Part B (Q8): What are the Psychological, Social, and Physical Needs of Older Person?

The elderly population is not homogenous; however, they generally face a distinct set of intertwined physical, psychological, and socio-economic needs.

1. Physical Needs:

• Geriatric Healthcare: They require specialized, affordable medical care tailored to chronic conditions (arthritis, hypertension, diabetes) and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's). They need dedicated hospital queues and subsidized medicines to manage "polypharmacy" (taking multiple drugs).
• Assistive Devices: Due to sensory and musculoskeletal decline, they critically need access to physical aids—spectacles for cataracts, hearing aids, walking sticks, or wheelchairs—to maintain independence.
• Accessible Environment: They need "Age-Friendly" infrastructure: safe housing without slippery floors, public transport with low steps, and buildings with ramps to prevent life-threatening falls.

2. Psychological Needs:

• Mental Health Support: They have a desperate need for interventions addressing depression, grief (from losing spouses/peers), and anxiety (fear of dependence/death).
• Dignity and Purpose: Retirement causes a massive loss of identity. They need avenues to feel useful again, perhaps through volunteering or passing down skills, to achieve what Erikson called "Ego Integrity."
• Autonomy: The psychological need to maintain control over their own lives, finances, and daily decisions, rather than having adult children infantilize them.

3. Social Needs:

• Combatting Isolation: The modern nuclear family leaves many elderly profoundly lonely. They need social networks—Day Care Centers, senior citizen clubs, or community gatherings—to replace the social interactions they lost from the workplace and deceased peers.
• Financial Security: A critical social need is income security. Without a regular pension (like IGNOAPS) or post-retirement work opportunities, they face extreme anxiety over outliving their savings and affording basic necessities.
• Protection from Abuse: They need strong legal and social protections (like the Maintenance Act) against neglect, abandonment, or financial exploitation by their own families.