Basic Human Needs in the Elderly Receiving Palliative Care: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Ageing leads to important changes in the health profile of the elderly, causing the appearance of one or more chronic diseases. These vicissitudes, over time, lead to hemodynamic and metabolic dysfunction, in addition to having negative impacts on biological, emotional, social, and spiritual factors in the elderly. In particular, changes in physiological functions permeate the ageing process, impairing the basic human needs (BHNs) of these individuals [1]. Elderly people with altered BHNs are more likely to need help in their daily activities, such as maintenance of hygiene, food, and rest, among other requirements. In addition, they often experience long periods of hospitalisation due to the symptoms caused by the illness process and unmet needs, which end up negatively damaging the quality of life and independence of the elderly [2]. According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of BHNs [3], human beings have psychobiological, psychosocial, and psychospiritual needs, which are interrelated and are part of an indivisible whole. Although these needs are common to humanity, they differ in their manifestations and in the way they are met by health professionals when assisting a person [3].BHNs are studied with consideration of their psychobiologi-