Evaluating Support Systems for Significant Life Events in Healthcare

This report explores the impact of significant life events on individuals within healthcare settings and analyzes the support mechanisms available through organizational policies and procedures. It discusses how events like the death of a loved one, relocation, or new job opportunities can affect individuals and groups, particularly within the NHS. The report evaluates the effectiveness of NHS policies, including counseling services, bereavement care standards, and palliative care, in aiding recovery. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of support from family, friends, and healthcare professionals, highlighting immediate medical aid and moral support. The document also reflects on personal experiences and provides recommendations for improving support systems. This student-contributed assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources for students.

SUPPORTING
SIGNIFICNANT LIFE
EVENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Impact of significant life events on individuals.....................................................................3
1.2 Group responses to significant life events that can occur......................................................4
1.3 Impact of significant life evens on others in a health and social care setting250..................4
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures.......................................................5
2.2 Support provided by others to individuals experiencing significant life events....................6
2.3 Suitability of external sources of support..............................................................................7
LO3..................................................................................................................................................9
Organisational responses to the need support of individuals experiencing a significance..........9
Reflection...................................................................................................................................10
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Significant life events are those incidents that have a major impact on an individual and if
not managed properly, hence these can leave a person damaged for life (Liu, Gou and Zuo,
2016). The present report will identify the different aspects relate to care and support that is
given to the individuals who are facing significant life events along with the reflection in the
last that will analyse personal experience.
MAIN BODY
LO 1
1.1 Impact of significant life events on individuals
Throughout their life, an individual experiences different types of significant life events as
and when they navigate through different life stages. These significant life events can be positive
and motivating encouraging an individual to move forward, or they can be negative as well
creating a setback such as some major disease, death of loved one etc. (Naslund and et.al., 2016).
In my life, there are a variety of incidents that I can term as significant life events, but there are
three major instances that I would especially like to illustrate here:
 Death of a family member due to significant disease: The relationship that I had with my
grandfather was an extremely special one and he was the most important person in shaping
up my life as well as instilling in me the values that I have today (Martin and et.al., 2016).
However, a few years back it was identified that he was suffering from cancer and had only
a few more months as the cancer had developed and could not be removed completely by
chemotherapy. I was shaken by the mews and I had to play a double role of supporting him
but also sustaining the grief that I was going through. Knowing that I would lose him in a
few months left me devastated and I almost spent my entire time with him only and slowly I
learnt that he was at peace with this news because he had lived his life fully and now wanted
me to do the same thus teaching me many important values of compassion, sensitivity and a
desire to live every day.
 Getting transferred in another city: When my family and I had to shift to another city due
to job transfer of my father, I was just in 4th grade and therefore, leaving all the friends and
good memories back was a very significant life event for me. Everything changed from my
school friends to the manner in which we lived and even the teaching style of the teachers in
this new and modern college (Mehrholz, Thomas and Elsner, 2017). This event was
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significant for me as I had to learn how to adjust and adapt to constantly changing thing
which was very difficult for me as I am an introvert.
 Job opportunity in another country: When I completed my academic course for a
professional degree, I was offered a very lucrative job opportunity with good income but it
was difficult to move into a new country amongst new people and adjusting in new culture.
So this was another significant life event where I learnt how to adjust to the new culture and
eventually learn to adjust, adapt and improvise in whatever life situation I am facing.
1.2 Group responses to significant life events that can occur
I can evidently ay form my experience that the support of my colleagues i.e. the health care
practitioners in the health and social care settings is critical in attaining the improvement and
recovery that is desired for a person who has underwent through significant life event in their
lives. I can even quote one incident where one of the staff members was undergoing through a
major financial crisis because of some major expenditure in the family (Martin and et.al., 2016).
That member was even working for overtime regularly in double shifts but still it was getting
difficult for him to manage the crisis that was impending. We saw that his health was
deteriorating and he was becoming more and more depressed avoiding talking to anyone and
discussing the troubles that he was actually facing. We all collectively decide that he requires
helps and therefore we decide to talk to the senior management in our organisation i.e. NHS
(Ellison, W.D., and et.al., 2016). Thereafter a solution was determined where the employee was
given the financial assistance that he required and against this, he signed a bond for particular
time period in which he will either repay or he will compensate for the amount that had been
given to him. This solved the crisis that he was undergoing for the time being and he was able to
recover form it even stronger.
Therefore form this incident I can quote that the support of the organisation and the
members in which we are working is significant in the work life balance and healthy
performance of the individuals as well.
1.3 Impact of significant life evens on others in a health and social care setting250
In a residential home we often tend to develop much stronger bonds with each other i.e. we
with the residents and residents amongst themselves as well. The scenario is more like a family
rather than as a healthcare institute. When a patient who was residing with us for long time
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finally left us, the impact was very gullible as he was very lively and entertaining despite his old
age.
The other residents at our care home felt desolate where they were not able to deal with it
effectively and losing a bond in which they received care was a very sensitive for them. It
become difficult to manage the lively environment and spirit of the organisation for quite some
time. The most serious consequence was that many of residents failed to consumer food and
medicines in the following days and this is the most severe aspect that can have a rapid effect on
the health of the residents (Oakley, 2018). Therefore, we as the caretakers had to make them
understand that it is okay to grieve but setting aside their health and throwing caution into air is a
serious step that should be avoided.
However we as residents also got affected by the situation where it was difficult for us to
accept the death of an member who had been with us for a long time period. The care taker that
was assigned to him particularly was extremely bereaved and he felt that he had lost a parent
figure and a friend. However we as his colleagues made him realise the importance of
performing his duties and even assisted for almost a month in all the activities that he had to
perform so that the mental breakdown could be avoided.
LO 2
2.1 Effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures
In the healthcare sector, the loss of the loved ones is a procedure that occurs on regular basis
and therefore, it is necessary to take adequate measures so that the employees and the relatives of
the patient can recover (Naslund and et.al., 2016). There are various organisational policies that
NHS has implemented in their organisation where there are multiple roles portrayed by a verity
of individuals. This can be assessed in following manner:
 There is a team of professionals that is employed in the organisation who are trained
specifically for making an individual cope up with the grief that they are going through.
This is mainly referred to as the counselling sessions where the individual can state the
different feelings or problems or emotions that they are undergoing through and the
counsellor helps in channelling such emotions in the correct manner.
 There are regular assessment and check up facilities that can be availed by the employees
of NHS as well as the relatives of the staff members so that it can be ensured that even if
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member of the organisation is going through something traumatic there is adequate
family support available to them for their recovery (Martin and et.al., 2016).
 There is the formulation of Bereavement Care Standards which involve certain policies
and procedure that are developed specifically for the bereaved individuals so that they
can be safe and can assess the different facilities and support that are available to them at
any point of time such as hospitals, care taking homes, support groups etc.
 Then there are also interactive sessions that work with the major purpose of estimating
the time that an individual will take in order to recover and the actual time is then
compared to the standard time so that the effectiveness of the techniques can be tested.
There is also availability of palliative care policies for patients beyond recovery etc. and all
these collectively aim towards better mental state and condition of the staff members that are
working in the organisation as well as to the patients so that they can assess the care and support
that they require.
2.2 Support provided by others to individuals experiencing significant life events
The support for the friends and family who are extremely close to the individual is essential
in the recovery of the patient and successful overcoming of the disease or situation in which they
are caught (Woodhead, Northrop and Edelstein, 2016). The friends and family can support an
individual in following manner:
 When the person looses a loved one or a partner then the time just after such loss s a
grave period and the support of family is essential. There should be at least one member
who is available for the patient and if any emergency arises than the hospital should be
contacted with immediately.
 Although time can be termed as the best healer yet it is necessary to check on the person
regularly as the natural healing is the best procedure but sometimes individual might
require some extra support and help.
 Financial helps is another aspect that can be studied and evaluated where the family
members and friends can support a patient after the immediate incurrence of the incident
(Van de Peer, Mizrachi and Marchal, 2017).
 Religion, community, society, interactions and consultation are some of the aspects that
every individual being a social being requires in their life for the healthy recovery and
this can be best assistance provided by the friends and the family.
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The local hospitals and the care agencies also play a critical role in offering support if the
patient is facing the problem of heart attack for instance. The immediate care and attention is the
key requirement of such patients and the medical aid and moral support are the two major
grounds for which the support required is imminent:
 The person should be given medical aid immediately by calling up 911 and the delay should
be avoided. After the initial on the spot CPR if necessary, the person should be taken to the
hospital where a medical professional must check the patient completely (Liu, Gou and Zuo,
2016). The mandatory details and compliances such as medical forms, details etc. must be
completed as quickly as possible.
 There should also be availability of a friends and family of the relatives so that the moral
support can be given to the patient immediately and the patient can recover as soon as they
can. This not only increases the morale of the patients but also gives them a hope and desire
to live their life more fully and the process of recovery is comparatively much quicker for an
individual who has a caring family for themselves.
2.3 Suitability of external sources of support
External sources are psychological, physical supports in the context of care that helps people to
face life event effectively. The main goal of the care providers is to offers high quality care
services to all patient who suffers from different type of disease. Life threatening disease i.e.
cancer, terminal illness etc. can cure only by pharmaceutical or medical treatment with the
support of medical experts i.e. doctors and specialists. With medical treatment cures patients
from their infection (Choi, Lee and Kye, 2017). Consolation is the main source which can help
individual to adjust their feelings and gives hope to get care from the infection. Medication
contains numerous treatment relevant to disease, mental advice, eating and recovering schedule
etc. gives to the patient. There are different therapies i.e. radioactive and others are given in
respect of private segments and supports patients in curing as much as possible. Therapist are
strict type who does not disclose the information of patients and their treatment as well. NHS is
considered as complex health care system because it divided itself into four segments such as
NHS England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and HSC Northern Ireland whereas NHS England
provides health care services to the people who are helpless or needs physical social and
emotional supports.Macmillan Cancer Support provides clinical services to the patient. WHO
provides care services to both terminal illness and cancer patient.There are the main external
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sources that supports individuals while experiencing life threatening events. Apart from this,
there are other external sources such as give and take treatment and medication that gives hope in
individuals who suffers life risk diseases i.e. terminal illness and cancer.
Give and take treatments
There is various treatment that diminishes symptoms of disease and improves the energy
level in the patient through needle therapy, homeopathy and acupuncture. These are temporary
treatment which has quick benefits for acute time. the patient believes on these quick treatments
that obtains in critical situations (Chong and Baharudin, 2017). For example,last stage cancer
patient who believes in chemotherapy which makes the cure for sometimes by later on does not
work on these diseases. As same terminal illness young child who suffers from terrible disease.
This disease does not have any adequate treatment but sometimes medical treatment (reduce
pain) considers appropriate for the terminal illness patients.
External sources support to terminal illness of a young child
NHS England offers high quality care services to the children who suffer from terminal
illness. Terminal illness i.e. AIDS, Parkinson and others that are critical disease because it does
not have any adequate treatment. NHS provides supports to child’s family and instructs them to
take care of child and aware them does not make any social distance with the child. To reduce
pain offers some medication to the child by NHS that boosts hope in the child to recover
effectively. While caregiver’s aware child’s family about criticalness of the disease so that they
accept reality and takes action as per the requirements (Corrigan, 2017).
Macmillan Cancer Support to cancer of a close family member
Macmillan Cancer Support is another external source which gives clinical care service to
the patient. NHS gives emotional and physical supports family members whose one member
suffers from cancer disease. Family losses their sense to listen that a member of family suffers
from cancer disease. In the panic situation, caregivers give them hope about radiotherapy
treatment which prevents disease to spread in other body organs but cannot cure the disease.
Thus, type consolation builds family’s trust on the treatment but develops awareness as well
instead of blind trust (Jones and Leacock, 2019). In addition, medical experts provide supports to
the cancer patient who has lost hope to body recover due to anxiety and frustration.Whereas
caregivers involve their family to make them physically and emotionally strong and raise hope to
recover.
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In both above mentioned cases can be illustrated that external forces help individuals by
offering high quality care ad services. While World Health Organization provides social care
services i.e. financial service, physical activities etc. to the patient which maintains their
wellbeing in the society.
LO3
Organisational responses to the need support of individuals experiencing a significance
Life threatening disease treatment is a critical situation for the person and organization.
There are various procedures and policies are available for these type diseases, which are
imposed by health care department so that numerous health care organizations treats people
seriously. National health service (NHS) organization responses bereavement services that is
guided by the specific principles such as communication, informed choice, confidentiality,
respect and dignity etc. which ensures quality of services related to the care supports for
individuals who experience significant life events. NHS’s employees givevalue-based care
services to the individual by maintain their dignity and respect in the workplace. In these cases,
company takes special precaution while offering medical care such as aware family about
treatment side effects, medical experts etc. NHS’s nurses prepare eating and sleeping schedules
for the patient so that they enable to give specific pharmaceutical care to the patient on time. The
reason behind is that pharmaceutical care often leads contraindication of medicine with the food
substance that causes these patients have to face panic adverse effects (Wellstead, 2017). NHS’s
employees communicate with the patient friendly so that individual does not feel socially
isolated. The friendly atmosphere maintains wellbeing of the patient and supports to recover
themselves early. To give clinical treatment of life significant event patients follows some
policies by the NHS’s experts such as specific document of individuals in which enlisted
medicines description, response of customer over the disease, adverse symptoms of clinical
treatment, confidentiality etc. This document helps senior expertise to give further treatment to
the patient effectively. NHS has goal to give high quality care service to the patient which
improves their recovery cycle and maintains their wellbeing. NHS’s staff works on the goal and
offers good quality health care and pharmaceutical care services to the patient who have life
significant event in the workplace.
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Reflection
My role in the organization as team leader whereas I have to face different challenging
situation while managing my team members’ performance. Once, I found a skilled group
member of my team was unable to give good performance in the workplace due to significant
life event. In the initial phase, a specified group member was not frank too much and not ready to
disclose his personal issue due to him grief. When I critically noticed that a skilled employee was
not giving his good performance in the teamfrom three consecutivemonths, so, I called him
personally and asked about his problems. Then he told that his mother had gone through check
process whereas doctor determined that his mother is a patient of the second stage of
cancer.When I listened this panic and pathetic situation then I consoled him that there is lots of
cancer centres which gives first stage cancer care service. I motivated him to say that his mother
is at first stage of cancer, there are lots of chance of curing her in effective manner. I suggested
him a Macmillan Cancer Care which provides first stage cancer service to the patient. I gave him
contact number of the organizationand suggested to contact in order to obtain enhanced care
service for his mother. However, I was emotionally attached with the pathetic news and I had full
trust that his mother would be diagnosed properly and would be recovered very soon (Lee and
et.al., 2018). In that situation, I gave two weeks leaves to the skilled member so that he enables
to check up his mother properly. After few days later, he called up methat time he had immense
feeling and said me that his mother is recovering fast. He told me that doctors said she will
recover within two weeks properly that made me feel more relaxed. Within few days, skilled
member started to deliver good performance in the workplace as usual. By the incident, I
understood that critical response is very crucial for supporting individuals.
Recommendation
Policies and procedures are important that provides adequate supports to individual who
seeks for critical response. So, first all care organizations must follow policies related to
bereavement services. In the policy must explain that how staff offers care services to the
individual who have significant life event. To getvalue-based care outcomes needs to offer
training for the HR managers, professionals and others in order to make them teach how deal
with grieving situation. Health care organization should organize training for the employee to
lead better understanding of the needs of assessment.
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Improvement in care service is basically dependent organizational culture and
management style of the healthcare organization. when an organization follows all rules and
regulation in the organization that become easy for the individuals or group of membersto attain
high quality value-based care service in the effective manner (Nicholsonand et.al., 2016). So,
organization must have well-organized organization culture which promotes individuals to give
high quality care services and maintains the wellbeing as well. Health care organization should
provide accommodation and facilities to the individual and their families when affected from the
critical condition.
CONCLUSION
The research conducted in the report above helped in critically analysing the different
aspects related to the occurrence of the significant life events in the life of an individual. The
report concluded that it is necessary to develop a proper attitude towards the recovery of the
patients as well as the associated friends and family members as well. The report also highlighted
the contribution of support activities in the significant life events.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Choi, Y., Lee, W. and Kye, B., 2017, April. Who Supports the Elderly Parents in Need? The
Structure of Active and Latent Intergenerational Ties in Korea. In PAA 2017 Annual
Meeting. PAA.
Chong, S.L. and Baharudin, R., 2017. Supports From Parents, Optimism, and Life Satisfaction in
Early Adolescents. Sains Humanika. 9(3-2).
Corrigan, D., 2017. Stress among Care Workers Supporting Adults with Intellectual
Disabilities (Doctoral dissertation).
Ellison, W.D., and et.al., 2016. The clinical significance of single features of borderline
personality disorder: Anger, affective instability, impulsivity, and chronic emptiness in
psychiatric outpatients. Journal of personality disorders, 30(2), pp.261-270.
Jones, B.A. and Leacock, B., 2019. Designing and Supporting Significant Study Abroad
Experiences. Hirao School of Management review. 9. pp.1-21.
Lee, K and et.al., 2018. Effect of Life Events, Social Supports, and Personality on Mental Status
in Later Life. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 86(2).
pp.111-130.
Liu, L., Gou, Z. and Zuo, J., 2016. Social support mediates loneliness and depression in elderly
people. Journal of health psychology, 21(5), pp.750-758.
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).
Mehrholz, J., Thomas, S. and Elsner, B., 2017. Treadmill training and body weight support for
walking after stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (8).
Naslund, J.A., and et.al., 2016. The future of mental health care: peer-to-peer support and social
media. Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences, 25(2), pp.113-122.
Nicholson, T.Rand et.al., 2016. Life events and escape in conversion disorder. Psychological
medicine. 46(12). pp.2617-2626.
Oakley, A., 2018. Social Support and Motherhood (Reissue): The Natural History of a Research
Project. Policy Press.
Van de Peer, Y., Mizrachi, E. and Marchal, K., 2017. The evolutionary significance of
polyploidy. Nature Reviews Genetics, 18(7), p.411.
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