Social Work Services for Rural Ecologically Impoverished Elderly Individuals

The poverty in many rural areas is closely related to their natural environment, especially in ecologically vulnerable regions. Balancing economic development and environmental protection becomes challenging due to fragile ecosystems and limited resources, making it difficult for the local economy to thrive. Frequent migration of the workforce further exacerbates labor outflow, making elderly individuals in environmentally harsh regions more susceptible to poverty. This type of poverty resulting from adverse natural conditions is often referred to as “ecological poverty.” Among various poverty alleviation methods, social work services stand out for their professional approach, humanistic care, and the ability to quickly and effectively connect various resources. They can significantly enhance the adaptive capacity of impoverished individuals within their systems, making social work services suitable for integration with rural ecological poverty alleviation efforts. This chapter explores the role of social work services in poverty alleviation for ecologically impoverished elderly individuals in rural areas.