Impact of Significant Life Events: An Evaluation of Support Systems

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SUPPORTING SIGNIFICANT
LIFE EVENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................2
1.1 / (M1) / (D1) Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals............................2
1.2 / (M2) / (D2) Analyze possible group responses to significant life events that occur to one
of its members..............................................................................................................................3
1.3 / (M3) / (D3) Analyze the impact for others in health and social care when an individual
experiences significant life experiences......................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 / (M1) / (D1) Evaluate the effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures in
supporting individuals and their social networks affected by significant life events..................5
2.2 / (M2) / (D2) Explain how others in social networks may provide support to individuals
experiencing significant life events.............................................................................................7
2.3 / (M3) / (D3 ) Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by
significant life events...................................................................................................................8
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 / (M1) / (D1) Analyze possible organisational responses to the need to support individuals
experiencing a significant life event............................................................................................9
3.2 / (M2) / (D2) Reflect on own personal contributions to the support of individuals
experiencing significant life events...........................................................................................11
3.3 / (M3) / (D3) Make recommendations for improving the support available in health and
social care organisation for individuals and their social networks when affected by significant
life events...................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

Introduction
Since childhood, every person experiences various life events that occur at certain time that are
accompanied by unexpected or expected events. From such events, individual feels impact on its
personality, life, working and perception. Hence, the current study is aiming to provide ideas for
supporting individuals that are facing various kinds of life events and feeling its negative impact.
The report will aim at explaining significant life event impact on persons by analysing various
responses from groups including individual’s social and health care experiencing while dealing
with life events. Further, the report will evaluate organisational procedures and policies that will
provide effectiveness in supporting persons with life events. It will also emphasize on external
sources and social networks that will dispense benefits to victims of life events. Moreover, it will
analyze organisational responses that support events by further reflecting personal contribution
and making recommendations in improvement of support methods to individuals affected from
significant life events.
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Task 1
1.1 / (M1) / (D1) Explain the impact of significant life events on individuals
The person or individual that goes through tough situations and hardships faces pain and stress
after losing important person. Such kind of people is determined as Bereavement. It is identified
as person that deals with significant life events. The misfortune faced by person makes it mourn
that impacts moods and behaviour based on circumstance severity. The life events impact one’s
lifestyle either in positive or negative manner (Holdsworth, et.al, 2015). The event has several
types that exert prominent influence on person as well as people that are related to that
individual. In such conditions, the individual does not left with ability to think positive and
taking out solutions to tackle situation as they are going through life event impact that blocks
thinking capacity and better approaches of positivity. The impact of such events has three types
that includes physical, psychological and social.
Better explanations can be made by discussing case of 84 year old Rita that passed away and was
living in sheltered housing project from last 40 years. Before three months of her death, she was
found with breast cancer for which she refused to be treated and died in sleep only. The event
has made her life mourn and shocking that has impacted her in different ways related to personal
life. Although, it is very tough to forecast cancer impact with treatment on someone’s life as the
disease too carry varieties that has different affect on different people but can be diagnosed from
some common symptoms. The patient of cancer generally fees tired and exhausted that cannot be
cured by taking rest or sleep. It also brings pain to individual due to treatment and diagnosis of
cancer that makes person depressed and energy less. The stress and depression creates appetite
loss that brings loss of health.
If cancer patient gets positive change at physical level, than it just faces mental pressure. The life
event has made Rita low confident as it requires various therapies and surgeries (Langford, et.al,
2017). Such issues use to change people behaviour as it affects ongoing pattern of life in which
patients chooses to die peacefully without any pains and infections that might cause at time of
treatment.
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1.2 / (M2) / (D2) Analyze possible group responses to significant life events that occur to one of
its members
The terrible life event of Rita of being found as breast cancer patient who just not only affected
her but people that are surrounding her faces some impact. In case of Rita, she was not living at
home alone due to old age issues at 85 years of age. As Rita was not found with family member,
she was not having mental and emotional support from her dear ones as it helps in providing the
positive and concerned living environment that gives happiness at last moments of her life
(Gavin, et.al, 2019). On contrary, having family members with her might created negative impact
as being cancer patient she might face ignorance from her dear ones that drives her towards death
too fast. The people around patient might affect at physical and mental terms as they see about
depression and stress all across home. The role of patient here is challenging as Rita might feel to
depend on others for serving her every time due to her illness that increases dependency on
others.
Such dangerous event of life brings all duties on single partner that might cause resentment and
frustrations. It also brings feeling of guilt that spouse has for patient of feeling responsibility as
burden that generates mental pressure. In case of Rita, she was with Su and living in sheltered
society that has made her decide at last moments not to cure her disease as she want to die with
peace and didn’t want to create any financial and mental pressure on housing society for treating
her. Further such life events might breaks or affects relationships of two friends as one might feel
not create plans or discuss some things with patient. The friends near patient must have calm and
composed nature so that interaction becomes easier and feeling of loneliness can be reduced. The
Rita’s case was as simple as she was with Su only that has only identified as social support to her
life at her end days in which she was walking in parks and dong gardening to enjoy her life.
Thus, life events needs emotional support from family and social support from friends that helps
in overcoming such painful events (Shaheen, et.al, 2017).
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1.3 / (M3) / (D3) Analyze the impact for others in health and social care when an individual
experiences significant life experiences
According to researches, patient of cancer is well treated and cared in social and health care units
that dispense service to overcome illness. The disease of cancer has several types that consist of
cancer related to blood, stomach, breast, lung throat etc that can be spread in body part anytime if
bacteria start developing. Hence, it is essential for cancer patient to cure their disease according
to its type. Rita was having breast cancer that requires staff and professionals of care unit to be
trained in effective manner for curing and treating patients. The care units of health and social
are able to give professional support based on training skills that teaches to handle complicated
health problems (Cohen, et.al, 2019). The patients of cancer require going through various
therapies when problem is determined as big. Thus, care unit focuses on appointing patient
therapist for taking care of the people.
Such therapists aim to assess patient’s functional capabilities by knowing physical environment
that helps in developing patient at personal level by establishing their regular living ability and
skills. The care workers sometimes works for day and night for taking care of people and giving
services to cure that disease. Being in same environment of stress, fear and depressions with
patient might impacts care takers at physical, mental and emotional level as they goes through
fear of death of patient that they already know according to assessment of patient’s health. The
Rita’s case has not affected any care taker or doctor as she did not allow anyone to treat cancer
disease for moving peacefully towards death.
There are many patients that suffer from cancers with disabilities. In such conditions care takers
have huge responsibility towards patient as giving therapies and surgeries to such people brings
pains and stress in high quantity in which they cannot sleep, walk and eat alone and always goes
through thinking between death and life. Thus, the care takers and professionals present at social
and health level also deals with issues of anxiety and sleep derivations that impact their health
and mental status too (Kendler and Gardner, 2016).
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Task 2
2.1 / (M1) / (D1) Evaluate the effectiveness of organisational policies and procedures in
supporting individuals and their social networks affected by significant life events
The critical policies and procedures in several organisations aids in developing tough influence
on individuals that faces significant life events. The associations are formed for having motive to
improve individual health based on physical, mental and emotional grounds by dispensing care
to bereavement. Such association provides variety of help and directions that guides to live better
life which they deserve. Following are the services and help given to people that are facing a life
event that includes:
 Proper care is given to people when it is facing life event that is bereavement (Gilkison
and Hewitt, 2018).
 The facility of transport at destination of demise to burial destination for execution.
 Determining needs and requirements of patients.
 Giving mental and financial help to victim.
 Coordination for understanding patient loneliness by hearing fears and sorrows they are
facing.
According to case study of Sandra, she has lost her husband with having responsibilities of two
children alone on herself that has made her depressed and tensed that she is not actually dealing
with situation in proper manner as she misses her spouse Mike at every life activity be keeping
his belongings with her. The shattering moment of her life event has created issue to her growth
and children. She recieved Rebecca, the social counsellor for improving herself by overcoming
from problem and living normal by focusing on her children and making new friends. Just like
Rebecca, there are various firms developed for people’s counselling so that new hopes can give
to bereavement person that includes:
 National Association of Widows – It is managed by widowed for aiming to heal same
kind of people either men or women. It aids in offering understanding, friendship and
support that has lose spouses by bereavement.
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 Widowed and Young (WAY) – it is foundation that supports, friendships and advices to
individual that bereaved their partners in 50 years of age (Parkes, et.al, 2015).
Similarly, the best procedures and policies created by such associations and organisations that
dispenses social and individual network for managing and overcoming from significant events of
life. The death of Mike has made Sandra alone that has improved her in assistance with Rebecca.
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2.2 / (M2) / (D2) Explain how others in social networks may provide support to individuals
experiencing significant life events
There is various support and obligations that are occurring in social systems and groups that get
satisfaction by watching people to experience life events in better manner. The groups are aimed
on initiating cooperative approaches that helps in resolving problems of people that are facing
life events. The social groups has specific motive for dispensing consistent administrations to the
individuals (Heilman, 2018). In case of Sandra following are the types of support which are as
follows:
Social Support – It is essential for organisations to coordinate systems and groups that will help
to give guidance to helpers and employees for treating bereavement. The employees as well as
care taker need to collect all data and information of individuals facing life events so that issue
can be solved by appointing necessary helpers and experts. In situation of Sandra, the counsellor
Rebecca has effectively tackle situation by listening everything from victim. The helper has done
better job by creating friendly environment under which Sandra has expressed her fears and
thoughts regarding past and future life that is affected her continuously.
Physical Support – The helpers and care takers needs to plan and develop strategies based on
which the individuals will be treated and will be taken out from bereavement acts. The strategies
should have base such as grown-ups, children, disable people and teenagers. The common acts
such as killing and suicide are found in loneliness cases that need to be resolved. The case study
of Sandra, she has two children that needs mother’s care and guidance for which she needs to
aim at improvement regarding her mental and physical health. In this case, children are known as
reason for her improvement that has bought her life on track.
Psychological Support – The stress and anxiety feeling are treated at level. The professional of
handling people’s situation are well trained to cope with their current situations. Activities like
meditation and yoga helps in bringing peace with fight that constantly goes in one’s mind and
heart. Sandra has also got psychological support from her counsellor that has provided guidance
and direction for living for her children and managing Spouse Empire in better manner (Shear,
et.al, 2017).
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2.3 / (M3) / (D3 ) Evaluate the suitability of external sources of support for those affected by
significant life events
The external sources play crucial role in improving an individual facing significant life events by
using adequate sources for consoling people in various forms. The single aim and objective of
such sources to bring improvement in mindsets and quality of life they are living after incident so
that better understanding can be developed by generating feeling of acceptance within people. A
Sandra’s case study has mentioned her feeling and problems after her husband’s death which was
close to her and after death she got fully shattered (Jones, et.al, 2018). Under such circumstances
the counsellor has played effective role in handling her situation by knowing her issues related to
her husband’s memories that has made her lame in all her works that even she was not
considered about her two children. Thus, it is essential for handling life events by analyzing the
severity of activities that has played major role in someone’s life.
Significant life events generally bring depression for an individual. The intense depression cause
too many thoughts in person’s mind that he or she likes to be lonely and wants to feel happy in
their own world. The best external support under such situation comes to connect with positive
friends or family that dispenses best guidance and direction by doing activities that consist of
walking, talking, taking rides, moving for movies, talking with fun loving people etc that helps
the person to feel better outside the house where they got captured in someone’s memories. The
other external sources in such case include indulging in social activity or job that provides work
with reason. The best method to live happy life is to help others without any expectations. This
will be beneficial for the people that feels lonely as they regularly comes in contact with people
that is suffering from same problems and curing such people will directly provide open ways to
the bereavement people.
Communicating with neighbours and moving various places with them helps in overcoming
feeling of lonely as in case of Sandra in which she started going out in evenings with different
people that has provided reason to live for children and herself without being into old memories
of Mike (Lundorff, et.al, 2017).
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Task 3
3.1 / (M1) / (D1) Analyze possible organisational responses to the need to support individuals
experiencing a significant life event
Different organisations and firms hold variety of responses to patient or individual that is facing
significant life event. The reaction of such individuals play important role in strategising the way
for improving bereavement individuals. Following are the list of responses that helps in giving
support to life events of various people which are as follows:
Support Service Organisations and Government Agencies – These are developed and prepared
to cure people suffering from various diseases or life events (Cook, 2017). It also includes
treatment for cancer patients in low cost or either for free. The best example is NHS that serves
UK people by treating their cancer diseases using various plans and strategies at nominal rate so
that general public can focus on living a better life. The firms are well prepared to dispense
guidance for diseases and other problems to general public for effectively and peacefully dealing
with variety of life event. The services providers, helpers and care takers are well trained and
guided to look after people by handling grievances of customers that has faced issues from care
takers.
Quick Situation Assessment – It aims to determine the cause and reasons of life events of an
individual by providing correct suggestion with treatment centres and situation analysing. It can
be done by regular hospitals, general practitioners, social workers and clinics by understanding
actual reason for problem according to which solutions could be taken out with better services of
care in someone’s death and breast cancer cases. It is essential for such organisations to regularly
check the status of customers or patients by recording their improvement every week so that new
plans can be developed.
Organisation Dispensing Care Takers – Just like NHS there are various firms that dispense care
people for victims that are facing cancer or shock due to someone’s death that helps in giving
best support and treatment at psychological level that generates positive results. The helpers are
appointed by patients so that they can stay with them all the time by taking care as family people
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that will drive positive motivation in victims that will boost chances of being normal and living
better life according to given situations without fearing of past happenings (Ng, et.al, 2017).
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