Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

All humans have needs which must be met in order for

them to achieve comfort and a feeling of well-being.

There are different ways of looking at human needs and

below is one of the better known:

Basic physical needs:

People will do whatever is necessary to meet their basic

physical needs (food, drink, oxygen, sleep, warmth).

These needs rank as the most important. Most people

are fortunate enough to be able to take basic physical

needs for granted, but all human beings, if they are

deprived, will go to great lengths to satisfy basic needs.

For example, if a person is starving, his or her overriding

priority is to find food. All other higher-level needs fade

when compared to basic needs like food, warmth, and

shelter.

Safety and security needs:

These are the needs (stability, predictability, freedom

from anxiety and chaos) which people will try to satisfy

once they have met the basic needs. When people have

sufficient food, some heat and a shelter, then they will

look to feel safe and secure. Safety and security mean

different things to different people, but most people will

look for safety from physical danger first. Freedom from

fear is something important to everyone. Individuals will

try to achieve safety and see it as a higher priority than

establishing relationships.

Safety and security also include the need to live in a stable

society. Humans need to be free from anxiety (as well as

fear) and will attempt to achieve this by regulating the

environment in which they live.

Love and emotional needs:

Human beings need to reach out and form relationships with

other human beings. They need to love and to be loved in

return; they need to express affection and caring for others

and to feel cared for and nurtured in return. This need is

more than having a close relationship which we would

define as love. It is about contact with others – friends,

colleagues, neighbors – and the opportunity to cooperate

and work alongside others. Most individuals dislike feeling

like an outsider or not being accepted by a group. Failure to

make relationships is likely to make people feel very badly

about themselves. The need to form relationships with other

human beings only becomes important after the basic needs

and safety and security needs have been achieved.

Jan-Feb 2013 Vol 9 Issue 4

Copyright 2012 (Imagery not for reprint without expressed written consent from LAS Inc.)

Self-esteem needs:

Self-esteem is the way people feel about themselves. It is

important that people feel they make a valuable contribution,

whether it is to society as a whole or within a smaller area such

as the local community, workplace, or their own family. Feeling

good about yourself has a great deal to do with your

experiences throughout life and the kind of confidence you

were given growing up. All human beings need to feel valued

and that they are making a meaningful contribution within

society.

Self-actualization needs:

This is about every human being’s need to reach his or her

maximum potential. This might be through setting out to

achieve new goals, meeting new challenges or developing

existing talents. Maslow suggests that if our other needs have

not been met (from the basic up to self-esteem), then self-

actualization can never be met. People will attempt self-

fulfillment and reach their full potential only after they have

achieved the needs lower down the hierarchy.

If care recipients are left confused, dirty and malnourished,

they will never be able to develop lasting relationships or meet

their higher needs as they continue to age. This is especially

important in our quest to provide quality care.

Alzheimer’s Disease – The Facts

A major cause of mental deterioration among the over sixty-

five population is Alzheimer’s disease. More than 50 percent of

the nursing home residents in this country have a diagnosis of

Alzheimer’s; yet most of the victims of this disease are cared

for at home. These seniors are cared for by family members or

private duty caregivers from agencies such as Visiting Angels.

This disease is chronic, progressive, and ultimately will force

the Alzheimer’s patient to be totally dependent on others for

their care.

In order to better help those families suffering from

Alzheimer’s disease, here is a brief description of the stages of

Alzheimer’s disease:

Stage I: At this beginning stage, many people are able

to cover up their memory loss, decreased speech, and

even their emotional agitation, depression, or apathy.

During this stage, many sense something is changing

and rather than be embarrassed, they simply withdraw

from family activities. Family members may not

recognize the pattern of this deterioration, may not

admit to it, or may feel all older people are forgetful

and withdrawn. Family members may label the person

careless or disinterested. This condition, however, gets

progressively worse.

Stage II: During this period extending over many years,

the person’s memory progressively worsens. He may

stop speaking, begin wandering, and repeat

movements in a meaningless way. At this time the

person becomes less involved in his care, and less and

less a contributing member of his family. He may put

all types of things in his mouth, his appetite may

increase, and his activity may be in the form of

continually pacing small areas.

Stage III: This is the terminal stage. It is a time when

the family must provide continual supervision. His

appetite may decrease, and he may need to be coaxed

to eat and drink. The person may become

unresponsive. At this point, the family will often seek

institutional housing for the individual.

Some suggestions for caring for an Alzheimer’s patient:

Be alert for the safety of the individual.

Provide a quiet, unstressed environment.

Maintain the personal hygiene.

Maintain a toileting routine.

Offer small, nutritious meals.

Monitor sleep habits.

Be supportive.

Be alert to family tension.

Do not be judgmental.

Be alert to your feelings.

Do not be afraid to suggest to family that the care recipient may

need institutional care – it is quite difficult for anyone providing

care to adequately help an Alzheimer’s victim due to the

progressive nature of the disease.

Emergency Procedures

Be Prepared Before An Accident Happens!

Be alert to changes in health behavior. If the care recipient

appears to become weaker, more confused or ill, contact the

next of kin or the designated medical emergency contact person.

We are not a medical organization. We do not provide medical services or administer medications.

Identify potential safety hazards in the home. Be alert for loose wires, slippery carpets, cluttered stairways, and other potential hazards.

Post emergency phone numbers near the phone. Have emergency phone numbers close at hand. Bring a list of emergency numbers with you when you go outings. The numbers should include: fire, rescue, poison control, doctors, next of kin, neighbors, other designated persons, and Visiting Angels.

Write down your observations of changes in health behavior or methods to improve the care recipient’s health status. A list of observations may be useful to the next of kin, doctors, or Visiting Angels.

In case of an emergency (contact in this order):

1. Call 911! 2. Contact the next of kin or neighbor designated to assist in an emergency. 3. Call Visiting Angels at (your local number).

Be aware of any standing DNR orders (Do Not Resuscitate), as

these must be given to any medical personnel who attend a 911

call.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

(Serves 6 | Hands-On Time: 05m | Total Time: 50m)

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several

times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes

on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until

tender, about 45 minutes. Make a slit in the top of each

sweet potato. Top with 1 tablespoon of butter and

season with the salt and pepper.

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