Navigating retirement mobilities across borders: a scoping review of Hong Kong older adults in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and lessons for Asia-Pacific policy

As rapid demographic ageing reshapes the region, cross-border retirement in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has emerged as a strategic priority. Adopting a ‘retirement mobilities’ framework, this scoping review synthesises 18 studies (2006–2024) to examine this transition. Our analysis reveals a critical paradigm shift: While financial portability barriers have been largely resolved, challenges have migrated towards care system compatibility, specifically impacting frail older adults concerned with medical quality. A gap persists between policy incentives and retiree uptake. Notably, the GBA case illuminates four key non-monetary challenges – digital exclusion, social isolation, cultural dissonance, and institutional mistrust – that carry vital lessons for ASEAN and the broader Asia-Pacific as they seek to support cross-border retirees. Ultimately, sustainable ‘ageing across places’ requires service integration beyond mere monetary transfers.