With the ageing of the global population, the wellbeing of older people merits special attention. Recent findngs on certain aspects of the psychosocial health of the elderly are far from reassuring. The first problem is the inconsistency in psychosocial indicators which give simultaneous high life satisfaction scores & high suicide rates. The second problem is the significant weakening of the social support network of the elderly. This article analyses the service & policy implications of these two problems in Hong Kong. Suggestions are made on the role of social workers in promoting the psychosocial health of the elderly at different levels of intervention. (35 refs.)