Geriatric needs can be categorized into a hierarchy consisting of physiological, safety, social, and esteem needs as well as self-actualization. Physiological needs include geriatric nutrition, massage, safety needs, and home assessment. Social needs involve social need assessment and activities like performing art therapy and animal assisted therapy. Esteem needs consist of activities like computer games, yoga, and games. Self-actualization involves meditation.

1. Geriatric Need hierarchy
Dr. D. Dutta Roy
Psychology Research Unit
Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata – 700108
Web:http://www.isical.ac.in/~ddroy
E-mail: ddroy@isical.ac.in
Lecture at CMIG, Kolkata
22.12.2010

2. History
 Modern geriatrics in the United Kingdom really began with the
"Mother" of Geriatrics, Dr. Marjorie Warren. Warren emphasized that
rehabilitation was essential to the care of older people. She
developed the concept that merely keeping older people fed until
they died was not enough- they needed diagnosis, treatment, care
and support. She found that patients, some of whom had previously
been bedridden, were able to gain some degree of independence
with the correct assessment and treatment.
 Another "hero" of British Geriatrics is Bernard Isaacs, who described
the "giants" of geriatrics: incontinence, immobility, impaired intellect
and instability. Isaacs asserted that if you look closely enough, all
common problems with older people relate back to one of these
giants

3. Geriatric Need hierachy

4. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

5. Geriatric nutrition
 It includes foods that are
tasty, but at the same time
have a higher energy and
nutrient content. Food
should not elevate blood
pressure, develop
constipation. It should
normalize level of
cholesterol.

6. Massage

7. Massage

8. Massage

9. Safety needs

10. Home Assessment
 I) Social Information
II) Caregiver Information
III) Patient's Health
IV) Head Injury
V) Activities of Daily Living
VI) History of Falls
VII) Vision
VIII) Hearing
IX) Dentition
X) Bowel/Bladder
XI) Sexuality
XII) Nutrition
XIII) Communication
XIV) Usual daily activities (with
exercise)
XV) Sleeping
XVI) Finances
XVII) Home Safety Checklist
XVIII) Current Medications
XIX) Care resources/agencies

11. Geriatric utensils

12. Geriatric rooms

13. Geriatric commode

14. Geriatric commode

15. Social Needs

16. Social need assessment

17. Use projective test

18. Marital Counseling
 Analyze love pattern: Love as
dependency, sadistic love,love as a
rescue fantasy, compulsive love,love
for the unattainable object, celibate
love,critical love,loving for partner’s
parents, revengeful love – any of
which lead to extramarital affairs and
marital breakdown.
 Assess the degree to which the
prpblem is due to ignorance about
sex, cultural taboos, myths, poor
communication, sexual
failures, unrealistic concepts of
success or undue performance
pressure.

19. Social need fulfillment

20. Performing Art Therapy

21. Performing art therapy

23. Movement therapy

24. Animal assisted therapy

27. Esteem Need

28. Computer games

29. Games

30. Yoga

31. Self-actualization

32. Meditation