A Personal Advocacy Model for Serving Older Adults

This paper examines the feasibility of enriching traditional advocacy to further enhance empowerment of older adults. The proposed process provides the community-based older aduit with the opportunity to actively participate in overcoming environmental barriers and maintaining their independence. Personal advocacy is defined and linked to the empowerment perspective, Further discussion includes the helping conditions of personal advocacy and the steps in the process for helping older adults. A proposed program for older adults using this strategy is then presented. Implications for gerontologicai social work practice are also identified.