Supporting Significant Life Events

SUPPORTING SIGNIFICANT LIFE
EVENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals........................................................1
Analyze possible group responses to significant life events that occur to one of its members...2
Analyze the impact for others in health and social care when an individual experiences
significant life events...................................................................................................................3
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures...................................4
2.2 Explain how others in social networks may provide support to individuals experiencing
significant life events...................................................................................................................5
2.3 Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life
events...........................................................................................................................................6
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Analyze possible organizational responses to the need to support individuals experiencing
a significant life event..................................................................................................................7
3.2 Reflective on own personal contributions.............................................................................8
3.3 Make recommendations for improving support for individuals and their social networks
when affected by significant life events......................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Significant life events have a predictable occurrence of unexpected experiences of life’s
conditions in context of marriage, loss, death, health, adoption of policy/principle or any such
proceedings. This topic is about emphasis on the need of support for dealing with bereavement
and grieving process as per the provided case scenario. It puts insights on the entire social setup
involving the professional health care sector and its qualified practitioners, social groups like
relatives, family, friends etc., and role of organizations to provide assistance in such coping up.
This will also include an outline about the hospital’s policies and procedures for the cremation
ceremony. Furthermore, a reflective will be provided to understand the nuances of the mindset of
people working for this setup. Along with, few recommendations will be given to make some
improvements.
MAIN BODY
LO 1
Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals
As per the case study, Sue and Tom lost a child Jill, who died at a very young age due to
leukemia. This came as a huge loss and a shocker to them. In regard to this, Kubler-Ross Grief
Cycle has been followed to understand the stages of an individual’s mindset to cope with their
grief of losing a dear one in a prescribed order.
This cycle is a reflection of the emotions caused due to any situational crises, abuse or
relationship issue. There are five stages, popularly called as DABDA.
Denial: This includes running away from reality due to abrupt shock. It assists in analyzing the
extent of grief as everything looks ambiguous and without any meaning (PATRICELLI, 2018).
Tom and Sue were already paralyzed after knowing about Jill’s condition six months ago, later
due to worsened situation, she was hospitalized and this made her parents realized the reality.
They were in denial mode and were trying the avoidance of the inevitable, i.e. death on this
scenario.
Anger: This is a common sign amongst members when the reality hit them and they transport it
into its dissipation into a never ending process in a cyclic manner. It is good to respond naturally
as this is a necessary phase for healing. Here, Sue and Tom dint suppress it and got complete
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support from doctors, nurses and others, however later, Tom progressed gradually but even after
one year, Sue was struggling psychologically and socially.
Bargaining: When Tom and Sue realized their daughter’s turmoil state, they were surrounded by
guilt and pain as well. They went to God through attending prayers, churches etc. and were
thinking about lack of time they gave to Jill. They mainly pursuing a way out but in vain as the
destiny was already evident.
Depression: When the final grasp come into existence, which represented the “present locus
point” gets accepted, then this phase develops. Tom and Jill had different ways out. They got
support from organizations to cope but Sue struggled to come on terms of her child’s loss. She
still was plagued by many thoughts like Jill was young, she couldn’t tell her how she was loved
etc.
Acceptance: Stability is the keyword here, where an understanding that life has to go ahead is
vital (Diener, Inglehart and Tay, 2013). Tom recognized the harsh reality in standard mode but
Sue couldn’t and for this, she was asked to attend counselling at professional level.
Figure 1. Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle
(Source: Michaelcnagle, 2010)
Analyze possible group responses to significant life events that occur to one of its members
The group responses played vital parts in combating the circumstantial emotions shown
by Tom, Sue and the nurse who got affected badly after Jill’s death.
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