Unit 21: Analysis of Significant Life Events and Support in Healthcare

This report, based on a provided case study, delves into the profound impact of significant life events, such as bereavement, on individuals and their social networks. It analyzes the physical, psychological, and social consequences of such events, examining group responses and the role of healthcare professionals. The report evaluates the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures in providing support, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual interventions. It also assesses the suitability of external support sources and makes recommendations for improving support within health and social care organizations, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and coordinated care. The analysis covers the experiences of both individuals and healthcare providers, highlighting the importance of effective policies and social networks in mitigating the negative effects of significant life events.

Unit 21:
Supporting Significant
Life Events

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
CASE STUDY.................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1) Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals...................................................1
2) Analyse possible group responses to significant life events...................................................2
3) Analyse the impact for others in health and social care when an individual experiences
significant life events..................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
1) Evaluate the effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures in supporting
individuals and their social networks affected by significant life events....................................4
2) Explain how others in social networks may provide support to individuals experiencing
significant life events..................................................................................................................4
3) Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life
events...........................................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
1) Analyse possible organisation responses to the need to support individuals experiencing a
significant life event....................................................................................................................5
2) Reflect on own personal contributions to the support of individuals experiencing significant
life event......................................................................................................................................6
3) Make recommendations for improving the support available in a health and social care
organisation for individuals and their networks when affected by significant life events. ..7
CONCLUSIONS..............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Their are various life events occur in an individual life which impact significantly on
their mental health and life. This life events occur from various circumstances that occur in
person life. As the significant life vents refers to changes that happen in life of human. These can
be unexpected events. The impact of such events occur life time which leaves a person in
unpredictable state. These events can be occur through various circumstances such as losing
someone close, etc. After happening of such events, behaviour and attitude of a person is not
same (Breen, 2016). As it varies from person to person which changes according to their
circumstances. In this assignment, the impact of life events occur on person's life which can be
occur from responses of various group are covered in this. The impact of health and social care
also occur on individual experience which are discussed in this. In addition to this, there are
some external and internal support are present which provide support to individual according to
their experiences. This also help in developing own contribution to support person experiences.
The various recommendations can be occur in order to support individual that are occur by
health and social care organisation.
CASE STUDY
Staci D. is 25 years old from Skegness. On 19 July 2016, his mother, Julia died at age of
55 after being hospital due with lung disease. The Staci D. and his mother are not much attach to
their family and relatives. After death of his mother, he contacted local care services and was
supported by care volunteers. “Before my mother died, I spoke to general practitioner because
losing a mother is really a difficult in terms of a child. But they refused to help until my mother
died”.
“After death of my mother, I needed to talk with someone as I was depressed all time
which lead to weaker my body and changing in my sleeping pattern. My general practitioner
suggest me to take help from Cruse Bereavement Care. I contacted with their volunteer and after
three weeks later they contact me back and their volunteers came to see me.
TASK 1
1) Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals.
There are various significant events occur in life of an individuals. The individual are
mostly highly affected from events that occur in losing someone who are close to them. This
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leads to bereavement period in which a person faces depression and stress after getting lose of
someone. Any change in their situation lead to mood changes that convert into mourns according
to their presence of situation. The changes have different examples which impact differently on
mind of individual such as relationship problems, losing job, divorce, death of someone close.
The impact of these events can be occur as negative impact which leads to various disease such
as grief, anxiety, etc. In context of case, Staci's mother has a lung disease which later on get
worsen with time. This leads to her hospitalized where her condition get worsen and it result in
her death. His son Staci has a significant impact on his life as he was highly attached to her
mother. There are various impact occur which are described below.
Physical:- the disease can cause various effect on health of a individual . A person who
suffers from bereavement also have other impact on life of an individual. There are different
physical changes occur in body of an human (Canevello, Michels and Hilaire, 2016). As
unexpected events highly impact on mind state of an individual which leads to various physical
problems in body of individual. There are several physical impact occur on health of an
individual such as changes in sleeping pattern, lack of hungry, etc. As per the case, after losing
his mother, various physical impact are seen on body of Staci as his body becomes weaker at
time.
Psychological:- this impact occur as mental state of individuals in which circumstances
develops changes in behaviour and thinking of an individual. In case, after death of Staci's
mother, he suffers lots of psychological problems such as depression, etc. This result in changing
his sleep pattern which includes several other problems in their mind state.
Social:- When a person face significant life events in his life, it is necessary to attain
support socially. As it helps in developing morale and strength in a person's life towards their
situation. In Staci's mother illness case, the local authorities refused to help her in his mother's
case from which he can prevent his mother from death. As he does not gain any sympathy and
support from outsiders which is also as a drawback that occur from socially.
2) Analyse possible group responses to significant life events.
A person can receive various responses from different types of group such as families,
local authorities and society. In case of losing someone, the support is necessary to be provided
to individual who are facing such events. The health care professional also plays a vital role in
responding life events that fall out in a person life unexpectedly. As the groups are responsible
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for major impact on health and mind state of an individual. As per case, while his mother alive
no local authorities are ready to help her and after died of her mother, he depressed for several
days which fall out various problems in his life. There are various group occur which response
significant life events of individuals.
Associates:- there are various people who are associated with bereavement from which
they recover individuals from their emotions and sad (Flannigan and et. al., 2017). These type of
group enhance and motivate individuals to involve in other activities so that they can reduces
impact of situation. In case, Staci also suffers from depression after death of her mother. With
help of such groups, improvement can be occur in emotions of an individual.
Family and friends:- The support from family and friends work amazing on emotion of
an individual as people are highly attached to their close ones. This support is not attain by Staci
and his mother as they are not attached with their relatives. It develops some negative impact as
relatives can not help them in their condition.
Bereavement care group:- there are local authorities that help people in the period in
which they lose someone close. As losing someone cause depression, sadness, anxiety and
sorrow. They deliver support and motivation to individual who lose someone after death of close
one. In case, Staci receive support from this group of people after her mother death.
3) Analyse the impact for others in health and social care when an individual experiences
significant life events
The individual experience different significant life events which impacted other people
who are associated with their circumstances. This involves nurses, care professionals, supporters
and families who are linked with such event are also effected. The care professionals and nurses
feel loss of services as their services does not affect person completely and can not help in
promoting their health. As lack of efficient services lead to loss of a person which impacted on
their organisation as well as on their services (Kim and Noh, 2016). The nurses who are involves
in taking care of Staci's mother are familiar to illness of her mother disease but despite of it they
no longer able to take care her mother. The local authorities refuses to help her until her mother
died. This effect Staci both physically and emotionally. She does not in touch much with her
family relatives from which they are not aware about their circumstances. The impact of
significant life events occur on practitioner as the practitioner suggest her to take help from curse
bereavement care. The staff and other member of this care is to support people who lose their
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close someone. The volunteers of this care take forward steps in providing support and care to
individual who loses her mother.
TASK 2
1) Evaluate the effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures in supporting individuals
and their social networks affected by significant life events.
The organisational policies and procedures are build by groups which have main aim to
direct people who are suffering from life events. With proper implementation of policies and
procedure, care practitioner can properly provide services to people who suffer from important
events of life. There are different policies who are occur only to deliver good care to people
according to their needs and requirements (Kraan and et. al., 2015). The care practitioner need to
follow policies that are welfare of individuals. They consider requirements of individual by
considering their values and past experience that develop various consequences in their life.
The procedure must be effectively used so that it does not harm people while treating
them in their care. The organisation have different and new procedures which are welfare of
people. They have different social networks that affect important events of individual life. These
networks can also support them in their care. As per case, the Staci receive benefits from
bereavement care in her depression.
2) Explain how others in social networks may provide support to individuals experiencing
significant life events.
There are various types of support occur from different social networks as they provide
satisfaction in system among patients. These support provide benefit or advantages to people
who are experiencing life events and these are described below.
 Physical support:- this includes all strategies that assist individuals in their care. This
approach help people who are disable physically. The lack of physical enhance stress
and depression which result in death of an individual (Martin and et. al., 2016). As per
case, mother of Staci does not gain appropriate physical care which lead to death of her
mother.
 Psychological support:- this support provides care and treatment regarding mental state
of a person. From case, Staci faces many problems after death of her mother. She faces
depression, lack of eating which is necessary to be prevented. The care practitioner
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should provide effective counselling session to patients so that depression can be
reduced.
 Social support:- the support also occur through socially so they need to provide care and
treatment by collaborating with each other. In this, care providers can deliver support
with coordination according to information of bereavements that present the needs
together by experts.
 Spiritual support:- with this support, care practitioner can motivate Staci to communicate
with others. This support help individual in removing barriers such as trust issues,
behavioural issues.
3) Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life
events.
The external sources have different sources which help individual in facing events that
come from different ways. The main aim of external sources is to carry out patients from their
disease that are occurring from their circumstances (Mauk and Garris, 2016). With this, they can
provide sustainability to care in order to support them. They have some methods from which
they can develop care of service users.
 There are different treatments occur that motivate energy among patients to take care of
them. The patients should have information regarding their treatments so that trust can
build towards organisation from care users. It includes unwinding of medications that can
help individual in managing their feelings and emotions effectively.
 There are meditation group of external sources that provides influence care patient in
their recovery. This types of group provides trust, motivation level to services users so
that they can regain easily. In case of Staci, she is depressed from her mother death. As
she is needed to reduce her depression which can be only possible if she build trust
towards external sources. This will help them to reduce impact of depression in her mind
state (PAM, COX and KA, 2017).
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TASK 3
1) Analyse possible organisation responses to the need to support individuals experiencing a
significant life event.
There are various responses occur from organisation from which they provide support to
individual who are experiencing situation and events that are come up unexpectedly. The
different guidelines and policies are set by organisation in order to deliver support to them. The
organisation give different responses including instructions and strategies that can help
individual to overcome from their circumstances (Peila-Shuster, 2016). These strategies and
instructions are implemented when a person is no more able to handle situation. The individuals
are come in contact with these organisation through care practitioner who work for providing
care and support to individuals. In their responses, they also includes that their guideline are
must effective so that it can benefited to them.
The general practitioner must promote them while individual initiated their care as patient
with in organisation. The organisation must follow their guidelines at time of delivering care to
them. Their responses includes advice to individual from which they can effectively provide
support to them. It also includes safe and encourage services that can help in bringing changes
and supporting in significant events of life of individual (Surette and Shier, 2017). The fast
assessment of any situation is also an effective approach that help patients to think and take
proper steps towards their care. This has to be done by care practitioner and nurses who provide
care to patients. This help them to deliver support and care according to their need of support. In
case, the general practitioner suggest her to take advantage of care bereavement from which she
can overcome from her issues.
2) Reflect on own personal contributions to the support of individuals experiencing significant
life event.
The events has a significant impact on a person's life. As my personal contribution plays
a contribution in supporting individuals who suffer various significant events in their life. I have
knowledge of basis of support that are necessary for individuals. I also know the importance of
not delivering support and empathy to them. It involves some action which are necessary to be
occur in order to overcome from their bad situations. I believe that my own personal skills can
help in developing support to individuals at their psychological level. In case of Staci, I believe
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that she experience lots of psychological issues as she is attracted to mother which is no longer.
There are various aspects regarding her effects from which chances of survival is occur for
patient.
There are various issues are faced by people such as losing someone who are close to
them, loss of job, relationship, etc. as these causes different impacts on their life. When I was
experiencing other case, I understand that it is necessary to provide proper care and support when
a person loses hope and getting into depression (Truxillo, Cadiz and Hammer, 2015). The
psychological factor can cause other disease which impact negatively on health of individuals. It
is my personal contribution in providing care to these people who suffer bad events in their life.
Some people are not connected with their families and relatives so they have only organisation
and authorities who can help them in their care. As a part of an organisation, I suggest to provide
practitioner including me to provide major support to people against their issues by providing
them proper care.
3) Make recommendations for improving the support available in a health and social care
organisation for individuals and their networks when affected by significant life events.
The support that are available in health and social care organisation are need to improve
their services from which they can effectively deliver care services to their patients. There are
some recommendations which are necessary to be achieve which benefit individuals and their
networks who are affected by important life events. These recommendations are described
below.
 The organisation must have standardized and specific process in different case including
age factor. They must include friends and other members in their services so that they can
analyse behaviour of individual regarding their circumstances. The care practitioner must
not be over protected while treating patient. The organisation should adopt approaches so
that they can improve procedure of care (Wateland, 2018).
 The development in medical involves improvement in quality of care that are providing
to patients. Such improvements can bring effectiveness in assessing quality of treatment
to individual who suffer lots of bad impact from important events from life. As the
development can enhance motivation towards care. From the case, Staci can improve his
condition regarding event that occur in her life.
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 The society plays a major role in motivation as they enhance new changes that are
developed for welfare of individual.
 The care practitioner needs to follow all rules of their organisation that does not harm
people with respect to care.
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CONCLUSIONS
From above assignment, it has been concluded that there are various life events occur in
life of an individual and this cause an impact on them. These impact also occur on experiences of
people. There are also some external and internal environment that provides support to
individuals towards their experiences. The external support and networks help in contributing
support to people in their experiences. The personal contribution can also help organisation and
oneself from which effective care can be deliver to individual. There are some recommendations
occur that provide support to people which is necessary to follow by health and social care
organisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Breen, R., 2016. The reluctant therapist: An examination of the therapeutic relationship and the
role of the therapist in supporting clients on medication.
Canevello, A., Michels, V. and Hilaire, N., 2016. Supporting close others’ growth after trauma:
The role of responsiveness in romantic partners’ mutual posttraumatic
growth. Psychological trauma: theory, research, practice, and policy. 8(3). p.334.
Flannigan, K. and et. al., 2017. Understanding Adverse Experiences and Providing School-Based
Supports for Youth Who Are High Risk with and without FASD. International Journal
of Special Education. 32(4). pp.842-857.
Kim, I.H. and Noh, S., 2016. Racial/ethnic variations in the main and buffering effects of ethnic
and nonethnic supports on depressive symptoms among five ethnic immigrant groups in
Toronto. Ethnicity & health. 21(3). pp.215-232.
Kraan, T. and et. al., 2015. Trauma and recent life events in individuals at ultra high risk for
psychosis: review and meta-analysis. Schizophrenia research. 161(2-3). pp.143-149.
Martin, R. and et. al., 2016. Early-life events, including mode of delivery and type of feeding,
siblings and gender, shape the developing gut microbiota. PloS one, 11(6).
Mauk, G.W. and Garris, M.B., 2016. You Live, You Lose: Supporting Youths on Their Journeys
in the Land of the Loss.
PAM, E., COX, L.H.J. and KA, S.H.H.K., 2017. Supporting Students Following. School Mental
Health Services for Adolescents. p.78.
Peila-Shuster, J.J., 2016. Supporting student transitions: Integrating life design, career
construction, happenstance, and hope. South African Journal of Higher
Education. 30(3). pp.54-67.
Surette, T.E. and Shier, M.L., 2017. A common factors approach to supporting university
students experiencing psychological distress. Journal of College Student
Psychotherapy. 31(2). pp.112-131.
Truxillo, D.M., Cadiz, D.M. and Hammer, L.B., 2015. Supporting the aging workforce: A
review and recommendations for workplace intervention research.
Wateland, E.J., 2018. Impact of school-based mental health supports for students with emotional
or behavioral disorders.
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