The Caregiver’s “Needs Pyramid”

Psychologist Stephen G. Wiet, Ph.D., has designed a helpful pyramid concept illustrating solutions that can help caregivers.

The pyramid has four parts, with the foundation being “Help Me Make Better Decisions”. According to Dr. Wiet, a caregiver is constantly searching for answers to legal, medical, healthcare professional and financial questions. Since personal time is usually at a premium, be sure to take full advantage of all the resources available, as they can help you to make informed decisions quickly and easily. The next part is “Simplify My Life”. Prioritize tasks and take them on one at a time. And, of course, always be on the lookout for products, solutions, and services that will help. This kind of approach can then lead to the next part of the pyramid, “Peace of Mind”. That’s when the caregiver can feel more free to shift from the needs of the recipient to other obligations, such as attentiveness to work or other family members. Sometimes this stage is possible only when the caregiver has additional help or support systems, such as an eldercare community center, or a visiting healthcare professional. The ultimate goal at the top of the pyramid is “Time for Me”. Solutions that allow time for personal pampering result in healthier, more emotionally stable caregivers. And that can have only a positive effect on the recipient.