the government bears greater responsibility for elderly care, and how approaches differ in Asian and Western countries. Key vocabulary related to elderly issues is also provided.

1. Miss Choi
E- mail: angelchoi909@hotmail.com
Room 112
15th
November, 2010

2. Elderly Problems in Hong Kong
Introduction/ Background (1 lesson)
• News reading
• Questions for discussion
Role Play 角色扮演 (3 lessons)
• Discussion and Debate
• Preparation for the role play
• Role play begins

3. Role Play – Grouping ( 分組 )
• 6 Groups
• Each group contains exactly 6 students
• Each group please hand in your grouping list
(just write down the names and class numbers
of all the 6 group members in a piece of
paper)

4. Elderly Population in Hong Kong
• Basically, Hong Kong is an aging
society ( 人口老化的社會 ).
• People at the age of 65 make up
about 11-12% (0.84 million) of the
total population at the moment.
• It is predicted ( 估計 ) that by
2032, there will be 1 out of 4
people at the age of 65.

5. Everywhere in the
world are facing the
problem of ageing
population!
In the world, the
number of people older
than 65 will rise to 1.4
billion (14 億 ) by 2040
from about 506 million
in 2008!

6. News Reading (5 minutes)

7. 報章概要 – 誰來照顧外婆 ?
• 澳洲事例
• David Croser 把他的母親 (Mrs Alice Croser)
遺棄在悉尼火車站 , 於是她被送去緊急庇護所
• Alice Croser 的 9 個兒女都不願意照顧她
• 這件事件在澳洲引起激烈討論
• 究竟照顧老人是家庭還是政府的責任 ?

8. Who is to take care of granny?
1. Suggest some reasons why the old lady is not
welcome by her children.
2. Are Mrs Croser’s children responsible for
taking care of their old mother? Why?

9. Discussion (10 minutes)
3. Who, do you think has a greater
responsibility in looking after the elderly, the
government or the family?
4. In what way are the Asian countries ( 亞洲國
家 ) different from the Western countries ( 西
方國家 ) in looking after the elderly? Which in
your opinion is better?

10. Useful Vocabulary
• filial piety ( 孝道 ) e.g. Chinese people stress filial piety.
• dutiful ( 盡責 ) e.g. Mr. and Mrs. Chan are dutiful parents,
they take care of their children well.
• lonely ( 孤獨 ) e.g. Mrs. Wong feels very sad and lonely.
• living environment/ condition ( 居住環境 ) e.g. The living
environment/ condition of poor people is bad.
• used to / accustom ( 習慣 ) e.g. I used to live on my own./ I
am not accustomed to live with other people.

11. Useful Vocabulary
• temper ( 脾氣 ) e.g. My grandfather has bad temper.
• his/her own wish ( 他 / 她的意願 ) e.g. Living in the
Home for Elderly is grandmother’s own wish.
• financial burden ( 經濟負擔 )
• helpless ( 無助 )
• moral ( 道德 ) / immoral ( 不道德 )
• harmony ( 融洽 )
• interpersonal relationship ( 人際關係 )

12. East & West
Asian society Western Society
Family Individual
Live with the parents even
after marriage
Leave their parents when
people grow up or after
marriage
Family responsibility
“An elder at home is a
treasure”
Government responsibility
to provide welfare and
service for the elders

13. Please remember to hand in
the grouping list
in tomorrow’s lesson~ ^.^