Background: The aim of the study is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of care of geriatric patients. In order to be able to improve the geriatric care we have to know clearly the needs of the elderly patients. Objective: The hierarchy of needs of geriatric patients in clinical circumstances had to be assessed by a psychometric technique based on a motivational approach. Methods: The process was based on the method of paired comparisons, and a duly composed questionnaire was administered to the geriatric patients who were proven to have consistent thinking and surpassed a pre-established threshold in the Mini Mental State Examination. The evaluation of the responds leads to a numerical derivation (on an interval scale) of the hierarchy of needs. Results: The received hierarchy of needs proved to oppose the general hypothesis of Maslow’s motivation theory. Conclusion: This may induce a necessary shift in the approach to the care of the elderly, and accentuate the self-actualization and esteem needs beside the overtly emphasized physiological care.

Keywords:
Motivation, Hierarchy of needs, Esteem needs, Self-actualization, Care, Elderly
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© 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
2005
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