Analysis of Support for Significant Life Events in Healthcare

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SUPPORTING SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENTS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 2
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1.............................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2.............................................................................................................................................. 5
1.3.............................................................................................................................................. 6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................ 7
2.1.............................................................................................................................................. 7
2.2.............................................................................................................................................. 8
2.3.............................................................................................................................................. 9
TASK 3.......................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1............................................................................................................................................ 10
3.2............................................................................................................................................ 11
3.3............................................................................................................................................ 12
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................... 13
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Any type of changes impacts the lives of individuals. Significant events such as the demise of
near one, accidents or losing a personal belonging and so on affect the life, personality,
perception of the individuals, therefore, it is essential to ask for support for handling and
overcoming such events (Wrzus et al., 2013). Positive life events create positive personalities
and perspectives while negative life events result in pressure, mental stress, personal and other
psychological problems.
This assignment takes into account of two case studies which are Jacqui’s story and Gemma’s
story. It helps in understanding the impact of significant life events on the individuals as well as
their social networks. This assignment also develops an understanding of the support available
for individuals who experienced significant life events. At last, the responses made by the
health and social care services for supporting the individuals who experienced significant life
events are analysed in this assignment.
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TASK 1
1.1
Various events or changes occur in the individuals' life at any stage of life like childhood, young
age, adulthood, old age and so on. These events and change significantly impact the physical,
psychological and social changes resulting in an impact on lifestyle, health, personality,
perspective and thinking ability (Park, 2010). The life of the individual is positively impacted by
the occurrence of positive events such as marriage, birth and so on while the individuals are
negatively impacted by the incidents such as unemployment, loss of a partner, divorce,
disablement, retirement and so on. Negative impacts result in isolation from society and
community, poor health, depression, behavioural and detachment, loss of functioning and
emotional stress (Luhmann et al., 2012).
Considering the case of Jacqui and Gemma, the impact on their life is explained below:
Physical Impact: in the case of Jacqui, he faced difficulty in performing his daily activities due to
the loss of function. He faced bouts of insomnia and also lost hair. Dementia affected him
physically as he passed out while working on building site. He kept forgetting to eat or get
dressed and also struggled to look after his teenage daughter. In the case of Gemma, she was
unable to overcome the death of her mother even after a month.
Social Impact: in the case of Jacqui, there was a high social impact as his boss assumed him to
be taking drugs. He could not get the support from his teenage daughter was another negative
impact however he got in with his parents was a positive social impact. In case of Gemma, she
lost her mother who was her best friend, also another negative impact was not getting support
while her mother was hospitalised and the only positive support she got form was Helen a
bereavement counsellor.
Psychological Impact: in the case of Jacqui, he started losing the sense between reality and
importance, he became disoriented and confused. He was unable to understand the words of
neurologist in spite of having a medical translator. This resulted in depression and loss of
motivation as could not understand what was happening to him. In the case of Gemma, this
was to the most negative psychological impact on her than social or physical as she lost her
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mother due to kidney disease and vascular problem. She needed someone to listen to her and
needed much psychological support.
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1.2
Group or people have different responses to the different life events occur in the life of the
individual. It is essential for the individual to get required support and help from their family
and friends while facing such significant life events. Other than family and friends, work
colleagues and social networks are effective in supporting the individual to face such a life
event. Also, support and care are provided by health care professionals to individuals who
faced significant life events effectively and efficiently (Cacioppo et al., 2010). Family, friends, life
partners, social networks, work colleagues and other people are the groups who play critical
role respond effectively and supporting the concerned individual to undergo such events with
comfort and ease.
Positive and negative responses from the groups affect the individual in a great manner as
positive responses of the group results in more motivation and encouragement among the
concerned individuals to face the problem efficiently and effectively, While negative responses
of the group increases negative effects on the life of the individual (Cortese et al., 2013).
In the case of Jacqui, negative mind-set was developed in the mind of his boss due to leading
negative events in Jacqui’s life assuming that he might be having drugs. It leads to more trouble
as he was confused and could not understand what was happening to him. He needed support
from his parents so he left Spain and reach England to live with his parents and look after his
daughter. Doctors and neurologists were unable to diagnose his problem which added more to
his problem and confusion.
In the case of Gemma, the only support she had was from a health care professional as she
faced the most traumatic situation where she lost her mother and she could not get any
support from any group.
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1.3
The personal and professional group associated with the individuals who suffered a significant
life event also experience guilt, grief, loss and anger. The family members and care providers
feel guilty during the treatment process for the individual with dementia. The family members
and care providers may sense some of the feelings such as anger and grief (Cerejeira et al.,
2012). It becomes difficult for the individual with dementia to take care of and attend their
children. The children may observe wide ranges of experiences during the time their parents
suffer from this Alzheimer's disease.
Health and social care providers are significantly affected by individuals with dementia. The
reason being it creates an emotional bonding with not only the individuals facing significant life
event but also their family members (Rothman and Mattson, 2010). Another reason for their
social, emotional and physical impact is that they feel that treatment of the individual with
significant event might result in hampering their reputation as a health care provider and might
be bad for their career.
In the case of Jacqui, the other people along with Jacqui were affected by his disease. First, his
work was affected to which his boss assumed him to be under the influence of drugs. He lost
concentration in his work. Second, doctor and neurologist were unable to diagnose his problem
despite conducting various tests from a brain scan to sleep studies. Also, his teenage daughter
was worried or might be resentful because of his father's disease. Jacqui’s parent might have
been helpless and remorseful on the condition of their son and inability to cure his disease.
In the case of Gemma, she was affected by the death of her mother. Her mother also might
have faced difficulty due to her disease and not able to look after Gemma. The GP who treated
her mother was helpless to support Gemma until her mother died. Meeting a bereavement
counsellor helped her get out of the situation.
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TASK 2
2.1
Various health and social care organizations provide support and care to the patient and their
families. Policies and procedures have me framed and implemented by every organization in
order to deal with those significant life events of the patients. Various health care organizations
and voluntary research centres raise awareness regarding dementia and its treatment (Mirza et
al., 2016). A person-centred approach is implemented by the health care organizations together
with proper care planning and review system.
The various organization set separate department for providing support and care for the
patients, carers so as to detect as well as smooth transit of any change or event. Safety policies
are framed for creating awareness of the risk factors related to life events (Alexandrino-Silva et
al., 2011). Policies and procedures related to counselling are framed by the health care
organization in order to counsel and advice the groups and also the patient and their care
providers. Six standards of bereavement care such as working together, knowledge and skills,
information and resources, raising awareness and promotion of safe and effective care and
create a supportive experience are considered to support and provide care service to the
patient with a terminal disease and its social network.
Also, policies and procedures framed by health care organization ensure that the respect and
dignity of the patient and its social network are maintained (van der Lee et al., 2014). The care
services providers must make sure that the confidential information of the patient must be only
shared with the health care profession and not with other people. Also, the patient must be
properly informed and consent must be taken before treatment or care.
Also, policies and procedure related to accessing specialist care service such as CRUSE must be
provided to overcome from the traumatic situation faced due to an unfavourable life event. For
example, in the case of Gemma, she took help from local CRUSE services in order to get
bereavement care from bereavement counsellor and cope with the death of her mother.
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2.2
There are various people such as family, friends, work colleagues, life partner, health and social
care users, care workers and support and self-help groups who support the individual suffering
from significant life event and also help them lead a normal life. These others may provide
mental physical, social and financial support. Physical support may be provided by others in the
social network (Linden, 2013). In the case of Jacqui, his teenage daughter and parents provide
care and support during his disease. Also, the doctors and neurologist conducted various tests
in identifying the reason for Jacqui's problem. The assumption of his boss regarding his health
condition resulted in facing distress, confusion and helplessness.
Social care from social networks is essential for the bereaved individual to get their support and
care and improve their current condition (Dias et al., 2015). In the case of Gemma, care and
support were provided from bereavement counsellor which help her cope with the death of her
mother and lead normally.
Psychological care is the most important support and care that can be provided by others in a
social network for individuals who experience a significant life event. In the case of Jacqui, his
parents and health care providers must provide psychological care to support him, deal with
Alzheimer's disease. In the case of Gemma, she is provided with psychological care by
bereavement counsellor to cope with the demise of her mother and lead a normal life.
Hence, communicating with others in the social network helps them in experiencing their
emotions and feelings and provides the necessary support and care (Luttenberger et al., 2012).
The social network plays a significant role in provides a caring and supportive environment in
relation to psychosocial maturity.
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2.3
It is crucial that any individual or group support and care for the individual to handle any
significant life event that occurred in their life in better as well as effective manner. There are
various types of external sources of support to help the bereaved individuals manage their life.
One of the external support sources is health and social care specialists help the bereaved
individuals in their care and support to overcome any bereaved situation (Korn et al., 2014).
These specialists aim to assist as well as guide people through the process of bereavement and
also help them to prevent from occurring of any physical and mental health problems.
Another external source of support is NSFs and strategies. NSFs are the National Service
Framework and strategies set clear quality requirements for care (Cerejeira et al., 2012). For
example, in case an individual suffering from cancer, the strategy and NSFs aim to improve the
quality effectiveness and fairness of the care the cancer patient receive in the NHS.
Both online and offline self-help groups are available so as to assist and care for the bereaved
individual. It is a group of people who undergo the same traumatic situation in their life and
connect to support each other when needed. Charities such as Marie Curie, Age concern are
some of the organizations that care and help the bereaved individuals in dealing with any of the
adverse life event (Alexandrino-Silva et al., 2011). In the case of Jacqui, his parents and doctor
were the greatest support in handling the situation however there is a Dementia association
that aims to improve the life of the people by creating awareness. In the case of Gemma, the
local support CRUSE services sent their bereavement counsellor in supporting and listening to
her and support her throughout in dealing with the death of her mother.
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TASK 3
3.1
Various policies, guidelines and procedures are essentially developed by the healthcare
organization such as PHE and NHS for supporting the individual with significant life events. The
treatment of Alzheimer’s disease properly is imperative. In the absence of policies, guidelines
and procedures, the operations of NHS make become less likely effectively and efficiently. The
organization policies and procedure must be analysed to identify their strengths and
weaknesses in treating the patient who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease (Korn et al., 2014). This
helps them lead a comfortable or normal life.
The authorities at NHS developed three prolonged treatment for handling the patients with
Alzheimer’s disease since no permanent cure is available for the given disease. Pharmaceutical,
psychosocial and caregiving are three prolonged treatment (Chen et al., 2013). Five different
types of medicines were provided in the first level of prolonged treatment for Alzheimer's
disease with the view to control the disease and also reduce the movability speed through the
body.
Another level of prolonged treatment for Alzheimer's disease is psychosocial techniques used
by the organization different part of brains of the patient are stimulated by different methods
in order to control over the illness and try to ensure that no negative effects are yielded over
the concerned individual (Kim et al., 2011). In the last level of prolonged treatment for
Alzheimer’s disease is only normal care only normal routine care is provided as not medical
intervention or medicine is used for maintaining the quality of life and also attempting to
govern the behaviour and mood swings generally.
The strengths of this method are that it treats the patients with Alzheimer's disease on three
levels so it enables the health care organizations in strictly monitoring the activities as well as
the progress of people who suffer from this disease (Parkes and Prigerson, 2013). This
weakness of this method is that there is no guarantee that the treatment of the patient may be
the usefulness of this method. Also since there is no perfect treatment or cure for Alzheimer's
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disease, there is no appropriate method for the treatment or cure people with significant life
events.
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