| |
The human situation is complex. Although our most basic needs are physiological, such as food, water, and sleep, satisfying them without out more is, well ... far from satisfying. In addition to physiological needs, individuals have psychological and emotional needs such as the need for affection, security, and self-esteem. Typically, those who suffer deficiencies here will strive to make up the deficiency. That's why Maslov called these basic needs or deficiency needs. Beyond those, Maslov said that healthy individuals have "metaneeds" or growth needs such as justice, goodness, beauty, order, unity, etc.
The problem we face is that aging sometimes introduces us to circumstances that compromise our ability to appreciate the world around us. We know that the overall health of a person is determined by a composite of the person's lifestyle, physical health, social support network, coping skills, and cognative abilities. Thus, as older individuals confront stressful events such as the loss of a spouse, retirement or changes in physical ability, coping skills may be taxed and the result may be depression. Chemical imbalances such as a diabetic sugar imbalance or a medication error can cause delirium. In other circumstances, the disease process may result in cognative loss, such as Alzheimer's, Lewy Body Dementia or Vascular Dementia.
When contronting an unexplained and unhealthy change in behavior, it is important to get professional help. The type of help needed may be a function of the underlying problem (e.g., the proper treatment for uncontrolled diabetes is usually a monitored diet and insulin). You should not allow unhealthy behavior patterns to continue. The leading form of Elder Abuse is self-neglect. Signs of self-neglect include:
- dehydration, malnutrition, untreated or improperly attended medical conditions, and poor personal hygiene;
- hazardous or unsafe living conditions/arrangements (e.g., improper wiring, no indoor plumbing, no heat, no running water);
- unsanitary or unclean living quarters (e.g., animal/insect infestation, no functioning toilet, fecal/urine smell);
- inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing, lack of the necessary medical aids (e.g., eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures); and
- grossly inadequate housing or homelessness.
Bringing it full circle, back to the beginning - healthy individuals will look after their basic needs and will continue to pursue growth needs throughout life. Doing so enhances health (e.g., productive activity and social activity decrease mortality). This is why looking after an individual's special needs can be so important. If we ignore growth needs, then we are actually impairing the individual's ability to thrive. Seeing family, the enjoyment of music, watching sports and other pass-times, although they may not appear important at first glance, support good mental health which in turn supports enhanced physical health. And, as stated, if cognative function is threatened by depression, delerium or other factors, professional assistance should be sought to prevent endangerment.
Medications:
If your loved one is taking medication to assist with a mental or emotional deficiency, the following links may help you understand the purpose of the medications and possible side effect:
© 2004, Law Office of David L. McGuffey, LLC
This page last updated:
| |
