A Study On The Intervention Of Group Work To Alleviate The Loneliness Of The Rural Elderly Living Alone

With the increase of the elderly population in China,the transformation of family structure and the acceleration of urbanization,a large number of young rural labor force have poured into cities,leading to an increasing number of elderly living alone in rural areas,and the ratio of elderly living alone in rural areas has also continued to rise.Due to the long-term lack of companionship and care from family and friends,as well as the decline in physical function,rural elderly living alone are prone to negative emotions such as loss and loneliness.This is not conducive to the physical and mental health development of rural elderly living alone,but also easy to cause some social problems.This study applies the professional method of group work to alleviate the loneliness problem of elderly people living alone in rural areas.Firstly,the author conducted a survey on the elderly living alone in N Village through the UCLA Loneliness Scale and interviews,and gained a preliminary understanding of some of the problems with loneliness among the elderly living alone in the village(such as the denial of self-worth caused by long-term solitary living,negative emotions caused by lack of family care,dull life caused by lack of leisure and entertainment activities,and inner loneliness caused by reduced social participation),And based on these issues,identify the reasons for their sense of loneliness.After conducting interviews and research,the author found that the main reasons for loneliness among elderly people living alone in rural areas include: family factors(emotional loss caused by the passing of loved ones,and emotional loss caused by the absence of children);Social factors(inadequate infrastructure,lack of mutual assistance and support among elderly individuals living alone,limited collective activities and a single form of cultural and entertainment,and a limited understanding of the needs of elderly individuals living alone based on material needs);Personal factors such as limited cultural level and reduced interpersonal circle caused by health conditions.In addition,the author evaluated the needs of elderly people living alone in rural areas based on the reasons for their sense of loneliness.Under the guidance of social support theory and activity theory,a group work approach was adopted to develop a reasonable service plan.According to the screening criteria(loneliness score above the average score of 43.963,willingness to participate in group activities;able to come to the activity venue on time to participate in group activities),12 elderly individuals living alone were selected to form a loneliness relief group.The group mainly focuses on activities such as improving self-awareness and social skills,building a social support network system,and enhancing self-confidence.After the group activity,social workers evaluate the service effectiveness using the feedback form of group members,comparison of pre and post test data,and scores of group members’ satisfaction and participation in the group activity.After the evaluation,the author summarized and concluded that the intervention of group work in the study on alleviating loneliness among rural elderly living alone has a certain effect.It has improved the self-awareness of group members,improved social skills,built a social support network platform,increased self-confidence,and to some extent alleviated the loneliness of rural elderly living alone.However,there are also certain shortcomings in this study.In response to these shortcomings,the author has conducted corresponding reflections,hoping to provide some reference significance for future research on alleviating the loneliness of elderly people living alone in rural areas.