January 24, 2014 | Quebec

A Person's Needs Can Change Throughout Life

The needs of an adolescent are not necessarily the same as those of a young adult. An adult's needs can also change over the years, as can those of an older person.

Human development does not end in childhood. Abilities, relationships, responsibilities, environments, and life circumstances can continue to evolve throughout life.

In special care counselling, it is therefore important to understand where a person is in their life and what their needs are at that particular point in time.

This perspective is part of CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program. In the Developmental Psychology of the Person 2 course, students explore cognitive and psychosocial development from adolescence to older adulthood, as well as the physical and psychological needs associated with different life stages.

Why Doesn't Development End in Childhood?

Childhood is a period of significant learning and development, but development continues well beyond those early years.

Adolescence, adulthood, and older adulthood each bring their own changes.

In the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, the study of human development continues from adolescence through older adulthood. Students consider cognitive and psychosocial changes as well as different physical and psychological needs.

This perspective helps explain why an intervention appropriate at one stage of life cannot necessarily be applied in the same way at another.

Age does not explain everything, but it provides important context for understanding a person's needs and situation.

What Changes Can Occur During Adolescence?

Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood.

The changes that occur during this period are not limited to physical development. Cognitive and psychosocial development also continues.

For a Special Care Counsellor, this means considering how an adolescent is developing and interacting with their environment.

Relationships with others, social participation, responsibility, self-esteem, and problem-solving may all be addressed through an intervention, depending on the needs observed.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program prepares students to plan educational activities that support the development of several of these skills.

Do Needs Change When a Person Reaches Adulthood?

Reaching adulthood does not mean that all support needs disappear.

A person may continue to need support with certain aspects of adaptation, relationships, or independence.

Intervention objectives should therefore reflect the person's current circumstances.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program prepares students to work with people of different ages, including young people, adults, and older adults experiencing various adaptation difficulties or disabilities.

This diversity makes it important to look beyond a view of special care counselling that focuses only on childhood.

An intervention with an adult needs to reflect their abilities, needs, and circumstances, rather than automatically relying on strategies developed for younger populations.

👉 Learn more: Working With Diverse Populations in Special Care Counselling

Why Can Independence Take Different Forms at Different Ages?

Independence is not a single ability acquired once and left unchanged.

It can involve different aspects of everyday life and evolve.

For some people, intervention may focus on developing new skills. For others, the focus may be on maintaining existing abilities or adapting support as certain abilities change.

This distinction becomes particularly important with aging.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program explores older adulthood and loss of independence, allowing students to consider the needs that may arise during this stage of life.

Supporting independence then involves finding a balance between the assistance provided and the abilities the person can continue to use.

Why Does a Person's Social Context Change Too?

A person's needs are not determined solely by individual development.

Their environment changes too.

Relationships, living environments, responsibilities, and support networks can evolve from adolescence through adulthood and into older adulthood.

The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program includes learning about a person's social context,  networks, and services. This perspective helps students consider the resources available to the person and the different environments in which they live and participate.

An appropriate intervention must therefore take into account not only who the person is, but also the circumstances in which they are living at that point in their life.

Why Should Needs Be Reassessed Over Time?

A need identified at one point in time is not necessarily permanent.

A person may develop new skills, encounter new difficulties, or experience a significant change in their environment.

This is why observation remains relevant throughout the support process.

In the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, students learn to gather and interpret information to better understand a situation. They also develop skills in identifying needs and planning interventions.

Reassessing needs helps avoid continuing to intervene based on circumstances that no longer fully reflect the person's current situation.

Should Intervention Objectives Evolve Too?

Yes. When needs change, objectives and intervention strategies may also need to be reconsidered.

This is one reason evaluation plays an important role in the intervention process.

In the Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, students learn to determine objectives and strategies and then evaluate and revise an intervention plan.

An intervention can therefore evolve with the person rather than remain fixed.

An objective that was relevant during adolescence may no longer address the same needs in adulthood. Similarly, aging may require certain strategies to be reconsidered in light of changing abilities or new difficulties.

👉 Learn more: Why Is It Important to Evaluate the Results of an Intervention in Special Care Counselling?

How Can Aging Change an Intervention?

Aging can involve physical, cognitive, psychological, or social changes.

Some people may also experience a loss of independence.

However, this does not mean that all older adults have the same needs or that age alone can determine how an intervention should be approached.

A Special Care Counsellor still needs to observe the person's abilities, needs, and environment.

An intervention may focus on maintaining certain abilities, encouraging participation, or adapting activities as the person's situation evolves.

👉 Learn more: Aging and Loss of Independence: What Role Does Special Care Counselling Play?

Why Should Age Never Be Automatically Associated With a Particular Need?

Understanding the major stages of human development provides useful reference points, but they never replace observing the individual.

Two adolescents of the same age can have very different needs. The same is true of two adults or two older adults.

A person's experiences, abilities, environment, and difficulties all contribute to these differences.

In special care counselling, knowledge of human development is therefore used to better understand a person's situation in context, rather than automatically determining their needs based on age.

This distinction is essential to individualizing an intervention.

Adapting Support to a Person's Life Journey

From adolescence through older adulthood, a person may experience many changes.

Their abilities may evolve. Their relationships and environment may change. Some needs may decrease while others emerge.

In CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program, the study of human development through older adulthood complements learning in observation, needs analysis, intervention activities, and intervention planning.

Together, these areas of learning reinforce an essential principle: an intervention needs to evolve with the person receiving support.

The goal is therefore not simply to know which needs are generally associated with a particular stage of life, but to understand what this person needs today, in their current circumstances.

FAQ

1. Do Special Care Counsellors work only with children and adolescents?
No. The Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U program prepares students to work with people of different ages, including young people, adults, and older adults, who are experiencing various circumstances and adaptation difficulties.

2. Why can a person's needs change throughout life?
Cognitive and psychosocial development continues beyond childhood, while abilities, relationships, environments, and life circumstances can evolve. Needs should therefore be assessed according to each person's current situation.

3. Why should an intervention be reassessed when needs change?
An intervention based on previous needs may become less relevant as a person's situation evolves. Evaluation helps determine whether the objectives and strategies still reflect the abilities and needs being observed.

Explore Further

👉 Special Care Counselling: Understanding the Field and Career Opportunities

👉 Biopsychosocial Adaptation in Special Care Counselling: Understanding the Whole Person

👉 Support Networks: Why Are They Important in Special Care Counselling?

👉 Learn More About CDI College's Special Care Counselling – JNC.1U Program