Assignment on Supporting Individuals Through Significant Life Events

This report explores the crucial topic of supporting individuals through significant life events, such as illness, bereavement, and family changes. It examines the impact of these events on individuals, their families, friends, and wider social networks, using case studies of individuals facing physical health issues and cancer. The report compares the roles of voluntary and statutory agencies in providing support, highlighting the differences in their approaches and services. It also analyzes the relationship between organizational policies and the practical support available in health and care settings, emphasizing the importance of respect, empathy, and confidentiality. Additionally, it discusses the period of appropriate support needed by individuals and their social networks, along with the referral processes available to connect them with external resources. The report underscores the essential role of care assistants and healthcare professionals in providing holistic support, addressing both physical and mental health needs.

Unit 22 - Supporting
Individuals through Significant
Life Events
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CONTENTS
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Life changing event and their impact.....................................................................................3
P2 the impact of different significant life events on the individual’s family, friends and wider
social networks............................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Compare how different external voluntary and statutory agencies support individuals
through significant life events.....................................................................................................4
P4 the role of the healthcare or care assistant in providing support to individuals as a part of a
wider team of support services....................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P5 Relationship between organisational policies and the practical support available in health
and care settings to different individuals experiencing significant life events............................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
P6 period of appropriate support to an individual and their social network who have been
affected by a significant life event...............................................................................................6
P7Investigate referral processes available to support an individual and their social networks
affected by significant life events................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
The significant life changing event is considered to be that situation of one’s life which
brought some major changes which can be related with the marriage, family condition, issues at
workplace, injury, illness or relationship issue. These event not only bring changes to present life
of individual rather it also affects the forthcoming life too (Feeney and Collins, 2015). The
current report is based on an individual working within Care England a register charitable trust
which provide independent care services in England, for providing care to individual experience
a significant change in life. Under this report case of two individuals are discussed that are of
different age group and facing issues related with life changing event to represent its impact on
individual, support of social networks, external voluntary and statutory agencies.
TASK 1
P1 Life changing event and their impact
While moving toward different stages of life n individual face several expected or
unexpected event which have a great influence over their life and people associated with them. In
order to tackle these issues a care setting within an organisation plays a significant role by
assisting them to recover from these issues. While working over the senior position within Care
England I experience many cases of significant life change among people, among two of them
are of physical impact and bereavement (Naslund and et. al., 2016). In this one person named as
Mick in his old age approx. 65 year is experiencing a muscles pain throughout the body due to
absence of energy, which in turn affect sleeping capacity that further created stress, anxiety etc.
Another case I found was of a young woman of age 30 named as Lucy, who is suffering
from lung cancer which is a significant life event for her that brings several changes to her life as
a result she gets numb that means vanish of cherished behaviour. This is because her life get
totally changes, she get depressed and anxious about future. Hence, through these two-life event
I came to know that individual from different age group who experience the significant life event
went through several difficulties which highly affect their life and creates number of issues to
them. From the above-mentioned issues, it has been found that it usually bring negative impact
in term of depression, stress and grief. Addition to this, after suffering such kind of unexpected
event in life people usually faces change in their physical body and also find issues in doing their
day to day work.
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P2 the impact of different significant life events on the individual’s family, friends and wider
social networks
The significant life event which an individual phase brings a huge influence or change in
one’s life which further results into negative outcome over physical and mental health of an
individual. The impact generates through this are of different kind some of them develop
increasing expectation and motivation toward life and on other side, some get overwhelmed and
demotivation that reduces expectation. But despite of all this, such event also influences the other
belonging people of individual who is facing such issues, these are family, friends and wider
social network (Graphic, 2014). This is so because such kind of event in one’s life affect them
badly which in turn take them to depression and anxiety that mould their behaviour in negative
manner. When that individual interact with their friends or family member their negativity also
affect them in the form of emotional break down, stress, tension etc. When it is about family then
the impact of changing life of event is more over family than other associated parties. As with
induvial who is suffering for such condition family also get affected in term of depression, stress,
tension etc. as in case of Lucy, family is much dependent on her and news regarding his cancer
has made all the thing in darkness as all are worried about her heath and future. Other than this
when it about social network, so in case of Mick where he is suffering from physical pain which
develop a behaviour of anger or irritation which affect the people surrounded by him and find
him irritating or rude. Therefore, it can be said that when an individual face significant life event
then only that person but all the other associated persons get affected with it.
TASK 2
P3 Compare how different external voluntary and statutory agencies support individuals through
significant life events
There are number of voluntary associations and statutory agencies that are established
with an aim to fulfilling the care need of individuals that are suffering from several issues after
experiencing a significant life changing event. These bodies mainly work toward providing them
with health care services and assistance in term of providing several facilities, counselling,
medical treatment or home care services (Frost, Lehavot and Meyer, 2015). These all practices
performed by these external bodied helps an individual in recovering from the issues or things
through which they gone in order to get back to their better healthy living. The voluntary
associations or agencies are those practitioners who work toward providing care to patients
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suffering from some health issues due to a significant change in their life. These are not structure
or formed organisations rather they work voluntarily for social welfare, where individuals
experienced such life changing issues are being provided with home like treatment with full love
and support. On the other hand, statutory agencies are those that maintain a workforce of
experienced healthcare professional that are duly assigned with their roles and responsibility
where they work accordingly. In statutory organisations, the treatment for such people are
categories and performed in systematic manner with more professional practices.
P4 the role of the healthcare or care assistant in providing support to individuals as a part of a
wider team of support services
The individual who faced a significant life changing event not only affect individually
rather their situation also influence the people surrounded with them. In order to get recover from
such issues an individual remains in need of care and support along with their health care
treatment. Therefore, the care assistant plays a significant role in providing them support as such
individual get affected with their mental health along with their physical health. So, the
medication is not only the solution to their issues rather they require to have a care and empathy
to recover from tehri mental health too (Siedlecki and et. al., 2014). As this can be seen in case
of Lucy, who is suffering from lungs cancer get highly depressed and anxious about the future or
upcoming event which is affecting her physical badly. So, in order to provide her with better
treatment she is provided with a positive environment to stay where she get all her cancer related
therapy through healthcare practitioner and at the same time get care from support assistance
where staffs usually talk with her, provide a home like environment and regularly try to enlighten
her so that she forget about the problem and be able to fully adopt the therapy tio get recover
soon.
TASK 3
P5 Relationship between organisational policies and the practical support available in health and
care settings to different individuals experiencing significant life events
There are number of organisational policies and practices that are available for helping
people with significant life event. Such as bereavement Care (2010), Macmillan Cancer care,
National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The policies and procedures guide these organisations
for ensuring practical and emotional support to such people. The Care England work over
providing care services where it maintain a direct relationship with such policies and practices
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that are being developed for providing better care to people experienced certain unexpected life
event. These policies suggest that an individual must be treated with Respect, distinction in care,
empathy, personalisation of care and confidentiality of tehri personal life (Zimbardo and Boyd,
2015). This in turn help in providing a better care services so that they get easily recovered from
their situation by improving their surrounding and providing appropriate care with they need.
Hence, an effective relationship between the organisational practices and decided policies or
standards for individual facilitate3 an organisation with certain set of practical tools and services
so that better treatment can be provided (Colbert, Bono and Purvanova, 2016). As in case of
Mick, he is suffering from some physical body pain which is due to his old age but it is
influencing his behaviour by creating anxiety about health which lead him to depression and lack
of sleep. So by getting such care and support as per the pre specified standard he would be able
to recover from current situation.
TASK 4
P6 period of appropriate support to an individual and their social network who have been
affected by a significant life event
The individuals who experienced a significant changes in heir life event requires a special
care in order to get back to their wellbeing situation which is crucial for their mental as well as
physical health. This is so because people experienced such issues like Mick and Lucy mainly
pull them to a situation of stress, depression etc. They started avoiding talking with other people
regarding experience they have which in turn affect them internally and their emotional stability.
So, while working over the senior position within Care England I tried to take both of out to their
situation by treating them with due care, affection and support (O'Connor and Nock, 2014). For
this, I regularly tried to talk to them about the bad experience they have in order to assure them
that they get out from those bas memory surroundings. Other than this, there was also a
discussion about several stories and good moments of their life in order to make them realise
about several relationship and social networks they have which is getting affected from their
situation (Newman and Newman, 2017). Other than this, those individuals are provided with the
positive environment surrounding where a regular visit of their friends and families are arranged
so that with the mutual support of closed ones they would be able to recover from their mental
trauma and be able to accept their bad experience in order to live their life better.
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P7Investigate referral processes available to support an individual and their social networks
affected by significant life events
The term referral is referring to as a request made to physician or consultant for treating a
problem of patients or getting rid of particular issue. There are several external sources that
provide support to individual who experience a significant change in life such as deaf society,
blind support association, Macmillan Cancer Care, etc. With referrals the requirement of
individual is being assessed and then proper assistance are provided to them through external
sources by providing the mental and physical strength (Battle and et. al., 2014). In this referral
process step case and past history of they individual who went through a life changing event is
being studied well and then a proper psychological, emotional and physical support in being
provided so that they get recovered from tehri situation. In addition to this psychological support
is consider to be a main and needy practice which is being performed with such individuals by
involve their social networks such as friends, family etc. in the process in order to make more
effective.
CONCLUSION
From the above presented report it can be summarised that significant life event indicates
the a noteworthy aspect of health care sector, as it such event has a significant influence over an
induvial life along with physical and mental health. But there are certain policies and practices
that are created in this regarding to provide better assistance and support for recovering from
such issues. Other than this, it is also identified that family, friends and other social networks that
an individual have also support in recovering from the bad experience of some unexpected event
with their care, support and empathy as such life changing event mainly influence over mental
health rather than physical health.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Battle, A. and et. al., 2014. Characterizing the genetic basis of transcriptome diversity through
RNA-sequencing of 922 individuals. Genome research, 24(1), pp.14-24.
Colbert, A.E., Bono, J.E. and Purvanova, R.K., 2016. Flourishing via workplace relationships:
Moving beyond instrumental support. Academy of Management Journal, 59(4),
pp.1199-1223.
Feeney, B.C. and Collins, N.L., 2015. A new look at social support: A theoretical perspective on
thriving through relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19(2),
pp.113-147.
Frost, D.M., Lehavot, K. and Meyer, I.H., 2015. Minority stress and physical health among
sexual minority individuals. Journal of behavioral medicine, 38(1), pp.1-8.
Graphic, P.C., 2014. Dying in America: Improving quality and honoring individual preferences
near the end of life.
Naslund, J.A. and et. al., 2016. The future of mental health care: peer-to-peer support and social
media. Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences, 25(2), pp.113-122.
Newman, B.M. and Newman, P.R., 2017. Development through life: A psychosocial approach.
Cengage Learning.
O'Connor, R.C. and Nock, M.K., 2014. The psychology of suicidal behaviour. The Lancet
Psychiatry, 1(1), pp.73-85.
Siedlecki, K.L. and et. al., 2014 2014. The relationship between social support and subjective
well-being across age. Social indicators research, 117(2), pp.561-576.
Zimbardo, P.G. and Boyd, J.N., 2015. Putting time in perspective: A valid, reliable individual-
differences metric. In Time perspective theory; review, research and application (pp.
17-55). Springer, Cham.
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