Comprehensive Report: Supporting Individuals Through Life Events

This report analyzes the impact of significant life events on individuals, focusing on the case of Mr. George and his mother's illness. It explores physical, emotional, and social impacts, referencing the Kubler-Ross grief cycle. The report examines group responses to bereavement, including support from hospitals, palliative care teams, and social groups, while also addressing negative impacts from family and colleagues. It evaluates the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures, such as those from Macmillan Cancer Care, in supporting bereaved individuals. Furthermore, it explains the ways social networks offer support and evaluates external resources like Macmillan Cancer Care and Cruse Bereavement Care, offering recommendations for improving support within health and social care organizations for individuals and their social networks. The report emphasizes the need for comprehensive support systems that address the multifaceted challenges of significant life events.

SUPPORTING SIGNIFICANT LIFE
EVENTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Explaining the impact of significant life events on individuals.............................................3
1.2 Analyzing possible group response to bereavement..............................................................5
1.3 Analyzing the impact for others in health and social care setting when an individual is
bereaved.......................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Evaluating the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures of supporting
bereaved individuals....................................................................................................................6
2.2 Explaining the ways in which others in social network may provide support to the
bereaved individuals....................................................................................................................6
2.3 Evaluating the suitability of external sources of support that are available for the bereaved
individuals....................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Analyzing the possible organizational response to the need to support individuals that are
experiencing a significant life event............................................................................................8
3.2 Personal contribution to the support of individuals that are experiencing significant life
events...........................................................................................................................................8
3.3 Recommendations for improving the support that is available in a health and social care
organization for individuals and their social networks which are affected by significant life
events...........................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Life events play a significant role in reshaping the life of a person (Kaplow and et.al.,
2014). A significant life change can be any event or occurrence, gain or loss or even positive or
negative but after that, life of individual gets change or somehow affected. Life event may be
death of a beloved person, retirement, promotion, marriage, divorce and change in financial state
etc. (Landau and et.al., 2011).
In this project, there is a case of Mr. George whose mother is suffering from Cancer. The
project report includes the way in which the life of Mr. George gets affected due to life event
which is faced by him that is his mother’s illness. Further, there is a discussion regarding the
support from external sources which are available for the bereaved person with reference to the
given case of George and his mother Garry.
1.1 Explaining the impact of significant life events on individuals
There is a great impact of the significant life event on individuals. The bereaved
individual’s social, physical or psychological life gets affected due to any such cause or life
event. The impact of significant life event on individual is as under: Physical Impact- The person gets affected due to significant life event, he get weakens
and scattered as well as suffers from the poor physical health due to instability in food
habits (Bonanno, 2009). In the present case, Mr. George was also getting affected with
the illness of his mother, Mrs. Garry. He was much stressed and disappointed which
gives a bad impact on his health as he has become weak due to this. But, he was trying to
cope up with the situation by taking proper care of his mother in her last time. Emotional impact- The person gets mentally disturbed due to such cause along with
becoming aggressive, deeply stressed and getting disappointed. Sometimes, it also gives a
positive impact on the person as because of that, he becomes stronger to take the
responsibility in that tough situation of dying person (Thoits, 2013). Mr. George was also
upset and sad but he tried his level best to take better care of his mother and to make her
happy as well.
 Social impact- Due to such impact, taking care and giving support to the patients to
whom the individual is attached will result in detachment of the individual from society
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and his social life (King and Hicks, 2009). He wants to live isolate and do not want to go
outside or far away for a minute from the ill person. Social life of Mr. George also gets
affected by the illness of his mother, Mrs. Garry. George who started spending his entire
time in taking care of her mother and he also took a leave from his job. Due to all these,
social life of George affected a lot.
Kubler - Ross grief cycle model is useful in understanding one's own and other people's
emotional response to the personal trauma and change. As per this model, life of a person gets
affected in 5 stages: Denial: It is the stage where conscious or subconscious mind of a person refuses to
accept the fact (Douma, Dekker and Koot, 2006). As per the case given, Mr. George's
mother was suffering from cancer and he is also at this stage where he is refusing to
accept the fact that his mother, Mrs. Gary suffered from any such kind of disease. Anger: In that stage, people become upset and disappointed due to such life event and get
angry and aggressive as well (Mazure and et.al., 2014). In case of Mr. George, he was
going through the situation where he started blaming himself and feeling extremely guilty
and stressed. Bargaining: At this stage, individual starts bargaining with God. People started
demanding with god to improve the health and illness of their beloved one of family
person. Doctor, Mr. George was also very sad and hurt as he was also praying to God for
soon recovery of his mother’s illness. Depression: This is the stage where person becomes extremely sad and get the feeling of
fear and anxiety (Williams and et.al., 2008). Mr. George was also frightened about the
fact that he would lose his mother.
 Acceptance: Finally, at this stage, person accepted the reality and tried to move on in his
life (Ong, Bergeman and Bisconti, 2005). As per the given case, Mr. George also
accepted the reality of death of his mother and started working towards the fulfilment of
his mother's dying wishes.
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1.2 Analyzing possible group response to bereavement
The support group helps the bereavement to deal with the problems and trauma that they
are facing (Kaplow and et.al., 2014). There are various groups which give a negative impact to
the bereavement. The group’s response to bereavement is as under: Bereavement support group in hospital- Mr. George get supported from other families in
the hospital who suffered from the same situation. The response and support that he got
from that family helped Mr. George to get the moral support and to cope up with the
difficult situation. Palliative care team- This team also supported George as they took him to visit the
school where his mother, Mrs. Garry was the teacher in order to fulfil his mother’s wish
before dying (Hanks and et.al., 2011). The team supported him to talk to the people about
the actual condition of Mrs. Garry and the type of treatment that she received.
 Support Group- The support group of society helped Mr. George a lot to get rid out of the
difficult situation or trauma that he was facing. They talked with Mr. George and shared
the words to give him their support.
 Family: The response of family of Mr. George is they refuse to support him in terms of
financial as well as emotional. This shows the negative response from family member
side. The impact of this on patients were they health conditions becomes more worse as
compare to the previous.
 Friends and colleagues: Mr. George wants the support from his friends and colleagues at
the time of facing the health issues. They have showed the positive behaviours towards
his health and always came to meet him. The positive environment in care centre has
helped Mr. George to improve in health conditions.
1.3 Analyzing the impact for others in health and social care setting when an individual is
bereaved
The impact of health and social care on health care professionals can be categorized into
physical, emotional and social affects. These impacts on individual is bereaved is as follows:
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 Nurses- Nurses are identified as having more extensive contact with patients than any
other health care professionals. So, they took proper take of the patients and give support
to their family members also (Oquendo and et.al., 2014). In the given case, George also
got full support from the nurses and other working staff. This support and care from
nurses gave moral support to the patients and their families as well. Social care workers- Health and social care workers also get emotionally attached to the
person and his family and promoted them their support in each and every manner
(Luhmann and et.al., 2012). They provide their time and help to the bereaved for dealing
with such life changing event.
 Support worker- Supported groups and workers helped a lot in the difficult situation of
Mrs. Garry when she was ill and his son was not there who could take care of her (Mary,
2011). After her death also, support group helped George to deal with the situation and
provided him the moral support.
2.1 Evaluating the effectiveness of organizational policies and procedures of supporting bereaved
individuals
According to the Macmillan Cancer care policies, the care centre and hospitals should
provide proper care and support to the patient and his/her family. Macmillan Cancer care
provides free cancer care tool kit which contains advice and guidance for the doctors and health
care experts to manage and deal with the cancer patients at the workplace (Information and
Support, 2015). For example, as per the given case, Mrs. Garry was getting proper health care
services from the hospital but his son Mr. George was not getting the support from hospital as
the staff members were too busy. The policies and procedure of shaping bereavement care were
very supportive. The individual healthcare professionals provide the patients and their family
with better health care services (Sheldon, 2011). They hire trained and efficient health care
practitioners so that patients would not find any kind of problem. Another example is as per the
case, Mrs. Garry was getting proper health treatment. The doctors, nurses and other health care
practitioners were trained and qualified who gave the best services to the patients. Hospital was
having all the equipments and advanced technology to take care of the cancer patient. But,
George was not getting proper support from the hospital. As the staff members of hospital setting
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were too much indulged in their work, they were not able to provide their support to the family
of patient.
2.2 Explaining the ways in which others in social network may provide support to the bereaved
individuals
There are different ways by which other social network provides the support to the
bereaved individuals in following ways:
Physical support- This support is given by the doctors, nurses and other health care service
providers (Musliner and et.al., 2015). They provided their moral support and services to the
bereaved person. But, in case of George, hospital setting was too busy that the staffs were not
able to provide proper support to him (Kaplow and et.al., 2014).
Emotional support- George was getting psychological support from some families in that
hospital only who were experiencing the similar situation that he was facing (Burgess and et.al.,
2013). By talking with the people and getting support from them makes him feel motivated and
they became little stronger to get rid out of their trouble (Feeney and Kenny, 2015).
Financial support- The bereaved individual get the financial support from various trusts and
NGOs who are providing social care and support to the patients and their family to take proper
treatment (Oquendo and et.al., 2014). George can also solve the problem of finance by arranging
money from his company where he is working.
2.3 Evaluating the suitability of external sources of support that are available for the bereaved
individuals
There are various external sources like Macmillan Cancer Care, Cruse Bereavement Care
etc. that provide various kinds of support to the bereaved individuals. Macmillan Cancer Care
provides support to more than 900 independent cancer support groups and organizations all over
the UK (Information and Support, 2015). They talk with the bereaved individual and provide
them moral support. The volunteers of McMillan offer practical and emotional support to the
people and their family who are affected by cancer. The nurses of McMillan are the valued
source of information that provides their best advice and support for cancer patients and their
families. The other care group Cruse Bereavement Care (CBC) also provides number of services
to the patients and their families to cope up with the grief (Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland-
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Support, 2015). The volunteers of CBC provide special training to handle the bereaved people.
The volunteers and counsellors of CBC are providing their services that are free of charge.
George can also take the support of these groups and organizations to deal with the situation.
Mrs. Garry and his son George were getting full support from the palliative care team and other
support groups to face and cope with the difficult situation.
3.1 Analyzing the possible organizational response to the need to support individuals that are
experiencing a significant life event
Organization should support Mrs. Garry by taking proper care of her by providing her
better health care services with the best techniques and available equipments. Hospital was
providing the best health care services and medication to Mrs. Garry. Quality care and treatment
is being provided to her as she was suffering from cancer. Nurses and palliative care team
provided their best services to Mrs. Garry. But, organization needs to make changes in their
support groups for the family members of patients (Holdsworth, Nuske and Hing, 2014). The
patient’s family and friends are not getting better services and support from the organization.
Thus, staff of hospital should ensure that the bereaved individual must not be ignored and nurses,
staff and other volunteers should provide the support to the bereaved people so that it will be
easy for them to cope up and deal with that difficult time that they were facing. No other family
member of George should be nearby him to support him. In that, it was the responsibility of
hospital to take care and provide support to George to cope with such a life event of her mother’s
illness (Kaplow and et.al., 2014). But, the reality was quite different as the hospital was too busy
in their work.
3.2 Personal contribution to the support of individuals that are experiencing significant life
events
I am a social care worker in a health care organization of UK. There are many patients
who are facing different types of health issues such as mental illness, physical disable, genetic
disorders, depression, eating problem, listening problem, sleep problems and many other things.
Here, I am sharing my experience related to significant life event. In the care home, there was a
55 year old woman who had a late stage ovarian cancer. Her name was Juliet and she was having
five children and one grandson.
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Two year before, me and my team were diagnosing this disease in her after death of her
daughter. At that stage, her family refused to accept Juliet for providing any kind of financial and
mental support. I was visiting at her room every day for knowing about her health. This routine
check-up had increased my interaction with her children. After this, I was able to know about her
illness, death and wishes before dying and the future of her children. By seeing the condition of
Juliet, I had discussed all the things with my team members. Her wish was that she would like to
die at her home in with peace.
After seeing the entire situation, it was finalized that she will be sent to her home where
her children will be around her. Two days later, after shifting Juliet at her home, she died. When
I got the call from her daughter about Juliet’s death, I came to know that her family has refused
to arrange the funeral and her children were completely helpless. In this situation, as a human
being, I had to take some actions. In this context, I had arranged Juliet’s funeral as well as also
informed this situation to her children’s school.
After doing all these things and by helping someone, I have gained a kind of satisfaction
level. Along with that, this life event also influenced me to think about that the way in which
community has seen a person who was having a kind of mental or physical illness/disability. The
perception of people has suddenly changed and this behaviour limits that person to isolate from
society, family and friends.
From this significant life event, I have learned that health care organizations have to
develop some services by which the helpless people can take benefits of care services in a right
manner. Along with this, the care centres also helped and supported those people who are not
able to afford the health care services.
3.3 Recommendations for improving the support that is available in a health and social care
organization for individuals and their social networks which are affected by significant life
events
Recommendations for improving support that is available in health and social care
organization are as under: Emotional Support- Caring of cancer patients is a very difficult and tough task.
Depending on the need of patients, doctors, care takers and nurses have to make the
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things available to the patients and to give them emotional support to deal or cope up
with the difficult situation (Kaplow and et.al., 2014). It is important to help the person
and to give them support for making them feel little control over their life. Communicate- It is the responsibility of care takers in the hospital to communicate or
interact with the person who has cancer and also to the family of that patient ( Lin and
Ensel, 2013). Organization or hospitals should provide assurance to the patients and his
family that hospital is with them and they are providing the best facilities for quick
recovery from such a big life changing event. Counselling- Some patient’s family needs counselling to resolve their problem and to get
an idea of the way to cope or deal with the situations (Irby‐Shasanmi and Redmond,
2014). In counselling, the family members of patients discuss about their problem and
receive guidance and advice from the trained health care professionals. Through working
together, both the family members and health care professionals try to build patient’s
morale and provide them the best support. Volunteers- Health care organization should develop and train volunteers to take care of
the family members of patients and to give them their support. To deal with such a big
life event, the only thing that is required to patient’s family is moral support
(O'Dougherty and et.al., 2012). So, hospitals should provide better health care services
and medication to the patients along with assistance and support to the family members
of patient.
 Group sessions for the bereaved - There can further be group sessions that can be
conducted for the patient and his family members to help them to cope up with the
situation. Carrying out these discussions will assist the patient and his family in coping
up with the difficult situation that they are facing. It may further reduce the burden faced
by health care professionals to remove the doubts of individuals (Kaplow and et.al.,
2014).
CONCLUSION
From the project report, it can be concluded that life event gives a drastic impact on the
bereaved individual. It has been assessed from the report that palliative care team and support
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group provided the best care and support to Mrs. Garry (patient) and her son, George. Further, it
was also found that to cope up with the situation, various social groups and social network
provide physical, psychological and financial support to the bereaved individual. They provided
their care, guidance and support without any charges. At last, it can also be concluded that
hospitals and health care organization should provide proper care, treatment and support to the
cancer patient and his family to make them able to cope up with the difficult situation.
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REFERENCES
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current perceived stress on heart rate variability in older adults: Results from the Irish
longitudinal study on ageing. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 61. pp. 51.
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King, L. A. and Hicks, J. A., 2009. Detecting and constructing meaning in life events. The
Journal of Positive Psychology. 4(5). pp. 317-330.
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Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 25(2). pp. 192-202.
Lin, N., Dean, A. and Ensel, W. M., 2013. Social support, life events, and depression. Academic
Press.
Luhmann, M. and et.al., 2012. Subjective well-being and adaptation to life events: a meta-
analysis. Journal of personality and social psychology. 102(3). pp. 592.
Mary, L., 2011. Social Aspects Of Health, Illness And Healthcare. McGraw-Hill International.
Mazure, C. M. and et.al., 2014. Adverse life events and cognitive-personality characteristics in
the prediction of major depression and antidepressant response. American Journal of
Psychiatry.
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