Supporting Life Events: A Case Study of Family Bereavement

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Supporting Life Event
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
1.1....................................................................................................................................................3
M1....................................................................................................................................................4
1.2....................................................................................................................................................5
1.3, D1.............................................................................................................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................6
2.1, D1.............................................................................................................................................6
2.2....................................................................................................................................................7
M1....................................................................................................................................................8
2.3....................................................................................................................................................8
LO3..................................................................................................................................................9
3.1....................................................................................................................................................9
3.2, D3...........................................................................................................................................10
3.3..................................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................13
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Introduction
The concept of significant life event determines major changes in the circumstances that lead to
affect the personal lives, after the happening of a particular event. The changes are major which
cannot be reversed back, only sorrow and guilt are left behind. The significant event may be
unusual as well as unexpected. The given study evaluates how Tom and Sue beard the loss of
their 10-year-old daughter, Jill due to leukaemia. The context exhibits several impacts and
responses of possible groups to the significant life event that occurred. Several stages and models
are being discussed, linking to the given case scenario. Additionally, comprehensive analysis of
how different groups offered support to the loss and grief. The discussions of the above said
variables in relation to the case study discuss the various challenges and hurdles the family went
through and how they were provided support to overcome their personal loss.
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LO1
1.1
To explain the depth of how significant life event affects individuals and groups, key criteria
from the stages of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Model has been discussed and linked (Stroebe et al.,
2017). The model exhibits five essential stages of grief, popularly termed as DABDA and is
discussed below:
Stages Impact
Denial The stage of denial is overwhelming, in which an individual denies to admit
the incurred loss and its effects. The individual is under shock and denies the
instant changes in this stage. It has been observed that shock and denial helps
an individual to cope as well as survive with the grief event.
Anger After believing the actual reality, the stage of anger arouses within an
individual. Under this stage an individual starts blaming themselves for cause
of the grief.
Bargaining Under this stage, every individual having good faith started dealing with God.
However, this determines a false stage with hypothetical hopes, being
desperate to change their life while attempting towards normality.
Depression The stage of depression is a commonly accepted for of the grief. It has been
observed that most of the individuals are associated immediately with
depression after the occurrence significant event.
Acceptance The final stage identified by the model is acceptance. This stage evaluates the
concept in which an individual’s accept the facts of loss and grief’s occurred.
Under this stage the emotions beings to become understanding a stabilized
conditions helping an individual to overcome their grieving process.
Table 1: Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle
(Source: Created by Author)
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Figure 1: Stages of Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle
(Source: Stroebe et al., 2017)
M1
According to the case study, after the occurrence of loss Sue, Jill’s mother, was under the stage
of denial in which she did not believe the actual reality of her daughter’s death. Rather she
believed the preferable reality. Due to her bereavement, she received several supports from the
groups of organizations, helping in her grieving process (Brooks et al., 2015).
As per the given case scenario, the stage of anger has been observed from the role of Sue in
which, due to the strong faith, she started questioning herself and God. The anger stage in Sue
dwelled on guilt prone which can be exhibited from her statements of ‘why her, she was so
young, I’m still alive’, ‘I didn’t tell her I loved her before she died’ and ‘what did I do wrong’.
From the given case scenario, it has been observed that Jill’s mother, Sue, was majorly affected
and received various support from organization during her initial phase of bereavement. She was
found so depressed that Tom suggested her to attempt extra Professional Counselling.
Additionally, one of the nurses attending Jill’s during the time of her treatment appeared to be
extremely stressed as well as emotional due to which she was unable to work for a few days.
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In the given scenario, with the help of the assistance of Counsellors, Sue achieved to return to
normality from her current loss and grief. Moreover, Tom and Sue have resolved their issues of
parenting their only child, David.
1.2
The significant death of Jill has, highly affected different groups of individuals in a different
aspect. Notwithstanding, only her family members but even the professional members who was
attempting and supporting her at the time of treatment was affected. One of the nurses, involved
at the time of her treatment, has been observed being emotional and extremely stressed which
made her unable to work for a few days. According to the given case scenario, Sue, mother of
Jill, was exclusively affected in aspects of mental, personal as well as psychological manner. In
order to overcome the initial stage of bereavement, both Tom and Sue received support from
organizations; she also got assistance from shaping the bereavement and the Bereavement
Partner Support Group. However, Jill’s brother and father managed themselves to recover from
the grief in a very short duration. On the contrary, only Sue was crucially overwhelmed and was
suggested by Tom to attend Professional Counselling, as it was hard for her to perform her daily
routine.
1.3, D1
In respect to the given case scenario, it has been observed that various personal and professional
lives were affected. Some of the other individuals and groups involved in the bereavement are
counsellors, nurses and other individuals belonged from the homes were affected as this event
hampered their daily works and services.
For instance, the nurse who was appointed in the hospital for all the respective patients was
unable to come to its work for few days. This hampered hospital works in aspects to the work
allotted to her on a daily basis. The patients who were under her monitoring and screening were
receiving substitutes, which may lead to affect the health of other patients (Knapp, 2015). Jill’s
mother who was suffering from depression was unable to cope up with her daily routine and
work. Focusing towards the health of Sue, she was suffering from both physical and mental
issues. Sue used to work for the part time, which she gave up at the time of Jill’s treatment. This
lead Sue and her family to face monetary loss as the organization for which she used to work
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granted her with non-payable leave for 4 months. The deteriorating mental condition of Sue
didn't allowed her to attend flexible working by her line manager, as she was willing to stay with
her daughter on her remaining times. Both Sue and Tom affected the style of parenting David in
a different manner. According to Tom, David must be avoided from certain restrictions as the
life is short. Whereas, Sue became overprotective in case of David, as she already had
experienced loss and grief of her daughter.
LO2
2.1, D1
There are several procedures and policies provided by healthcare organization in order to support
the individual and their social networks affected by the significant life event. All the established
procedures and policies ensures to cure the mental, personal and psychological conditions of an
individual (Mayo et al ., 2017). Additionally, these organizations aids to prevent certain diseases
before their occurrence while reducing the range of death.
Some of the policies established to reduce the occurrence of significant life event, for instance,
bereavement are discussed below:
● Strict regulations and laws are established that includes banning of alcoholic drinks and
smoking tobacco in every public as well as working places.
● Appling taxation rate on the supply of alcohol and tobacco, influencing people to intake
essential and necessary nutrients
● Establishing green environment that is free from harmful pollution, while encouraging
people to adopt regular practices of exercise and yoga
Likewise, there are several procedures introduced by the social organizations, discussed below:
● It is also necessary to identify the needs and preferences of the patients and cater those
services accordingly (Wager et al., 2017). This lead to develop effective coordination’s,
enabling to deal with the deadly disease and illness
● Reorienting the Health Care Centres, Branksomewood Healthcare Centre and their
services are implemented to create a supportive environment for the patients and their
family members. Organizing necessary health programs are essential, influencing to
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enhance the quality of life of the patients while providing financial and mental support to
them.
Thus, different organizations in aspects of their offering facilities introduce their own procedures
as well as policies to cure diseases and helping the family. According to the given case scenario,
different organizations, for instance, Shaping the Bereavement and Bereavement Partner Support
Group have supported Sue and Tom during their initial phase of bereavement. Additionally, with
the assistance of Professional Counselling, Sue has constructed normality of her current loss and
grief’s (Parkes et al., 2015).
2.2
The social networks, ensuring effective supports to the individuals and groups experiencing
significant life event, provide different aspects of supports and obligations. Thus, different
corporative ways are adopted in order to solve the issues of bereavement. The main objective of
these social groups is to offer consistent administration to the affected individuals that are
discussed below:
Physical support and
social care
After identifying and analyzing the appropriate strategies that
might help the affected individuals to overcome their losses and
grief’s, physical supports are provided by social groups. Whereas,
social care describes personal assistance and care provided to the
patient determining essential support and caring.
Psychological and spiritual
support
The psychological support enables an individual to heal their
psychological wounds, implementing them rebuild their social
structure after the critical event. On the contrary, spiritual support
is a process of counselling that helps to heal emotional and
spiritual wounds of the affected individual and groups.
Table 2: Objective of Social Groups
(Source: Created by Author)
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M1
According to the given case, the hospital provided huge physical support as well as social care to
Jill and her family by screening her and adopting appropriate treatment that might save her life.
At the time of Jill’s critical condition, all the health professionals were observed to be supportive
and caring towards her and her family.
As per the given scenario, the two organizations named, Shaping the Bereavement and
Bereavement Partner Support Group provided effective supports to tom and Sue during their
initial phase of bereavement. Additionally, Professional Counselling is another organization that
provided Sue both psychological and spiritual support. Thus, with the assistance of Professional
counselling, Sue enabled to construct appropriate normality of her current loss suffering and
grief’s.
2.3
Based on the discussion on the obligations and supports provided by the external resources,
certain suitability has been observed. These suit abilities enabled the affected individuals and
groups to recover from the significant life event. Some of the suit abilities provided by the
external resources are mentioned below:
Support and counselling
As per the case study, Sue and Tom receive all the required support from different organizations
in aspects to overcome from their initial phase of bereavement. It has been observed that
recommended Professional Counselling helped Sue to overcome her guilt prone thoughts.
Mental wellbeing
The psychological and social support provided to Sue enabled her to construct appropriate
normality irrespective from her current loss and grief’s. The assistance received from the
counselling was suitable as it helped her to regain her resources and skills to deal with the final
stage of grieving process.
Appropriate treatment
All the medical professionals, addressed in the given case scenario, were effectively engaged at
the time of threatening Jill. The treatment provided by health professions was observed to be
caring and supporting. All the adequate treatment methods were applied in order to save the life
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of 10-year-old girl. Notwithstanding to significant event, appropriate physical support and social
care were provided to Jill.
Relief from extreme stress
As per the case study, the Professional counselling that Sue is required to recover before the
actual loss occurs to her has declared it. However, from the supportive Counselling she felt a
little relieved which enabled her to gain the stage of normality for the one who are left to be
looked at, after the occurrence of grief.
LO3
3.1
From the given case it has been analyzed that treatment provided to Jill was very supportive as
well as helpful to her and her family. All the professionals were paying full attention to the case
of Jill, implementing to regain her recovery. It has been observed that leukaemia is one of the
deadly diseases that require different kinds of treatments. Some of the treatment processed in
order to recover Jill from leukaemia was biological therapy, targeted therapy and radiation
therapy. All the above-mentioned therapy was exclusively expensive as well as required
appropriate time to heal. Chemotherapy was the leftover therapy that remained unprocessed due
monetary issues faced by Jill’s family (Schmiegelow et al., 2016). However, it has been
observed that by the application of this therapy, Jill’s life would have saved.
Additionally, in the given scenario Sue, Jill’s mother, received support from two organizations,
for instance, shaping the Bereavement and The Bereavements Partner Support Group. However,
other than these two organizations, other specialist organizations can be considered. Some of the
organizations like Child bereavement UK who support families at the time of their child loss, the
compassionate friends who support bereaved parents can be considered by Sue and Tom in order
to overcome their guilt prone thoughts (Pocnet et al., 2016). After determining no positive
response from the support of two respective organizations, Tom suggested Professional
Counselling for Sue. However, in addition to this therapists and psychologist would have
appointed to heal the mental and psychological condition of Sue.
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3.2, D3
After analysing the given case scenario, the concept of significant life event and its impact on the
affected individuals and groups exhibited clear reviews on grief’s and losses. Additionally, the
treatment and support performed by the Health Professionals were also determined. From the
case given it has been observed that the entire treatment was undertaken in a single hospital.
However, according to my point of view, Sue and Tom must have visited other hospitals and
would have sought help from other leukaemia specialists while concerning their approvals. As
per my view, Jill would have saved if treatment that is more appropriate has been applied to her
at the time of her treatment. It can be analyzed that the methods and technologies applied by the
hospitals were traditional and was not that advanced as per their requirements in order to treat
leukaemia (Sittig and Singh., 2015). One of the advanced treatments called Cell Therapy has
been determined to be best suitable and effective for children in order to treat leukaemia. This
therapy was required to be performed by the medical professionals in order to heal the disease of
the 10-year-old girl.
On the other hand it has been observed that various supports from different organizations have
been received by Tom and Sue in aspects to heal their grief. However, as per my view it was
required for Sue to social interaction with the public, implementing her to overcome her loss. In
addition, I suggest that Sue must continue her part time work. The working environment will
keep her busy with the official stuff, helping her to construct normality from her current loss and
grief. Moreover, along with Professional Counselling, appropriate help from therapist and
psychologist would have applied which may lead to cure the mental and psychological issues of
Sue in less than the given time duration.
3.3
Certain recommendations can be made in order to enhance the support available in health and
social care organizations for individuals and their social networks when affected by the
significant events are discussed below:
Understanding the real value of life
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It is common that during the time of initial phase of life, individuals lose all their hopes in
aspects of continuing their lives. However, effective adaptations are required to be made with the
consequences.
According to the given case study, Sue, Jill’s mother, suffered from huge depression and stress,
which took a really long time to get healed. However, it is recommended that she must engage
herself to the household works and get socialized while interacting with different people around
her locality. This will help her to gain her normative conditions from the current loss and grief’s.
Analysing the domains of total well being
After the occurrence of significant event, it is important for the group of individuals to realize the
domains of total well-being. These well being encompasses certain facts, for instance, money,
work, health and life.
In the given case, it has been observed that Sue who was working in a part time, left her job to be
with her daughter at her remaining time. Even after the loss occurred, she didn't join her job as
her mind was not stable and she was under Professional counselling. As per the recommendation,
Sue must have returned to her job while understanding the domain of total well-being.
Recognizing the future requirements
After the occurrence of significant life event, the individuals are required to recognize their
future requirement. Recognizing future demands may term as a major driver of overall
dissatisfaction and stress (Frost et al., 2015).
From the given case scenario, it has been observed that after the death of Jill, both Sue and Tom
have divided their style of parenting towards David. However, it can be recommended they must
understand David’s need and requirement and take appropriate actions for him.
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