Report on Supporting Significant Life Events in Health and Social Care

This report delves into the multifaceted challenges and support systems surrounding significant life events, particularly within the healthcare context. It examines the impact of such events, like cancer and bereavement, on individuals and their families, highlighting emotional, social, and practical consequences. The report analyzes the effectiveness of business policies and procedures in providing support, including the roles of social networks, external resources, and healthcare professionals. It further explores potential business responses, personal reflections, and recommendations for improving support within health and social care organizations. The report covers topics such as Kubler-Ross's grief model, the importance of communication, and the provision of financial and emotional assistance, offering insights into comprehensive care strategies. The report concludes with recommendations for improved support mechanisms and recognizes the importance of patient and family satisfaction.

Supporting Significant Life
Events

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Impact of significant life events on individuals...............................................................1
1.2 Group response to significant life events.........................................................................3
1.3 Impact for others in health and social care when an individual experience significant life
event.......................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Effectiveness of business policies and procedures in supporting individual and their social
network...................................................................................................................................4
2.2 Others support in social networks to individuals experiencing significant life events... .5
2.3 Evaluation of suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant
life events................................................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Possible business responses to the need in order to support individual experience ........7
3.2 Reflection on own personal contributions........................................................................8
3.3 Recommendations to improve the support available in a health and social care
organisation............................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Supporting significant life events is a work of charity towards providing health care
services which plays an important role in a life of patient effectively. The report will cover,
impact of significant life events on individuals, group response to significant life events and
impact for others in health and social care when an individual experience significant life event.
In addition to this, effectiveness of business policies and procedures in supporting individual and
their social network, Others who support in social networks to individuals and evaluation of
suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life events will be
discussed in this report. The report will finally make, possible business responses to the need in
order to support individual experience, a reflection on own personal contributions and
recommendations to improve the support available in a health and social care organisation.
TASK 1
1.1 Impact of significant life events on individuals
It can be said that it is difficult to predict that what kind of impact of cancer or its
treatments will have on any individual life as the cancer have various effect on people but there
are some common impacts of cancer can be seen. An individual with cancer feels tired,
exhausted and suffers from fever that he is not able to go away with rest or sleep. The cancer
patient also suffers from a lot of pain due to the diagnosis and its treatments effectively. The
patient feels depressed and also energy less which lead towards loosing health and appetite. It
also affects mentally and create health issues from which the patient feels less confident. In the
case of Jill who is only 10 years old daughter of Tom and Sue suffered from leukaemia which is
a blood cancer disease (Fox, and Moreland, 2015). The health care professionals tried their best
to treat her cancer but they have lost her. Jill remained admitted in the hospital initially for few
weeks and later on kept on visiting the hospital off and on for follow up. There are a lot of side
effects of leukaemia such as it hinders body ability of a patient to fight with infections, dizziness,
fever, fatigue and loss of appetite. In addition to this some common symptoms such as bleeding,
weakness, shortness of breath, frequent infections, pallor, red spot on skin, mouth ulcer,
nosebleed and easy bruising. It affects the life of a patient.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross’ grief model:
Elizabeth Kubler Ross described five popular stages of grief which are referred as
DABDA. They are:
1

Denial: It is a stage which helps to survive the loss. As per the case study, after the death of Jill
her mother Sue was very tensed and depressed. Sue is dwelling on guilt prone thoughts such as
“Why her, “I didn’t tell her, she was so young, I loved her before she died” I’m still alive” and
“What did I do wrong”. It is denial that helps to cope and survive with grief events.
Anger: Anger is a common stage where person start to live in actual reality but anger starts
again. In this stage people blame himself such as Sue. Sue got angry of herself and started
redirecting her anger to family members. The more care towards David shows that she was so
stressed.
Bargaining: Bargaining is a stage where person starts to make a deal with God, when anything
bad happens. In case of Sue, she was bargaining to save life of her daughter and also feeling
2
Illustration 1: Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle
Source: Gregory,2018

guilty. For an example, what if I encouraged him to go to the doctor six months ago like I first
thought – the cancer could have been found sooner and he could have been saved.
Depression: Depression is also a common thing for a person if something bad happened to him
or her. It's a present emotion which represents bad situation of person such as Sue.
Acceptance: This is the last stage, where person accept the situation and feels okay with it.
Finally, Sue has to be admit that her daughter is died and she will be okay. It is a stage where she
will realise the actual situation (Blevins and et.al., 2015).
1.2 Group response to significant life events
It can be said that cancer not only affect an individual but also create a huge impact on
friends, family member and people around him or her. Friends and family members provide full
support from their side to the patient in order to make him happy and also concerned. In addition
to this, some people grow strong relationship with patient and some try to run away. Cancer
affects all the family members that they do not eat well, sleep well and also feel the pain and
depression of patient effectively. It affects emotionally and mentally people around him. Cancer
also changes the role of patient that he become depended on others for any kind of work. It is a
challenging work that it also affects relationship status. Parents plays an important role in these
kinds of tough situation of patient that all the responsibilities fall on their shoulder which is
sometimes hard for them to manage. Friends and other members provide their emotional and
financial support for a limited time period. In case of Jill, when she died one of the nurse
involved in her treatment was extremely depressed, emotional and stressed and not able to come
to work for few days. Communication is one of the most important thing for a patient in order to
reduce loneliness and stress. Sue and Tom also get supported by a business shaping the
Bereavement and the Bereavement partner supports group during their initial phase of
bereavement effectively.
1.3 Impact for others in health and social care when an individual experience significant life
event.
The life events also refer to incidents which can be temporarily or permanent. This study
goals to show the individual occurrence of their life events. There are different diseases seen in
day to day life. Health and social care organisations always struggle to find different ways to
survive in uncertain situations (Takeshita and et.al., 2017). Similarly, before one year, Tom and
Sue lost their child named Jill due to Leukaemia disease (cancer). Firstly, the survey should be
3

done on which healthcare satisfies patients and provides behavioural intentions to patients.
Hospitalization gives satisfaction to patients of returning to home. Just as Tom and Sue lost their
daughter after few weeks of her being admitted in the hospital. The healthcare organisation
should also provide social services to the patients. They should get home free environment.
Accordingly, after the death of Jill, their parents also got the same services. One of the nurses got
emotionally stressed and was unable to attend her work for few days.
Improving the health care facilities shows the effectiveness of organization. This
effectiveness relates to the patient satisfaction. In order to this, Tom and Sue received the support
from bereavement group. But still some factors affect to the family after the death of the patient.
Such as Sue was also unable to come out of this situation. After a year, Tom suggested Sue to
join counselling to recover herself. However, she is in guilt that her daughter died before she
should say how much she loves her. This type of life events leaves an impact in further situations
as well. Likewise, Tom and Sue became more reserved about their second child named David
which was only 12 years old. In this matter, Tom and Sue both differs. Tom thinks that life is
unpredictable and should live life without any restrictions. But, Sue thinks totally opposite as she
does not want to lose her son 'David'. Health issue is not only of an individual but also relates to
its family. Family suffers after an individual death. Sue was also not able to join her work back
and further, she can't even do her household work.
Lastly, the counselling helped Sue to recover her soon. There was no issue in parenting
David well. Still, Sue suffers and manages everything without any counselling. In this context,
the main goal of health and social care should be patient’s satisfaction economically and
physically.
TASK 2
2.1 Effectiveness of business policies and procedures in supporting individual and their social
network
It can be said that there are many organisations that provide support to patients and their
families towards health care (Piro and et.al., 2014). Every business has their own policies and
procedures to deal with patients. In addition to this, many voluntary research centres are also
raising awareness towards cancer and its treatment effectively. The organisations are aiming to
reduce number of death which are happening due to cancer.
4

English community care association is one of the registered charities and campaigns
which provide support towards health care and also to independent care employees who assist
the role of care professional that can help inform national policy. Many policies and procedures
set by this organisation to deal with cancer are:
 Strict laws to ban alcohol products and smoking at public places and workplace.
 High tax rates on tobacco products.
 The firm also ensures that people can get health food and nutrition easily and effectively.
 The organisation ensures clean environment by reducing pollution.
 It encourages and motivates people to do more exercise and yoga.
In addition to this, different procedures are also set by business to help cancer patients in
order to deal with disease such as:
 Determine needs and desires of patients.
 Helps to make an effective link between patient and service providers to make effective
communication.
 Provide mental and financial support to their family (Rutledge and et.al., 2014).
 Make coordination with patients in order to deal with illness and provide biomedical and
psychosocial care.
 They create a supportive environment for the patient such as social, physical and healthy.
The main goals of organisation is to provide support to service providers that helps to
deliver quality services to patient in order to make chances of eliminating particular disease
effectively. This will also help them to acquire resources which are needed for the effective
treatment. The organisation also makes provision and plan in advance so that they can provide
support on time.
2.2 Others support in social networks to individuals experiencing significant life events.
In terms of social support in life events, it reflects to human kind in different aspects.
These aspects can be emotional, instrumental, informational and can be appraisal. The social
support is given by the surrounding society which plays an important role in respect to
healthcare. Just as Tom and Sue also got support through hospital. One of the nurse in that
hospital was emotionally stressed such that she could not attend her work for few days. The
medical department helped them emotionally. Social support also summarized to support people
5

through financially. Encouraging them is also a part of supporting socially. In addition to this,
instrumental support is also needed. This refers to the help with childcare, transportation etc.
Next to it, support from the friends is also initially required. If death occurs there should be
Cruse Bereavement Group to support immediately (Alcock and et.al., 2014). In this case Tom
and Sue got the better support from the Bereavement Partner Group. This group helped them at
the initial stage itself.
Different supports also includes to the physical support. Surrounding society must
support in context to the healthcare. They should immediately held them to the respective
hospital. The hospital should be preferred in relation to patient satisfaction. After the death of
Jill, Sue was unable to perform any activities in terms of house work as well as outwork. Later
Tom decided to send her for counseling. Counseling committee supported her at the time when
she was about to lose herself. Here also the support of the institute is required to perform
professional counseling (Black and et.al., 2017). The spiritual support was required to her in
relation to maintain her health. Some patients also need psychological support. These patients are
in critical situation. The organisation should provide an intensive care for this kind of patients.
For example, if the patient is in disorder, stressed manner they should be referred by the highly
trained psychologists. Lastly comes financial support. Patients are supported widely through
physically, spiritually but at time of finance they lack at some point. So in terms of that the
hospital must satisfy patients financially. In need of money, sometimes patient reaches to death
cause, but in case of Tom and Sue they were satisfied with the organisation emotionally and
financially too. Regarding to Sue, she was also supported well by counseling group. Last but not
the least, the organisation must be of full package satisfying patients in all the aspects.
2.3 Evaluation of suitability of external sources of support for those affected by significant life
events
References is required initially to define which organisation is suitable for which disease.
Commonly based disease is depression in daily life. When it comes in dealing with such situation
it implies on friends and family support. Similarity, social support also requires in it. After the
organisation, the support of doctor requires (Swearer and Hymel, 2015). Nursing facility must be
accordingly provided. In case to Tom and Sue, Jill also received the best support from the nurse.
The nurse who was involved in Jill treatment was extremely stressed out after her death. The
6

nurse could not attend her work for next few days. Such as doctor and nurse are also part of
social support.
Doctor is the mentor in the hospital who knows everything about the patient and can also
ensure the patient that he or she can recover faster. Doctor plays a vital role in motivating patient
throughout the treatment. Next comes to nurse who can take better care of the patient in which
they get mental support and can feel as home free environment. The health care organisation
should communicate to patient in terms of their needs. Needs can be like food, medicines to be
given on time etc.
Communicating with patients also recover them faster. Patient suffering from depression should
not be kept alone. They need to be communicated every time. Patient suffering from cancer
requires proper care and mental support. Society must search through online outcomes to provide
different services to patients in health care units (Holman, Garfin and Silver, 2014).
Communicating with the patient makes them feel easy and better. Some patients are physically
disturbed. They need to be exercised daily. People can help by taking them to walk.
Lastly, patients need the person who has already been through the same situation. This
kind of people can help them in sharing their experiences. They share how they accepted the
situation and how they have been a fighter to that disease. These same feelings also helps in
recovering them from disease. In case of Tom and Sue, they were also supported by organisation
like bereavement committee, professional counselling group etc. Initially they were supported
through Healthcare unit.
The organisation can support through physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. Social relation is
always been an important part for healthy behaviour of patients. They can also improve the
society behaviour in reference of helping others.
TASK 3
3.1 Possible business responses to the need in order to support individual experience
It is analysed that various organisation have different set of responses for an individual
who is experiencing a significant life event. Their reaction are also dependent on the way their
attitudes are developed towards people or patient effectively. The first are the government
organisations and agencies towards cancer care patients who provide guidance and support as
well as counselling and treatment option which are available for the person effectively. In
addition, a 4th national cancer strategy has been published in UK recently, which helps by
7

providing accurate guidelines and strategies that helps to tackle the issue or disease (Naslund and
et.al., 2016). Such kind of organisations are mostly work towards policy and planning framework
development and provide direct services regarding an individual needs to provide quality
services to them effectively. They also provide support by helping in much needed statistics to
resolve grievances which are related to the parents of patients with service provider (Dyrbye and
et.al., 2016).
Quick assessment of the situation is the second type of response for the situation which
helps to guide patients towards the right care centre effectively. This is done by different
departments such as hospitals, clinics, general practitioners and are able to diagnose the patient.
They are able to assess patients needs in a proper manner and also help by recommending health
care services according to the level of cancer of patient and its stage. It is also crucial for these
organisations to regular take follow up referrals in order to assess the prognosis over the initial
period.
The third response is provided by care provider organisations such as cancer care in UK, ONS
etc. this will help patients by providing supportive treatments and palliative care to their parents.
In addition, psychological support is also provided by them to the patient and families. Such
types of organisations response with vary effective care which is supported by strategies and
tactical planning for the patient that helps to improve as soon as possible effectively. In addition
to this, they also provide supportive services to patients who requires daily treatment and
medical services in order to ensure that patient will remain safe and pain free as much as possible
efficiently (Greenaway and et.al., 2015). This will help both patient and his family to ensure that
there is someone available for their care in order to feel safe and secure.
3.2 Reflection on own personal contributions
I must say that I also faced some kind of serious issues from which I can understand the
pain of a patient. I believe my personalised endeavour towards reinforcement of individuals
experiencing essential life circumstance is still in an organic process phase. I have
knowledgeable the basics of assistance providing to the idiosyncratic and their household and I
also learned the value of not just supply words of sympathy but there should be veritable concern
and non-verbal body communication which activity the action. I believe my communicating
accomplishment are bang-up and I can tie with the diligent and their family on a mental level
easily it mightiness be because I have knowledgeable failure of household social unit and I can
8

construe how it feels. I feel in case of enduring excruciation from Cancer there is a need to know
about the technological aspect of the illness respect their forecast and time continuance and
chances of endurance. Sometimes it is ambitious how to explain the approaching attention and
even in case of endmost disease to circumstantial age groups like children and old age. This is
thing which I would like to learn healthier through knowledgeable major caution afford.
3.3 Recommendations to improve the support available in a health and social care organisation
There should be limited and standard in operation routine in case of terminal unwellness
and in case of definite age grouping like children there should be antithetic plan of attack. Their
friends and societal ellipse should be involved and informed respect how they should act and
how they should not be nervous system or overly preventive for such diligent.
2. Worker should be granted regular preparation and improvement programs so that they can get
enduring properly reserved and entangled with the activity and they should be capable to supply
aperiodic and regular expression to the tolerant (Azad and et.al., 2015).
3. Precaution giver should evolve a family centric-al approaching where family should not just
be conversant about the management and support formulation but they should be interested as a
part of the precaution giving group. They are the best soul to modify about the necessarily of
patient, their taste and property which approval them in the lead.
Thus, they can assistance in reaction the burden on care work provider and also bring affirmative
and healthier results readily.
Network supply access to collection related to educational activity, health, nutrition, drugs,
subroutine, etc., which gives a special emphasis on public wellness aspects of substance,
especially in the field of medical speciality and wellness care (Kwasnicka and et.al., 2016). The
writer of this paper discourse the function and applicable grandness of social web in up the
wellness and determination of health difficulty without the carnal entranceway into the wellness
care scheme. Social group system have their plus and disadvantage, payment and reimbursement,
particularly when it comes to message which within the system set unprofessional group from
unsound sources, without a satisfactory mixture.
9

CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that supporting significant life events is a very
crucial help to others that helps to make world free from diseases. An individual with cancer
feels tired, exhausted and suffers from fever that he is not able to go away with rest or sleep. It
can be said that cancer not only affect an individual but also create a huge impact on friends,
family member. It is concluded that communication is one of the most important thing for a
patient in order to reduce loneliness and stress. Improving the health care facilities shows the
effectiveness of organization who are working in this sector to provide various care services to
patients. It can be said that there are many organisations provide support to patients and their
families towards health care. The organisations are aiming to reduce number of death which are
happening due to the cancer. The social support given by the surrounding society also plays an
important role in respect to healthcare. References is required initially to define which
organisation is suitable for which disease. In addition, psychological support is also provided by
them to the patient and families.
10