Empowering elderly people: A community work approach

Traditional social work services for elderly people place an emphasis on enabling them to adapt to changes arising from old age. The levels of social work intervention are limited to individuals and families. The crucial problems of a sense of powerlessncss, helplessness, low self-esteem and low self-efficacy possessed by elderly people are inadequately addressed by existing elderly services and intervention approaches. In response to the social and political changes in contemporary society, a community work approach can be a useful method to change old people from passive clients into active and empowered individuals with a positive self-image. It is effective in strengthening elderly people's contact with the community, eliminating elderly people's negative self-image, protecting elderly rights, and increasing their capacity to influence policy-making.