The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes further implementation of the national strategy to respond to population aging actively and to strengthen the protection of elders’ rights and interests. Population aging is not only a macro-level issue of demographic transition but also a micro-level reflection of countless individual life experiences. If loneliness and helplessness among bereaved older adults are not effectively addressed, they may lead to more serious psychological problems and have lasting negative effects on their quality of life. This study uses a case study approach and applies narrative therapy to provide psychological adjustment services. The service process follows four stages: listening, externalization, re-authoring, and witnessing. In the listening stage, through home visits and supportive listening, the social worker understands the older adult's emotional distress and life difficulties after spousal loss and builds a trusting relationship. In the externalization stage, the older adult is guided to turn emotional problems into concrete images, so she can see that the problem is not the same as herself, which reduces helplessness and self-labeling. In the re-authoring stage, unique outcomes and positive resources in her life course are explored to help her rebuild her life narrative, form a positive alternative story, and reconstruct meaning. In the witnessing stage, with the use of witnessing rituals and the participation of significant others, the new narrative is strengthened in its sense of reality and social support. This study expands the application of narrative therapy in grief counseling for older adults and shows that it is an effective intervention approach for psychological adjustment in later life.

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