Psychosocial Care and Mental Health Needs
Dignity and emotional needs
Psychosocial care is about treating the resident as a whole person. Know Maslow's hierarchy: physical needs and safety come first, but belonging, esteem, and self-actualization still matter. Protect privacy by knocking, covering the resident, and keeping information confidential. Respect autonomy: allow choices in clothing, food, and schedule whenever safe. Culture, religion, and sexuality affect care; ask rather than assume.
Communication and mental health
Use active listening, open-ended questions, and empathy. Sit at eye level, face the resident, and allow silence. Reflect feelings: 'You sound worried about your son.' Avoid false reassurance ('Don't worry'), arguing, prying, giving advice, or sharing your own problems. Grief, sadness, anxiety, anger, and withdrawal are common; report changes in appetite, sleep, mood, or interest. Take any hint of self-harm or suicide seriously: stay with the resident, remove immediate means if safe, and report immediately. Never promise to keep a secret that involves safety.
Traps and rule of thumb
Question traps include telling a crying resident to cheer up, correcting a resident's feelings, or labeling anger as bad behavior. Behavior is communication-look for pain, fear, loneliness, or a physical cause. Worked example: a resident cries after a family visit. Sit down, acknowledge the loss, offer presence, and ask what might help. Do not say 'At least you have other family.' Rule of thumb: respond to the emotion before the content.