Diagnosis of human needs: a proposal to improve the emotional to improve the emotional, mental health of older adults adults of Asilo Hogar Santa Luisa, province of Colón, Republic of Colón, Republic of Panama

Abstract

The research is based on the approaches of Maslow's Theory of Human Needs. The objective was to carry out the diagnosis of the human needs identified in the elderly at the Santa Luisa Homecare, in the province of Colón, and from there, provide a proposal for the improvement of the mental-emotional health of this population. A population of 117 older adults, distributed in three nursing homes, was found among the asylums of the Province of Colón. For this purpose, a first instrument was applied to the non-bedridden elderly population of the Asilo Hogar Santa Luisa, where the sample was considered, composed of cognitively functional older adults, not bedridden from the nursing home. A fact that was of impact and that evidenced the emotional condition of the elderly of the Asilo Hogar Santa Luisa, is that after the death of an elderly person there are several deaths, of other elderly adults in a short period of time. Information that was identified, as a result of the initial interview carried out with the person in charge of the Home. The research design used was quasi-experimental. The type of study was descriptive - explanatory, with data analysis. It should be noted, with respect to the diagnosis of the needs of the elderly at the Santa Luisa Homecare, that the need for security was not significantly covered for the population of older adults approached, where even when it was identified that 70% said they felt that they were safe in the Homecare, 40% reported feeling fear in that place. And likewise, where 50% indicated that they received a visit, 80% declared that they felt alone at Santa Luisa Homecare. Regarding the need for self-realization, it was interesting to find that 80% of the older adults approached, identified this need, from the achievement of doing something for the good of someone, and 70% responding to the same need, stated that they had some goal earring. 70% said they felt useful in the nursing home. The result of the diagnosis of the needs of the elderly, facilitated the contribution of a proposal aimed at comprehensive care and intervention for them, in order to improve the mental-emotional health of the elderly at the Asilo Hogar Santa Luisa, in Colon province.