| Since our country entered an aging society,there has been increasing attention towards the elderly.With societal changes and shifts in family structures,the number of empty-nest households has grown.After having their basic material needs met,the elderly have developed a demand for higher-level emotional and spiritual solace.Current research indicates that urban empty-nest elderly have emotional,social interaction,recreational,and self-actualization needs.Following unexpected public health incidents,these elderly individuals may experience needs for post-infection recovery and anxiety about being re-infected.They face challenges like limited communication with relatives and friends,lack of social interactions,and low enthusiasm for social participation.How to meet their unique emotional and spiritual needs has become a societal concern.This study focuses on the urban empty-nest elderly in H community of X city,using questionnaires,interviews,and observational methods to analyze the mental needs of the urban empty-nest elderly after unexpected public health incidents.The research examines the effectiveness of group work in addressing the unique mental needs of this demographic.Firstly,after distributing questionnaires and interviewing community elderly assistants to understand the basic information of the empty-nest elderly in the H community,a random selection of elderly individuals was chosen for unstructured interviews to further delve into their mental needs.It was found that they were more reliant on emotional communication with their children due to the impacts of the public health events.In terms of interpersonal relationships,they have indifferent neighbor relations,lack social interactions,and insufficient social support.In terms of social participation,their initiative and enthusiasm are low,with limited connections to the wider society.To address these issues,a mental solace group was formed with eight selected empty-nest elderly individuals.Under the guidance of empowerment theory,six group sessions were conducted,intervening at the personal,interpersonal,and societal levels.This addressed emotional,interpersonal,and cultural and recreational needs.The activities assisted members in enhancing self-awareness,boosting confidence,facilitating emotional expression,increasing interpersonal interactions,building mutual support networks,and further exploring the hobbies and interests of the empty-nest elderly to enrich their mental lives.Finally,the effectiveness of group work in providing mental solace to the urban empty-nest elderly was evaluated from both the process and outcome perspectives.Upon reflection and summary of the group work intervention research,the empowerment theory facilitates the empowerment of group members at the individual level,enhancing self-awareness,strengthening the awareness of emotional self-satisfaction,and boosting confidence in facing life challenges.At the interpersonal level,members improve their communication and social interaction skills,enhancing their interpersonal capabilities and building a social support network.At the societal level,through interest groups,members enhance their community participation abilities,increase their initiative and enthusiasm in community activities,and utilize their individual strengths to realize their self-worth. |
