Abstract: Empowerment is a crucial concept in the field of elderly professional services. However, social work services for elderly individuals living alone often struggle to achieve effectiveness due to the lack of an active aging perspective. This study integrates the theoretical connotations of empowerment and active aging to construct a “Agency-Health-Participation-Security” (AHPS) four-dimensional empowerment intervention framework. Using 17 typical cases of social work interventions for elderly individuals living alone published on the official website of the China National Social Work Association as examples, the study employs a minimal possible key case research logic to conduct a content analysis of the textual data. Research findings indicate that the subjectivity empowerment strategy emphasizes self-reflective abilities while relatively neglecting rational decision-making and capabilities for independent action. The health empowerment strategy generally focuses on mental health but pays insufficient attention to physical health status. Additionally, there is an overall lack of emphasis by social workers on participatory empowerment. In terms of security empowerment, there is a predominance of linking institutional resources, while the development of community security systems are comparatively weak. The AHPS is an empowerment intervention framework that incorporates an active aging perspective, offering a viable practical guide for social work services targeting elderly individuals living alone.

Key words: social work, elderly living alone, active aging, empowerment