Monday, September 30, 2019

Care for the Elderly Essay

AIM/PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to address to family members or family carers for older people with dementia a range of perspectives, as understanding perspective of those affected. For the purpose of giving them an idea of knowing the early signs and symptoms of dementia and the suggested care by the experienced staff involved in this study. To know and identify the problems of the person having dementia, and as carers, to know how to respond to these problem. Thus, the older people would meet their needs and will be looked after. INTRODUCTION The definition of dementia is fairly simple. Dementia is a group of diseases that cause a permanent decline of person’s ability to think, reason and manage his own life. Dementia is caused by biological processes within the brain that damage brain cells. They cause a person to have impaired memory, forgetfulness and an inability to retain new information. To lose the ability to speak and be understood by others and the ability to understand written or spoken language. To lose the ability to plan, make good judgements and carry out multi-step tasks. To lose the ability to process and understand visual information. These losses mean that a person with dementia cannot manage his own day-to-day and personal care. The implications for a person with this diagnosis and her family can be staggering. Dementia, regardless of its cause, is a progressive condition. It is distressing and frightening illness for individual and heartbreaking for family members. The course of the illness may be gradual and sometimes subtle, as in classically seen in Alzheimer’s disease. It may be abrupt and  can be characterised by sudden episodes of deterioration as the case of Vascular Dementia, also known as multi infarct dementia. In Lewy Body Dementia, the course of the illness maybe punctuated by episodes of confusion, hallucinations, and delusions and in fronto temporal dementia by insidious personality or behavioural changes. Today there are more than thousands of people with dementia here in Ireland. If this current demographic trends to continue, this number is likely to rise substantially in the coming years. In the older population, dementia is the most frequent reason for long term care. Because most form of dementia cannot be cured, the aim of this treatment is to delay the disease progression And to maintain functioning and quality of life. The purpose of this research is to conduct a study to understand the perspective of those affected is crucial prior to the development of care people with dementia and the impact on all those affected, for example, the person with dementia,carers and family members. To understand the manifestation application in day to day life. DEMENTIA AS A DISEASE Dementia is a syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, in which there is disturbance of multiple higher cortical functions, including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgement. Consciousness is not clouded. The impairments of cognitive function are commonly accompanied, and occasionally preceded by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation. The syndrome occurs in Alzheimer’s disease, in cerebrovascular disease, and in other conditions primarily or secondarily affecting the brain. There are a number of different reasons – some neurological and others environmental – why people with dementia may exhibit challenging behaviours. Some behaviours, for example, are caused by a chemical imbalance in the  brain and may be directly related to the dementia but others may be precipitated by a myriad of psychosocial and environmental factors such as room temperature (too hot or too cold), the person’s fatigue or malaise, he or she being in pain, bored or frightened being surrounded by unfamiliar faces. Agitation, aggression, wandering and repeated questioning, for example, may be an expression of unmet need. The big paradox in dementia care is that people with dementia need much time. If you have dementia, or you are looking after someone who does, you will experience a range of practical issues. People with dementia can feel vulnerable as their condition progresses and they increasingly rely on other people to do things for them. It is important that people who have dementia feel reassured and supported, while retaining some level of independence. Although some symptoms are common to many people with dementia, each person’s experience of the disease will be different. When a person with dementia finds that their mental abilities are declining, they’re likely to feel anxious, stressed and scared. They may be aware of their increasing clumsiness and inability to remember things, and this can be very frustrating and upsetting for them. If you are looking after someone with dementia, you can help them feel more secure by creating a regular daily routine in a relaxed environment where they’re encouraged and not criticised. Involving the person you look after in everyday tasks may make them feel useful and improve their sense of self-worth. They could help with the shopping, laying the table or sweeping leaves in the garden, for example. As the illness progresses, these tasks may become harder for them to manage independently, and you may need to give them more support. How can we be help to people with dementia? Offer support sensitively and try not to be critical of their attempts. It can be very important for them to feel that they’re still useful. In the early stages of dementia, memory aids can be used around the house to help the person remember where things are. For example, you could put pictures on cupboard doors of what’s inside, such as cups and saucers. This may help to trigger their memory and enable them to retain their independence a little  longer. Keeping up hobbies and interests when someone has dementia Many people with dementia will still enjoy their hobbies or interests. For example, if they like cooking, they may be able to help make a meal. Going for a walk or gardening can provide exercise and fresh air. Or they may prefer listening to music or playing a board game. Caring for a pet cat or dog can bring a lot of pleasure to some people. If the person you care for was very sociable and outgoing, or if they have a large family, they may really enjoy visits from one or two family members or friends. But remember that they may struggle to keep up with conversations if they have a lot of visitors at the same time. Maintaining good health and nutrition in someone with dementia It’s important that the person you care for healthy foods and gets some exercise. The longer they stay fit and healthy, the better their quality of life will be. If the person you care for doesn’t eat enough or eats unhealthy food, they can become susceptible to other illnesses. People with dementia can become more confused if they get ill. Common problems for people with dementia include: not recognising foods forgetting what food they like refusing or spitting out food resisting being fed asking for strange food combination How can we help? Involve the person you care for. For example, if you feed them, you could put the cutlery in their hand and help guide it to their mouth. You could also involve them in preparing food if they are able to.Try to stay calm. If you feel stressed at mealtimes, the person you care for will probably be stressed too. Make sure you have plenty of time for meals so you can deal with any problems that arise. Try to accommodate behaviour changes. It’s  likely that the person you care for will change their eating patterns and habits over time. Being aware of this and trying to be flexible will make mealtimes less stressful for both of you. People with incontinence Incontinence can be difficult to deal with and can be very upsetting for the person you care for. It’s common for people with dementia to experience incontinence. A person with dementia may also simply forget to go to the toilet, or may forget where the toilet is. They may also have lost the ability to tell when they need the toilet. It’s important to be understanding, retain a sense of humour and remember that it’s not their fault. You may also want to try the following: Put a sign on the toilet door, such as a photo of the toilet Keep the toilet door open Make sure that the person you care for can access it easily make sure they can remove their clothes – some people with dementia can struggle with buttons and zips Look out for signs that they may need to go to the toilet, such as fidgeting and standing up and down. Helping someone with dementia with their personal hygiene People with dementia can become anxious about certain aspects of personal hygiene and may need help with washing. For example, they may be scared of falling when getting out of the bath, or they may become disorientated in the shower. The person may not want to be left alone or they may resist washing because they find the lack of privacy undignified and embarrassing, at which it is no longer safe to leave the person alone, and never leave the person alone in the bathroom. a).Coaching the person through each step of bathing, ex.: by asking him or her to hold a washcloth or shampoo bottle. Avoid asking the person to do a  task that is too difficult. †¢ Ask what time of day and what routine is best for  bathing given the person’s choices and previous   routines. †¢ Consider whether a person may be afraid of water  or have a depth perception impairment that may   make entering a bathtub frightening. †¢ Respect the person’s dignity by providing a towel  to cover his or her body throughout the process. †¢ Consider the frequency of bathing. It may not be  necessary for individuals to bathe every day. †¢ Be gentle. A person’s skin may be very sensitive.  Avoid scrubbing, and pat dry instead of rubbing. A hand-held shower may help to wash hard to   reach areas. †¢ Wash the most sensitive areas last, including the  head, face and perineal area. †¢ Washing the person’s hair may be the most People with dementia often experience disturbed sleep. They may wake up during the night or be restless. These problems may get worse as the illness progresses. People with dementia may also have painful illnesses such as arthritis that cause, or contribute to, sleep problems. Some medication can cause sleepiness during the day and interfere with sleep at night. Sleeping pills can be used with care in people with dementia. However, ‘sleep hygiene’ measures are best for people with dementia – for example, no naps during the day, regular bedtimes and avoiding alcohol or caffeine at night. DRESSING †¢ Others do not feel dressing up is important and this choice should be equally respected. Attempt to gather this information from family if the person with dementia is unable to communicate. †¢ Simplify clothing choices for the person according to his or her ability to choose. †¢ Give the person short, simple instructions while handing them an item such as â€Å"Put on your shirt.† Sometimes just handing the person an item of clothing (without saying anything) will facilitate dressing. †¢ Choose comfortable, simple clothing that easy to put on and take off. Consider cardigans, or other clothing that buttons in the front, rather than pullovers. Substitute snaps or zippers for buttons. Keep in mind that if you alter a familiar routine or method, the person with dementia may have difficulty learning something new, so try to follow  the same routine and use familiar fasteners for   as long as possible. †¢ Make sure the person has comfortable, sturdy non-slip shoe EATING AND DRINKING †¢ Dementia may lead to changes in eating or drinking (e.g. eating more or less) because those affected by it may not be able to prepare meals, remember to eat or drink, remember when they last ate, know or be able to say that they are hungry or thirsty, or smell and taste in the same way they did before. †¢ A person with dementia may not be able to initiate the task of eating, but if a spoon is placed in his or her hand, he or she may begin to eat. †¢ It may become more difficult for the person with dementia to swallow foods and liquids safely as dementia progresses. †¢ A person with dementia may refuse to eat or drink because of physical or emotional conditions at the end of life. . Help the person eat and drink what he or she likes, and provide food that meets dietary needs to promote health and safety. †¢ Help to make mealtimes pleasant and enjoyable; involve family when the person and family are amenable. Falls Falling is accidentally coming into contact with the ground or another surface, like a table. Falls may occur with or without injury and often result from a loss of balance. †¢ People with dementia have a greater risk of falling because they can have problems seeing, thinking, moving, and balancing. †¢ The cause of falls can be related to the person’s abilities or home environment. †¢ Personal risks include: history of falls, depression, vision problems, muscle weakness, fear of falling, multiple medications, being tired, blood pressure problems, incontinence, and being unable to move or having difficulty with movement. Environmental risks can include: †¢Confusing environment and clutter †¢Slippery footwear †¢Unsafe equipment †¢Lack of stable furniture or handrails †¢Surfaces (e.g. floor, stairs, or ground) that are uneven, slippery or have glare †¢Poor lighting, especially at night †¢ Weather conditions that may result in slippery surfaces, or heat exhaustion †¢Rugs and door mats Encourage safety and maintain a person’s ability to move within a living space by decreasing the risk of falls and related injuries. Encourage daily exercise to increase or maintain physical strength. Wandering Wandering describes the behavior of people with dementia who move about in ways that may appear pointless but often have purpose. Wandering, like all behavioral symptoms of dementia, happens for understandable reasons. It may occur as a result of an unmet need for social interaction or friendship, a noisy environment, pain or distress, boredom or other causes. Wandering is not necessarily a behavior that must be stopped. Wandering can help a person remain physically fit and in a better mood. It can help a  person sleep better at night. Wandering can be dangerous when a person leaves home alone or goes into unsafe areas. Physical problems, such as injuries, health risks agitation, or death Wandering may happen because of many things that the person with dementia cannot express, including: †¢ A need for food, fluids, exercise or the toilet †¢ Pain, a need to urinate, constipation, infection or medication effects †¢ A need for security or friendship †¢ Depression, anxiety, delusions or hallucinations HOW CAN WE BE OF HELP Help a person move about safely and independently and understand the difference between safe and unsafe wandering. †¢ Determine each person’s need and ability to move about †¢ Wandering patterns, such as time of day it happens, events or places that cause it †¢Other needs such as hunger, the need to go to the bathroom, or boredom †¢ Mental abilities, especially safety awareness and being impulsive by asking the person where is he/she at the moment, what is he/she doing in that place. †¢Vision and hearing, make sure he wears his hearing aid if applicable or eyeglasses. †¢Ability to move, do they need an aid for mobility like frame or stick. †¢Emotional conditions that may relate to wandering, such as anxiety or depression, or maybe substitute for another activity. †¢Environmental hazards such as poor lighting, throw rugs and uneven floors make sure all the surroundings are clear from having an injury. †¢The person’s footwear and clothing is safe for them, not too tight and not too loose or not too slippery. EVALUATION/ CONCLUSION This studies conducted to date does provide sufficient evidence of care or less costly care with effectiveness for any of the interventions or suggestions made of how can we be of help by knowing early signs and symptoms of dementia and that the carers would be more familiar with these if they have older people at home or relative. Most of this research studies and feed back from the participants, a nursing staff and a health care assistant, the implementations or help suggestions have a very positive effects in regards of the care for people with dementia. Therefore, we believe that most of the complex needs of the people with dementia and their family carers can be met by primary care services as well as community care services. However these services need to be individualized, comprehensive, accessible, flexible and delivered by competent well trained care provider. When we say community care, GP’s are the first point of contact for the individual and family members worried about the signs and symptoms of dementia. We believe that the sooner we identify the problem the sooner we respond to it thus preventing major problems could occur. Inevitably, some people with dementia would be unbearable for the family members, so some people might end up attending acute care or A&E care, or being admitted as in patients to these hospitals. Dementia care hence being implemented by professional and well trained nursing staff or health care assistant. Thus, dementia care is being met in acute setting with extra cost. Or some might end up that the family members could not cope up at home and they are already burdened so older people are being handed over to the care of nursing homes Therefore, the development of a more positive view of older people and old age and the broadening of the view of older life to encompass more than the health needs and the development of the view of responsiveness to needs is the best way forward to look after the elderly. RECOMMENDATIONS In terms of the care for people for dementia, greater levels of resources are needed to augment the availability, accessibility and usefulness of person centred dementia specific services that support the abilities of people with dementia. Specific health and social care are needed or must be revised to counter dementia. Families and carers must be involved in regards of planning and development of dementia. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books, ForestKnolls, CA Feil, Naomi. 1933. The Validation Breakthrough, Simple techniques for Communicating with People with dementia. Planning Guide with Dementia care at home: A reference Tool for Managing Care. Elements of Nursing 1985.

Humanism: Link between Religion and Science Essay

Humanism is probably the greatest contribution of the Renaissance period which changed not just the political and religious climate of the era but also started the scientific explorations that lead to the advancements in science we enjoy today. The American Humanist Association defines humanism as â€Å"a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. Humanism is said to have paved the way to the ideological, political and religious explorations during the Renaissance and Reformation periods that eventually gave birth to Scientific Revolution. To better appreciate the role of humanism in the advancement of science, we need to look at the events surrounding the Renaissance period. Renaissance, which refers to the period 1400 to 1650, is between medieval Christian era and Scientific Revolution. It is a period between religious domination and enlightened exploration. According to Kreis in his lecture on Renaissance Humanism, it is a period between â€Å"faith and reason. In medieval Christian civilization, only one church existed- the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope, who is the head of the church, governs everyone. People rely on God and prefabricated doctrines for every decision. Everyone is demanded to obey and believe. In the society, individuals are subordinate to the majority. Collective thoughts and decisions reign over individual preferences. Laws and customs regulate everything that happens in the land. People have no individual rights. Questioning authorities is not permissible. People are not allowed to think for themselves and explore their potentials. Renaissance period gave birth to humanism. According to Kreis in Renaissance Humanism, humanism promoted â€Å"independence of medieval tradition. † It shattered every fabric of the medieval influence. It brought people from blind obedience to progressive thinking. Humanism reformed the mind of people. It gave individuals a new way of looking at themselves and the world. It promoted self worth and confidence to the individual. It encouraged people to think for themselves, explore new ideas, learn new things and express their thoughts. It gave people the opportunity to view themselves apart from the church and society. This freedom bred doubts about the old system. People started challenging the norms and laws of society that held them captive. They started to question the authority and teachings of the church. Niccolo Machiavelli, one of the thinkers of Renaissance wrote â€Å"God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us† (p. 95). This is a humanist statement challenging God and his authority. Machiavelli mentioned â€Å"free will† which is opposed to the collective decision and religious obedience of medieval Christians. Furthermore, he also referred to the â€Å"glory which belong to us† encouraging people to recognize their worth instead of subjecting themselves to the dictates of society. The freedom to challenge norms and explore new things started by the humanists instigated the Protestant Reformation that divided the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, it also led to interests not only in personal development, politics and religion but also in the natural world. People started to notice their environment and find new things. This new-found curiosity about nature set up the Scientific Revolution.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Interpretation of Political Cartoon Essay

We feel that the cartoonist intended to convey that Malaya is going to take all the revenue of every state involved in the merger in order to contribute to Malaya’s prosperity. To justify our opinions above, we refer to the following points. The man in the vehicle is Tunku Abdul Rahman as he is wearing a religious hat and he is also the person driving the vehicle which made him seemed very mighty and powerful. The man rolling the wheel is Mr Lee Kuan Yew as he is the person who was strongly for the common market, precisely the words on the wheel that he was rolling. The truck that Tunku Rahman was driving was empty and was moving towards Singapore. As such, we felt that Tunku Rahman was going to take the money from Singapore in order to greater benefit Malaya. Mr Lee Kuan Yew is also put in a bad light as it seems like Mr Lee Kuan Yew is working for the Tunku. We then further deduce that the cartoonist is pro-Malaya from the additional inference that since the original title is in Malay, the cartoonist should be Malay as well. Singapore is placed at the edge of the entire picture and our country is also depicted as small and undeveloped. Malaya on the other hand, is big and has many factories that are emitting smoke which can suggest that their factories are in operation. As established above, Mr Lee Kuan Yew is the man who is rolling the wheel with the words ‘common market’ written on them. We think that this means that his main/ most explicit purpose of merger is for a common market to be set up. (With further analyzation, this can be a form of saying that Singapore is selfish as Singapore would benefit more than the other states. He also seems to be kneeling on the ground which could suggest that he is desperate for a common market. On the other wheel of the vehicle, there are the words ‘rural development’ written on them. We feel that this means that the Tunku is pushing forward the idea of developing the rural areas. (With analysation, this can also be hinting that Malaya is very gracious who is thinking about developing the other not as advanced states unlike Singapore who only thinks about her own benefits. ) We believe that these respectively are the high hopes of each country.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Hairstyles of the Damned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hairstyles of the Damned - Essay Example It captures the essence of adolescence where teenagers take different courses through identity issues, maturity, responsibility, and the struggle of power between the teens and adults (Meno 30). Gender is considered to be an essential common dimension on which the differences on status have been grounded. It is a social and cultural contrast that specifies the transparent culturally and socially prescribed obligations and functions which the two genders adhere to (Lunge 28). Gender literary theory tends to disseminate ideas and knowledge on how to successfully and efficiently go through a stage of adolescent. It tends to show how the issue of sexual identity among teenagers has influenced the reception of literacy tasks among various authors. The gender theory tends to question and analyze the way gender is constructed in the society. It is beyond the physical character of the way of life. It entails the gender identity that influences the reader of a text in order to have a transparent understanding of how the image of a woman and a man in the imaginative literature has been reflected (Lunge, 39). Gender or sexual identity is the way an individual identifies himself or herself with the category of gender as either being a man or a woman. The novel â€Å"Hairstyle of Damned† is a perfect example of how author have used their work to give a clear understanding of how teenagers struggle to find their original identity in their adolescent stage (Men o 50). The gender literary theory tends to elaborate how the issues related to sexuality, gender, and adolescent can be discussed, and the knowledge disseminated. As it is noted by Wolfe in "The Gender Question" of all the various ways through which a particular group has mistreated and handled one another, the most prominent is the subordination of women by men. According to the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Places-in the Bay Area Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Places-in the Bay Area - Research Paper Example Places too can be defined by nature of their occurrence, the people residing in them or the biology of the area which is inclusive of flora and fauna. Commerce and business are too ways of defining a place, while cultural reference gives an area its originality and unique features. The candid manner in which a place is defined determines the understandability of the place by the intended audience. In defining a place, various elements are put into consideration. Therefore, this paper while seeking to define The Bay Area, will address the cultural, social, geological and biological history of the place. In essence, how the place came into existence is important in understanding the kind of flora and fauna. Moreover, its location in the map helps to define the place by the very nature of its placement. In conclusion, the essay will give the full picture and relative understanding of Bay Area of San Francisco. The Bay Area of San Francisco is located in the northern region of California . The geographically diverse region, rich in business is extensively a metropolitan place, offering home to a staggering 8 million inhabitants. In the Bay Area, cities such as San Francisco, occupying the most part of the region, Oakland and San Jose contribute to its huge population and rich commerce industry. However, what puts Bay Area on the financial map and at the same time giving increasingly winning it popularity is its lifestyle, liberal nature of its politics and the high-tech industry. Hosting the famous Silicon Valley, the Bay Area has been the center of attraction for investors and technology experts. Moreover, the area is an attraction site, owing to its rich culture. The geography of the area, defined in the simplest language as easy to understand makes it easy for new visitors to trace their location. Some geographers hold that although many people find the area to be as big and very confusing, the reality is quite opposite. The complexity of its nature makes the who le picture understandable, yet it is a small and compact place. Barringer and Ryan (Web) points out that by the fact that the life of the city resonates in various levels, the city life is morally binding to the people. In defining San Francisco Barringer and Ryan â€Å"It has spectacular landscapes, it is prone to earthquakes, it is a coastal town with a thriving gay culture†Ã‚  (Web). Surprisingly, a number of cities of the Bay Area are thronged with the gay culture, a recent development in its moral culture that has exploded among the youth. People generally listen to rock music, with night clubs and blaring music filling the nights of the cities. These are the kinds of images triggered by the mention of San Francisco to any individual who has ever set foot in the area. The bay area has a rich history, dating to thousands of years ago. Geologists trace the origin of the bay area to melting of ice bergs. Estimated to date back 12,000 years ago, the melting of the ice raised the sea level. Subsequently, this brought into existence the San Francisco bay. Without any known economic importance, the bay remained unknown, with only about 20,000 Native Americans residing in villages formed in the area in the 1700s. what was an unknown region started receiving quite some attention in the year 1776, when a Spanish expedition led by Anza established a presidio right in front of the entrance to the then San Francisco Bay. Such visits

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

Human Resource Management - Essay Example The Model of Work Stress is a model that is also recommended by The Management Standards, and continuously updated and revised by Palmer and Cooper (2003). It explains the relationship between the main stress-related hazards, the symptoms and outcomes. Qualitative research was conducted on 50 participants taken from a sample of NHS healthcare workers who responded through email and personal interviews. Out of the 60 contacted healthcare workers, 50 responded and answered the questionnaires which became the basis for the Analysis of the Results. Some of the questions asked in the interview and questionnaire involved ‘harmful errors’ and ‘near misses’; i.e., whether the respondents made the mistakes as a result of work related stress. The answers and suggestions of some of the participants in the survey proved intriguing yet worthy of scrutiny and analysis for possible recommendations and future study. Work related stress is on the rise in many occupations but mostly upon health workers. Health workers in the NHS do their job round the clock and the impact has resulted into stress, thereby causing illnesses and sicknesses and subsequent early retirement. It is presumed that many succumb to stress, after a day’s work – or the whole week’s work – of caring for the sick, the emergency victims, the aged and the disabled who always give a call. NHS employees are subjected to a rigorous work; they are out there in the open giving first aid to emergency victims, in hospitals and clinics, providing care and treatment, and even in NHS offices and facilities doing work for health improvement. Varied reasons were provided by nurses who had left NHS, some of which are lack of career progression, limited professional development, resistance to service improvements, non-family-friendly working patterns, bullying, inflexible and hierarchical management, poor morale, dangerous or inadequate

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Article Summary - Essay Example However, to ensure strategic success, other factors such as government support, effective communication channels, and clear visions and missions play a major role. Elbanna kicks off by differentiating the term strategic management from strategic planning, asserting that the former is inclusive of execution, as well as the assessment of strategic plans. On the other hand, strategic planning is often used in the business world and is not as detailed as strategic management. He also carefully scrutinizes the concept of strategic management from its earliest days, and how much it has grown since then. He avows that one of the main challenges affecting the concept is the fact that it has always suffered as far as its popularity and success are concerned. For instance, in the 1950s, it was very popular but from 1970s to 1980s, its popularity lessened because most of the planning models that had been developed ended up failing. Therefore, some of the major drawbacks that came with strategic management were rigidity, unsuccessful participation of implementers and managers, lack of ingenuity as well as strategic thinking. However, from the 1990s, there have been major changes as most organisations are widely practicing it and related research and literature have heightened mostly in the UAE. The author goes into details by closely examining the use of strategic management concepts in the UAE, its popularity, and effects. He argues that the UAE has adopted most of the strategic management processes in an effort to enhance institutional performance. Consequently, it is cited as one of the most developed nations in Western Asia as far as the rates of market exchange and income are concerned. However, it is to be noted that success in most of the UAE public organizations is attributed to the fact that they have sufficient resources; hence, are able to implement western management approaches with ease. Therefore, in an effort to effectively examine the effects of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, Essay

The Beatles recording catalog covers a wide range, to say the least, from the likes of Love Me Do (1962) to Revolution 9 (1968) - Essay Example These forms of life were reflected in their production of music with Hindustani, avant-garde and Western classical influences (Young 14). This period saw the Beatles redefine the meaning of rock and roll as a form of culture. Some of the American artists, whom they admired, such as Elvis Presley, became their inspirations and role models for the younger rock musicians. Consequently, the first songs that the Beatles wrote and recorded widened the musical range as well as the expressive scope of the music genre they had inherited. They used subtle arrangements, vocal harmonies, and clever touches in production (17). Additionally, they used elemental rhythm that was characterized by drumming. It added beauty and excellence to their songs. In the wake of the student protest eruptions in France and Mexico, the Beatles gave up their roles as global leaders of an immature youth culture. Nevertheless, they continued recording and releasing new music while maintaining their popularity that has remained unshaken ever since then. Apple was their record label that was launched in 1968, with the hope of nurturing pop art. However, they only created commercial failure and chaos. Nevertheless, the band continued enjoying extensive popularity. Abbey Road, launched in 1969, became the Beatle’s most-loved and best-selling album (19). The Beatles laid the benchmark for teen idol quality. Before their arrival, the pop scene in the United States was stale. However, the Beatles blasted the pop landscape with their exotic accent and queer looks. While Paul was the cute and adorable one, George was quiet and shy, Ringo was fun and goofy and John was smart and slightly dangerous (20). Their character traits covered all teen tastes. Also, their matching â€Å"moptops†, collarless suits, and Cuban ankle boots made their appearance uniform. Different from their competition, the Beatles controlled their appearance. Despite the fact that disrespect has existed for

Monday, September 23, 2019

China in the World Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

China in the World Economics - Essay Example This is because China holds the key to regional cooperation and integration in East Asia. Thus, facilitating the projection of the EU's soft power to East Asia could become a priority for the new EU member states. The policy of the EU towards China is a multilevel engagement policy. Furthermore, it is a mixture of bilateral and multilateral approaches.2 This partnership is not strategic in the military sense. Yet, the issue of the lifting of the European arms embargo against China indicates that hard security issues have entered EU-China affairs. The Premier of the State Council of the PR China, Wen Jiabao, has coined the term 'comprehensive strategic partnership'. Wen defines the term in the following way: "By "comprehensive", it means that the cooperation should be all-dimensional, wide-ranging and multi-layered. It covers economic, scientific, technological, political and cultural fields, contains both bilateral and multilateral levels, and is conducted by both governments and non-governmental groups. By "strategic", it means that the cooperation should be long-term and stable, bearing on the larger picture of China-EU relations. It transcends the differences in ideology and social system a nd is not subjected to the impacts of individual events that occur from time to time. By "partnership", it means that the cooperation should be equal-footed, mutually beneficial and win-win. ... Politically, they share much in common as both belief in multilateralism, pursue democracy in international relations and work for safeguard the authority of the United Nations. China's integration into the global economy will further accelerate with its recent accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Numerous key sectors of China's burgeoning economy, such as banking and finance, are being forced to open up and liberalize, regardless of whether they are prepared. Beyond economics, China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, possesses intercontinental-range nuclear weapons, and has become gradually more active in a host of regional and multilateral organizations. There is considerable debate about the size of China's economy relative to that of other economies. The value of Chinese exports has increased rapidly in recent years, and it is now the world's third largest goods exporter after the US and the EU.4 The total value of China's goods exports in 2005 was $762 billion, nearly 10% of the world total, compared with $593 billion in 2004, an increase of 28.4%. It has also become the world's largest importer, with goods imports valued at $660 billion, or 8.2% of the world total. China's trade in goods surplus was $102 billion for the whole of 2005 (4.6% of GDP), more than triple the previous year's surplus of $32 billion (1.7% of GDP).5 In spite of all such impressive figures, development is certainly not peaceful in China at present and the dangers inherent in political and economic decentralization are many. China's rapid economic growth, its increasing competitiveness and its growing goods exports have raised concerns in the EU and the US.Ã ‚  

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Diversity Considerations Essay Example for Free

Diversity Considerations Essay Introduction This paper will analyze the influence of culture on attitudes, values, perception, human behavior, and interpersonal relations. The discriminatory factors that promote societal, political, socioeconomic, and spiritual oppression of culturally diverse populations will be described within this paper. Racial and cultural diversity within non-native English-speaking communities will be examined. Furthermore, this paper will also analyze how current research may positively impact the delivery of public safety and enhance the evaluation of information and resources. Lastly the chosen articles used for this paper will be evaluated on their reliability and credibility. Diversity Considerations The different cultures and lifestyles that surround us are the major factors that affect and influence behavior in all societies. Culture is the way we are brought up and the beliefs, values and attitudes that are instilled in us by our parents and or guardians. Society also instills culture in us and how we are educated and trained throughout life. We are trained in school and within our homes; we are taught different lifestyles through whom we interact with and the environment in which we grow up in and the conditions and situations we are used to. As a child one tends to follow the life he or she is familiar with. Children look up to their parents, teachers, or any influential person in their life to help shape their thoughts, values and beliefs. For example, if one grows up in a negative environment then that individual will more than likely adopt those types of influences throughout their life and will view life in a negative manner. Their thoughts and beliefs and relationships with others in life will be negative. The opposition would be someone brought up in a positive environment will more than likely view life in a positive manner. If one is brought up to respect others and to be courteous to others, he will more than likely continue these habits throughout life. However, if one is brought up to be prejudiced against those who differ or believe it is acceptable to lie or steal then he or she will probably live by these standards. There are many discriminatory factors which promote societal, socioeconomic, and spiritual oppression of culturally diverse populations. First understanding how discrimination is categorized is important. According to Ore, (2011) employing a systemic frame of analysis requires that we redefine the ways we categorize issues of discrimination. Ore (2011) defines prejudice as a negative attitude toward members of a group or social category and discrimination as the unequal treatment of people determined by their membership in a group. Resources such as money, property, medical care and education can be impacted by systems of oppression and privilege. Resources are not equal to all and many are limited. The distribution of resources to a particular member of society is based on his or her status. Ones social class is one of the most powerful predictors of health. The higher someone is on the socioeconomic ladder the lower their risk is for poor health (Ore, 2011). The identification of disasters as purely physical occurrences (typhoons, floods, earthquakes and initially also bombings and explosions) that affect people who have the misfortunate to be simply in the wrong place at the wrong time gave rise to a preoccupation with technological solutions for the protection of infrastructure and exposed populations ( Bankoff, 2004). Many times the outcome of a situation will be dependent on ones status within the community or membership in a group. Racial and cultural diversity within non-native English-speaking communities exist throughout the country. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2005), there are approximately 56 million students and 3.3 million teachers in our K-12 classrooms. Half the school aged population is expected to consist of students of color by the year 2020. It is estimated that more than 1 in 7 children aged 5 to 17 speak a language other than English at home. By 2026, the number of non-native English speaking students will reach 15 million (Carjuzza, 2005). Multiculturalism relates to communities containing multiple cultures. Multiculturalism exists throughout the nation, communities, schools, businesses and neighborhoods in which we live in. Multiculturalism refers to ideologies or policies that encourage diversity. It allows for one to express one’s own identity. The interaction and communication between different cultures provides opportunity for all. Interactions of cultures provide opportunities for the cultural differences and to create multiculturalism. America is the place where individuals of different ethnicities, cultures and races come to be treated fairly (equal opportunity). However language can be a major barrier and affects all races regardless of acceptance. Smaller communities seem to encompass stronger values beliefs and customs, therefore leaving no room for acceptance of others and languages. Putnam, (2007) states, â€Å"As we have more contact with people who are unlike us, we overcome our initial hesitation and ignorance and come to trust them more.† This could be possible and could be a way to integrate diversity and create multiculturalism. Regardless of race, culture, age, disabilities or the language in which we speak, we are all created equal. Those who migrate here to America and want shared citizenship and outreach towards other cultures and ethnicities is something that will take a long time to be accepted, for several reasons, language being one main reason. Individuals that do not speak English and move into communities where English is the dominant language, are not easily accepted into these communities. There are many ways to try and resolve differences in regards to diversity; however ignorance to one’s culture, ethnicity, beliefs etc. plays a major role in racial and cultural diversity throughout the country. Current research may positively impact the delivery of public safety and enhance the evaluation of information and resources if conducted in a positive and open manner. Research must be available and include all current socioeconomic groups. However research must be honest and reliable and available to those in need of it in order to assist with issues in the public safety sector. Research must also include the members of the affected communities in which the research or data was collected on. . Also, the sharing of the research is critical and should only be shared with those authorized. Policies for conducting and sharing the research must be developed and implemented in order to avoid the research and data being altered or shared with the wrong individuals. Accurate crime data serve important purposes. It is used by public agencies and officials in determining policies, budgets, legislation, funding priorities, and evaluation of existing programs. In conclusion, it is up to the adults in a child’s life to set a good example and instill good values in their children. Society in general has a responsibility to assist with poverty and crime within their communities whenever possible. As individuals we all act and behave in a manner at different times and places. One may not have the same behavior or personality at home as he/she would at work. Whether it is a child, teenager or adults we all have our own personality, values, beliefs and cultures, therefore social influences can alter and shape our actions, speech and who we are and how we are perceived within our communities and society in general. Attitude or a persons belief about a certain situation or perception can influence behaviors. Social influences can affect behavior by simply changing attitudes. This can be a positive change, such as opening a closed-minded individuals beliefs to include new beliefs and choices. On the contrary social influences on attitudes can be negative and include destructive or forcible perceptions leading to poor choices and or criminal behavior. References Bankoff, G. (2004). International journal of mass emergencies and disaster. Time is of the Essence:Disasters, Vulnerability and History. 22(3) 23-42 International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, 7(5) 153-160. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://www.ehow.com/info_8510709_social-influences- human-behavior Putnam, R. D., (2007). E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and community in the twenty-first century: The 2006 Johan Skytte prize lecture. Journal Compilation, Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2) 137-174 Ore, T.E. (2011). The social construction of difference inequality: Race, class, gender, and sexuality, fifth edition, New York: McGraw-Hill. Cumbersome

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Management as the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness

Management as the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness This assignment is mainly focuses on the assessing of the statement of Management is the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness, and the integrating activity that permeates every aspect of the operations of the organisation. To make the background for this assessment it was first studied most important factors that are likely to determine the successful performance of work organisations. In achieving that first it was focused to understand the concept of organizational effectiveness and various approaches for organizational effectiveness and through that study identify the factors. And then the consideration was given to study the main obstacles to effective organisational performance and how to overcome those. Finally attempt was taken to assess the validity of the statement of Management is the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness, and the integrating activity that permeates every aspect of the operations of the organisation, considering with the changing nature of modern work organisations. Important Factors of Effective Organizational Performance What is Organizational Effectiveness Here before assessing the factors of effective organizational performance the consideration was given to understand the concept of organizational effectiveness. According to the view of Jonathan Knee the organizational effectiveness may depend on most essential three key elements. *People Here the people means staff of the organization *Culture A combination of Style, Skills and Shared Values of the organization *Impact This mainly includes the factors like profitability and financial sustainability, not only that but also the value shaped for any stakeholders. It can be shown by the following graph. In this article author say that these elements together have to manage because they are tightly inter-related nature. People create a culture that shapes them in turn. Future generation self-selects into an existing culture that meets their needs. And secondly people implement the organizations plans, and the culture supports and increases. And thirdly this inter-relation is so important because the organizations ability to achieve its goals affects its ability to attract and retain effective people and to sustain a high performance culture. (Info abstracted from: The article of Organizational Effectiveness by Jonathan Knee, 2008) Early studies state the organizational effectiveness is general rests on evolving suitable methods of selection, training, placement, in various steps of the organization. (Info abstracted from: The book of Organizational Behaviour by Indian Institute of Management and Technology, 1997) And also another view of Organizational effectiveness is that OE is always concerned with the unique capabilities that organizations develop to assure that success (Info Abstracted from: The book of The Changing Definition of Organizational Effectiveness, Human Resource Planning, Vol. 27.1. by McCann, Joseph. 2004) Most modern views of the organizational effectiveness say this has to be look in a way of system approach. Accordingly many HR practitioners try to look at the HR process and identify it in system approach. Accordingly they say that by looking at it in system approach organizations can achieve organizational effectiveness. (Info Abstracted from: The book of Measuring Organizational Effectiveness, Canadian Management Centre. 2005) Accordingly we can identify early HR notions have identifies this concept as Only HR function including recruitment, selection, Training and development. With reference to the literature review the identification can be done as that organizational effectiveness is not only depending on the Human Resource of the organization but also it is a integration of both people and the system of the organization. Factors of Effective Organizational Performance Here to identify the factors which effects to the effective organizational performances can be identified as using several case studies. Case Study Alpha Company This is a case study which was done by the Canadian Management centre to identify the effective organizational performance. The main theoretical model that they have use d here is that the system approach. Alpha Test Company is a European Owned small manufacturing company of office furniture. They have three major competitors in the market. Their major three strategic imperatives are as follows. (1) A clearly defined and defensible niche (2) A highly customer-focused culture (3) A lean and efficient manufacturing operation When achieving the strategic initiatives first the company has run in a lost way. The company could not decide whether it wanted to be an industry niche leader or follower and operations managements focus turned inward and away from acceptance of the customer. The most important thing for the driven of the strategic direction is that the intellectual support for that, but in Alpha organization there was more or less act as careful technicians instead of passionate supporters of quality and service. According to the new strategic inputs the manufacturing facility became highly controlled, with job responsibilities narrowly defined, performance measures relatively unclear. The organization became more rigid and inflexible, with employees focused on them, moving at a purposeful speed and indifferent in changing. So as a result of these initiatives the organization became more incapable of doing much more than being a fine place to work. These familiars resulted for this test by the Canadian Management Institute. The test was began by collecting data band sophisticated data analysis, and researching on efforts at creating high-touch customer focus and created a gap between the beliefs of the employees and the companys expectations for performance At the end of the research it was identified several factors to improve the organizational effectiveness through several strategic initiatives as follows. *First one is that as company should be continuously realigned in order to avoid from fluctuations. *In these alignments organizations should maintain their own unique alignment *Thirdly consider on technology in order to see the complexity of the world and competitors and with the predictions be ready to understand and manage the complexity *Then strategic initiatives should be taken to align the people to support the new strategic direction, HR will come in to action in this point. (Info Abstracted from: The book of Measuring Organizational Effectiveness, Canadian Management Centre. 2005) Case Study Competitive Advantage To obtain the effective organizational performance many companies use the sustainable competitive advantages by bringing into line their talent and business strategies. Most of the organizations use the methods like mergers or acquisitions, restructurings or shifts in business strategy can bring many functional effectiveness. Accordingly this article describes that many organizations of their studies brings value to their clients organizations by facilitating the integration and alignment of the business strategy with a workable talent management strategy. And also they mentions as aligning has to be done in the areas of capabilities, processes, attitudes, and talents. And with reference to many of their client organizational experiences they say three major solutions for organizational effectiveness. Organizational Effectiveness Solutions Strategy Implementation This is mainly focusing on structure, people systems and processes, and to deliver great customer experiences. Strategic Workforce Alignment These are the workforce strategies considering employee needs and investment on employee needs. Many HR initiatives could be taken at this stage. Change Management This is the design to support for change at all level of the organization. With the external environmental changes many initiatives can be taken for change management to obtain the sustainable competitive advantages (Info Abstracted from: Right Management consultancy service, www.manpower.org. Right Management Inc.) Accordingly factors of Effective Organizational Performance can be summarised as follows. Continuously realignments in order to avoid from fluctuations *Maintain unique alignment *Use of technology *Develop human resource of the organization to support the strategic initiatives *Sustainable competitive advantage *Change management *Integrating the organizational system according to the system approach Obstacles for effective organizational performance Poor Leadership Organizations are composed to of individuals and groups for achieving certain goals and objectives by means of differentiated functions that are intended to be rationally coordinated and directed through time on a continuous basis. A group within the organization has to select one of their members as a leader/ representative for coordinating their views/ demands and expectations. The leadership as such is an essential part of the organizational life. Leadership is a group process, through which individuals initiate activities for delivering the common objectives of the community by working together simulating each other, supplementing abilities and resources and evolving an effective organizational pattern. So as many of the organizational activities are leading and monitoring by the leadership of the organization, if it is not effective whole organizational process will collapse. Accordingly it can be identified that poor leadership is the main obstacle for achieving organizational effectiveness. To overcome from this obstacle it is needed to identify the role of the leader effectively and appoint a person who has these characteristics or in other hand develop these skills of the appointed leader. Those roles are as follows. *Developing a team work *Representing the members *Appropriate counselling *Exercising power and authority properly for constructive purposes *Time management *Managing and leading the group towards completion a task *As a potential strength for the members work force *Creating a cordial relationship and containing discussions *Continuing the role as a motivator and a source of inspiration (Info abstracted from: The book of Organizational Behaviour by Indian Institute of Management and Technology, 1997) Barriers in Communication It can be taken many strategic initiatives to make the effective organizational performances. But this should be communicated for the people in the organization correctly. If it is not happened it will cause for total failure of the strategic initiatives. As example in the case of Alpha Test Company they made the strategic initiatives by controlling operations in a very tuff manner. Employees also monitored in a rigid manner. This caused for the failure even this can cause for run down from the existing situation also. So it is essential to consider about the effective communication. For that identification of the barriers in communication will be a best method. Even when the receiver receives the message and makes the genuine attempt to decode it there are a number of barriers which disturb the receivers understandings. These obstacles are known as Barriers in communication. They are personal, physical and semantic barriers. The barriers may entirely prevent a communication or filter a part of it or give incorrect message. Poor Group and Inter-group Relationship Groups in organizations have become the subject of much mythology and the target for strong feelings. What then is the truth about the groups? Why do they exist? What functions do groups fulfil for the organization and their members? How should one conceptualize a group, and how does one judge the goodness or effectiveness of a group? What kinds of things can groups do? And what they cannot do? What impact do groups have on their members? On each other and on the organization within which they exist what are the prospects and constrains of Inter-group Corporation and inter-group competition. How does one manage and influence group? These are very important factors which have to be considered for the effective organizational performance, because poor relationship may cause for many destructive things. To overcome from these kinds of obstacles it should be organize to maintain team work among the employees. Assessing the validity of the statement Accoridng to the requirments of the assighnment the statement Management is the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness, and the integrating activity that permeates every facet of the operations of the organisationshould be asessed in terms of its validity considering the changing nature of modern work organisations. Before assess the validity of the statement we should look into the question on what is the changing nature of a modern work organization. In fact today we all are in a changing nature, this is not only for a business, even for a individual and as well for a family we are in a changing nature. The changing nature actually means the rapid transformations of social, economic, environment and political factors. As these factors are highly changing it has created a changing nature in our lives. Also this affect of the changes of these factors has made significant differences for todays businesses. Actually the main reason for these rapid changes is the technological advancement occurred around the worldwide. Today in each and every corner technology has become the driven force therefore every country is using technology for their businesses, and as well as for their individual lives. The extensive magnitude of using technology has created another challenging environment where many more opportunities are opened for further technological advancements. Therefore as a result everything is in a rapid change. Particularly if take a business they face to lot of changes in their businesses. Due to these technological advancements everything is always changing and it affects for the social, political, environment and economic lives of people, as a result of these changes as whole the overall society has become a changing nature. Not only the technology the current worlds economic system is also a main reason for current changing environment. As todays most of the economies are open economies and fewer barriers to entry to the market this has created a huge competition among the organizations, not only in local markets this has created a huge competition among the businesses in the international market. As a result of this today every organizations is trying for innovations and they dedicate much resources for research and development accordingly new developments are introduced to the market and therefore this increase the competition in the free market. As a result the overall nature has become very competitive. Actually there is a link between the technology and the competitive market, because in actual sense the technological innovations lead for the competitiveness. Accordingly we can come to a conclusion in identifying what is a changing nature. The identification of this changing nature is highly important to analyse the validity of the statement. In analysing the validity of the statement we can analyse it as two parts. One is on the first part of the statement which is Management is the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness and the othe part on the integrating activity that permeates every facet of the operations of the organisation. Before asses the validity of the statement Management is the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness we should identfy what is exactly meant by management. One ideology on management informs that Management is the art of getting things done through people, also further it says that management is the process of getting things done through the efforts of other people. Also another set of team informs that the management is an art of problem solving. Through management the problem solving is done effectively and it achieves organizational objectives through the effcient use of scarce resouces in changing enviornment. A comprehensive definition on management elaborates that management is the process or the procedier of planning, organizing, leading and controling an organizations four core resouces which are human, financial, physical and information resource to achieve organizational golas in effective and efficient maneer. (Info- Abstraced from lecture notes of Mr. Weerathunga. G. on Intrduction to management, of Certificate Cousrese in Human Resource Management, Insititute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka) Accordingly through considerting the definitions on management we can conclude that management is the process of planning, forcasting analysing and implementation of organizational activites in order to achive the goals and objectives of the organization. Then it should be important to identify about what is organizational effectiveness, accordingly it can be mentioned that for organizational effectiveness there is two main concepts. According to the traditional view of the organizational effectiveness, it says that organizational effectiveness is the management of recruitment, selection, training and placement; this is directly focused on the human resource aspect of the organization. But according to the modern concept on organizational effectiveness, it says that it should be considered as a system approach and accordingly the system should consider about the both human resources aspect and as well as on the other systems of the organisation. Simply it says that organizational effectiveness means that the effectiveness of all aspect of the business. Accordingly as the statement says it can be mentioned that the management is a cornerstone of organizational effectiveness in todays changing nature. Management means all about planning, and forecasting on organizations activities. Accordingly in todays changing nature always the facts are changing therefore in management it analyses focuses and plans according to the changes of the environment. For an example let say that TESCO which is the best retailer in UK, they are always changing with the nature, they have proper management practices and accordingly they plan, analyse, forecast and implement their business strategies in relation as suits to the changes occurred. Further lets say they clearly forecast the peak business times for them and as well they implement proper strategies targeting the nature of the change, lets say till November there is not a special season but with the beginning of the December the whole super market environment changed by the TESCO to face to the chan ge nature of the business. Through changing their business environment they can attract many more customers for their business. Lets say due to the changing nature there is a huge social trend immerged for using products which are produced in the local market. Accordingly TESCO as a strategic planner have to identify the business requirements according to the social trend and give special consideration on marketing the good which re locally produced. Having proper management is the key indicator to identify the changes in the environment and to ensure organizational effectiveness. Lets take another example from Schuh foot ware. In organizational effectiveness all the parties should be benefited, accordingly the employees and as well the employer should be benefited. The winter season is critical time where it makes several changes in the business nature accordingly there is a huge demand created to the winter shoes. Therefore the organizations all the systems should be ready to cater to the social demand. Accordingly the machinery, the human resource, and the vehicles everything should be ready for the organizational performance, if all these systems are ready to supply to cater to the social demand only the organization becomes effective. So as per to address this organization should be effective and to ensure the organizational effectiveness there should be management where it plan, analyse, forecast and implement according to the necessary requirements. Accordingly analysis the validity of the first part of the statement it can conclude that its a correct statement because there is a strong affect of the management to ensure organizational effectiveness in a changing environment. After analysing the validity of the first part of the statement, we should analyse the second part of the statement which is integrating activity that permeates every facet of the operations of the organisation The second part of the statement merely informs that the organizational activities should be integrated where it covers all the areas of the business. And this statement is linked with the first part of the statement which says management is a cornerstone for organizational effectiveness. Actually this is a very vital and valid statement, because today in modern businesses intergraded approach and integrated management is mostly important for the organizational effectiveness. Integrated approach means the organization takes it all factors and resources as a system. This means in integrated approach all the resources and facts are identified as factors which has an effect on a change of any factor. Simply in integrated approach it identifies if there is a change in the human resource there is an affect for the machinery of the organization. As an practical example lets say that machine operates of an organization engage in a strike, as a result the machines are underutilized or not ut ilized then as the ultimate result the production flow breaks, likewise in integrated approach or in integrated management everything is analysed as a whole. But in traditional approached the resources are taken separately and just analyse the simple affect only. Actually this integrated approach is nothing it is almost similar as the modern school of thought of organizational effectiveness, which is system approach. Therefore integrated approach is a vital part in organizational effectiveness. When take the meaning of both parts of the statement it says that management with a proper integrated approach ensures organizational effectiveness in a modern changing environment. Actually this statement is a highly valid statement because without having management practices there is no organizational effectiveness and without having a integrated approach it is difficult to face to changing nature of todays modern businesses. Lets take an example to validate this statement. The growth and expansion of TESCO Plc indicates how this statement has been affected for them. Tesco is known as the British largest retailer by international sales an also local market. At the same time TESCO is the third main retailer of the world. The company was first established in 1919 by Mr. Jack Cohen. The company first appeared with the Tesco brand in 1924. The first supermarket of TESCO was opened in 1956. Within these 9 decades TESCO has made the horizons of their business and has become a giant in the market. The management of TESCO analysed the total business approach as a whole and implemented the integrated management as a practice in 1997. They understood that to ensure organizational effectiveness the business should be managed as an integrated approach and according to that the management style should be changed. They further analysed without being changed they cannot survive and grow in the business in such challenging and changing environment. As a result of their innovative thinking they introduced a new business strategy to diversify their business and it became the establishment of Tescos success in recent past. Accordingly the Tescos new business strategy addresses, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢To be a successful retailer in the international market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢While being the leader in the market to ensure that their business core is in UK à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢To hold a strong position in non-food services as in food service. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢To be outstanding retailer in diversification in Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and Tesco.com à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Identify the community needs and cater according to that Accordingly currently the Strategies of Tesco is based on five main elements as Core UK, Community, Non-food, Retailing services, International. By considering all these facts and figures it can be concluded that this statement is a highly important and valid statement. Conclusion This report is all about organizational behaviour. The study analyses and provides valuable knowledge in the subject area. As in the first section of the study the student is given the more opportunity to study about theoretical aspect of the organizational behaviour, accordingly the study has been expanded to identify about the most critical factors which affect for organizational effectiveness. After that the student has to work on in identifying the obstacles for successful organizational performance and effectiveness and then to study about how we can overcome these barriers. As in the second part of the study it provides a more consideration for the student to get practical knowledge about the concept and accordingly he is required to critically assess and validate a statement on organizational effectiveness. Validating the statement provided a strong practical background on the study area. The assessment and validating through using examples is many more helpful to study the concept in a more practical manner. And also which has to be assessed is a highly valid statement for the organizational effectiveness. Accordingly as an overall conclusion it can be mentioned that this study covered a vast area of the subject area covering the both theoretical and practical aspect.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Carers of elderly Dementia sufferers

Carers of elderly Dementia sufferers Introduction The aim of this patient case study is to discuss the care and nursing interventions that an older person with dementia received in his home within the community during placement. There will be discussions focusing on normal ageing process, taking into account the relevant biological, sociological and physiological perspectives and the impact this had on this individuals life experience. The relevant epidemiology and aetiology factors will be examined and the social and kinship support networks will be identified, how they work together to provide individual holistic patient care, and finally the impact of current legislation on the overall care provided will be analysed. The learning experience and actions that I will take in order to ensure my continued professional development and learning will be discussed, followed by the conclusion. The rationale for this is to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and practical links in caring for individuals with this condition in th e community Confidentiality is maintained in conjunction with NMC (2010). Thus a pseudonym (Scot) is adopted where the clients name is mentioned. Scot was chosen for the purpose of this case study because his strength of character was admired and a good relationship was established. . The patients permission was obtained after an explanation of the purpose and proposed content of the case study, with a CPN present. Context Scot is a 67 year old man with a long term history of psychosis. Recently he had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, a type of dementia which affects the brain cells and brain nerve transmitters, which carry instructions around the brain. Scot is also a non-insulin dependent diabetic and has hypertension, both of which are controlled by oral medication and had been non-compliant of late. Due to the decline of his mental state, he has been refusing access to his main carer (his wife) and was at risk of self-neglect. His aggressive outbursts follow an unpredictable pattern where his mood could change from pleasant and content to a highly agitated in a short pace of time. More recently, he has been observed to become low in mood and isolate himself. In particular, Scots aggressive behaviour could put others at risk of harm, or Scot could put himself at risk of retaliation from others. He has become lost and disoriented, even within the relatively small confines of the family home. S cot and his wife had been married for over 40 years. Initially his wife managed well, but as time went by and the dementia worsened, she found it increasingly difficult to look after her husband, do her household chores and have any life for herself. She could not leave him alone while she shopped, and it was too difficult to take him along. Eventually the stress, the low morale and the frustration of caring for Scot began to toil on her (Hoe et al 2009). What seemed to have been the last straw for Scots wife was when he started squatting in corners and urinating on the floor. Scot began to progressively have less interest inside and outside home, which is highlighted by intellectual, emotional and memory disturbances of dementia (Dexter et al, (1999). The deterioration again led him to becoming absent- minded, forgetting appointments, forgetting about his meals and forgetting things he has left in the house. It further progressed to extreme situations where he would recall past eve nts of his youthful days but not about the recent events. He would also get up in the middle of the night wandering around the house, which resulted in many falls and injuries to him. This major memory disturbance resulted in manifestation of confusion affecting his daily structure and routine of life. Current medication He had been well managed on Quetiapine until he had stopped taking the medication and his psychosis had worsened. Quetiapine is an oral antipsychotic drug used for treating schizophrenia and similar disorders. Like other anti-psychotics, it inhibits communication between nerves of the brain. Frequent adverse effects include headache, agitation, dizziness, drowsiness, weight gain and stomach upset (Ballard et al 2005). There is an interaction between Scots medication and his behaviour which requires a more skilled professional being required to administer medication. Aetiology Dementia as a disorder, is manifested by multiple cognitive defects, such as impaired memory, aphasia, apraxia and a disturbance in occupational or social functioning Howcroft (2004). Thus disturbances in executive functioning are seen in the loss of the ability to think abstractly, having difficulty performing tasks and the avoidance of situations, which involves processing information. The brain shrinks as gaps develop in the temporal lobe and hippocampus. The ability to speak, remember and make decisions is interrupted (ADS, 2011). Medical history Seven (7) years ago, he had a mild stroke. He has fractured both of his wrists and has no sensation of the heat or cold on his hands but can move and use his fingers perfectly fine. Referral Scot was referred to the CMHT on the 03 May 2011 by his General Practitioner (GP) with severe cognitive impairments due to Alzheimers disease for further assessment and treatment, as concerns have been raised about his vulnerability to exploitation by others. Epidemiology The Health of the Nation (DOH, 1991), Our Healthier Nation (DOH, 1998), and more recently, Living Well with Dementia (DOH, 2009) use information from the public health domain to look at trends and set targets for improvement. It aims to secure continuing improvement in the general health of the population by adding years to life and life to years. Overall, about 5% of the population over 65 has dementia, and the prevalence increases markedly with age (PSSRU 2007, ADL 2011)(Appendix 1). A new dementia map of the UK shows stark variations in the number of people suffering from the disease and those who have actually received a medical diagnosis (Appendix 1). Dementia Care Mapping (DCM), an observation tool designed at Bradford University, is a process internationally recognised for promoting a holistic approach to improving life for each individual because it evaluates the quality of the care being provided from the perspective of the person with dementia (BBC 2011) These prevalence rates have been applied to Office of National Statistics (ONS) population projections of the 65 and over population to give estimated numbers of people predicted to have dementia to 2025. The number of people with dementia nationally is forecast to increase by 38% over the next 15 years and 154% over the next 45 years. The estimates for early-onset dementia (onset before the age of 65 years) are comparatively small but, according to national statistics, are significantly under reported. Dementia is a major cause of disability in older people. According to the 2003 World Health Report Global Burden of Disease estimates, dementia contributed 11.2% of all years lived with disability among people aged 60 and over; more than: Stroke (9.5%), musculoskeletal disorders (8.9%).Cardiovascular disease (5.0%) and all forms of cancer (2.4%). Dementia costs the health and social care economy more than cancer, heart disease and stroke combined. Fewer than half of older people with dementia ever receive a diagnosis (DOH, 2009). Assessment A health needs assessment was carried out using my placement tool called CAREBASE and Observation. Assessment is a systematic process that aims to provide a framework for the collection of information relevant for the clients health experience, engage the client in a therapeutic relationship, and identify appropriate care, interventions and services (Thompson and Mathias, 2002). Psychiatric assessment therefore is the attempts to attribute a persons suffering to an underlying illness and thereby identify appropriate treatment (Barker, 2004). Scots assessment took a form of an assessment interview in consultation with his wife and children. The areas which were assessed included a clear description of his current symptoms; a detail and precise description of the problems that he is experiencing and a description of his social, occupational and domestic circumstances. Some other areas of importance were the support available and level of dependence as well as a comprehensive risk asses sment. These enabled me to elicit important information for a good clinical judgement (Guthrie and Lewis, 2007). A relaxed environment was facilitated in Scots home. Open questions were asked to gather as much information as possible to build a holistic picture of Scot, his needs and his community. I then transferred the details onto the University Tool as its contents met my expected learning outcomes. The model chosen to assess Scots needs was an adaptation of Roper Logan Tierney (RLT) model (1983) and the actual and potential problems based on the 12 activities of living were highlighted. This model was chosen as Walsh (1998) suggests it is trying to promote maximum independence and meet Scots needs. Haggart (1994) suggests the Neumans systems model seeks to involve patients in their health care and focuses on prevention. This is congruent with the needs of community nursing. Analysis Scots baseline observations on assessment were: temperature: 37.4 degrees Celsius, her pulse was 105 beats per minute and her blood pressure was 145 millimetres mercury systolic and 90 millimetres mercury diastolic. Scots Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and he scored 26, which classified him as being overweight. The lifespan of an obese person is 9 years less than someone of lower weight (Netdoctor, 2004). Obesity causes raised blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels which lead to CHD and stroke. It also fosters inactivity and generally involves an unhealthy diet which together contributes to cancer, diabetes, gall bladder disease, arthritis and musculoskeletal problems (NAO 2001). Because Scot has a chronic illness such as diabetes and is overweight these factors contribute to delay in healing. King (2001) suggests people with diabetes experience more wound healing problems. However, this does not affect Scot as he had no wounds. A recent study by Brown et al (2004) indicates that majority of people who are obese have some form of skin problems. In Scots case dryness, broken skin, red patches and itchiness were identified. A moving and handling assessment derived by Pilling (1993) score of 5 was obtained for Scot due to his body weight being above 17 stones. Scot is fully mobile and therefore no equipment was needed. Pilling and Frank (1994) report that this is a tool and should not be substituted for professional judgement or knowledge of correct handling techniques. With regards to sleep, it was identified that he has unstructured and lesser sleep patterns which is a contributing factor to his restless and agitations during the day. He also has difficulty in hearing. Furthermore, assessment of other age related physiological and psychological degeneration of vision, auditory, speech, impaired cognition etc. are essential for baseline assessment and understanding the effects of physical and mental capabilities of an older person. Care Plan All identified needs of Scot, which were highlighted as personal hygiene, nutritional intake, safe environment and sleeping (Roper et al, 1996). , were integrated into his care plan approach and the appropriate interventions were taken. The care plan was for Scot to be given one to one counselling sessions each day and encouraged to discuss topics related to reality such as current affairs, his family, home life or social life. The rationale for this action is supported by Schultz and Videbeck (2002), who assert that familiarity with, and trust in staff members can decrease a clients fears and suspicions, leading to decreases anxiety. Discussing familiar topics also stimulates patients to maintain contact with the real world and their place in it (Stuart and Laraia, 1998). He is to be monitored on his medication and mental state in order for him to maintain optimum level of physical and mental wellbeing. This was to include exercise, social group activities and a good balance of flui d and food intake. He was also to be encouraged and engage in social activities during the day to help him have adequate sleep during the night. It was also included that Scot should be on primary observation to ensure his safety. Scots family are his main carers. His daughters visit him regularly. Twigg (1994) suggests that the largest provider of care services in the community is the army of family, friends and neighbours who are reported to number over six million people. The National Strategy for Carers (1990) defines an informal carer as someone providing care without payment for a relative or friend who is disabled, sick, vulnerable or frail (Cooper et al, 2008). Fitting et al (1986) found that women more often feel obliged to give care than men and have more difficulty in coping with the dependency of their dementing relative. INTERVENTIONS Following Scots initial assessment, certain problems were identified and her care plan was initiated. Scots identified problems were nutrition, safety, sleep, pain, medication and dying. The agreed goal for Scots problem of nutrition was to ensure adequate dietary and fluid intake and this was to be achieved by referring Scot to the dietician and offering Scot small, appetising meals and monitor dietary intake. Nutritional assessment according to Harris and Bond (2002) should be integrated with the overall nursing assessment and the plan of care and implemented and evaluated and involves identifying and evaluating patients nutritional status using assessable techniques to quantify any impairment or risk, such as food record charts and risk assessment scores. The degree of Scots safety was assessed due to his potential risk of falling and causing harm to himself. To promote safe environment for Scot, all potential hazardous objects were removed, and that familiar objects including pictures, calendars, activity sheets were rather put in place to orientate him to his surroundings. To reinforce this, he was discussed with what was happening around him. All interaction with Scot also involved communicating clearly about one topic at a time so that he is not confused with excessive information (Holden et al, 1982). He was given hearing aid equipment, which was constantly checked for proper functioning. This was emphasised with effective verbal and non-verbal communication. During these times it was imperative to use tone of voice which was conductive to his hearing, appropriateness of touch, good eye contact, gestures and allowing Scot to express his fears and desires, all in an atmosphere of acceptance and reassurance. This was to build a rap port and maintain a trusting therapeutic relationship with him (Egan 2002). To reduce some of the night time disturbances, Scot was involved in a sleep hygiene programme which included maintaining regular times for rising and going to bed, avoiding stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco and using the bedroom only for sleep. Taking him for a walk, attending OT sessions and other social group activity also increased his daytime activity. Relaxation and breathing exercises was part of the caring process for Scot, which were intended to give him mastery over his symptoms especially when he became anxious or unable to sleep. And although there seemed to be no significant process being made by Scot on the breathing exercise, the programme continued to be reassessed and reviewed. His care programme also took into account some of the normal ageing process associated with old age such as the presence of pathology affecting the overall functioning of the individual. For instance, during Scots assessment for nutritional intake it was important to take into account the fact that many older people have a reduced food intake as result of being less active and reduced lean body mass which leads to a low intake of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals (Norman, et al 1997). A further factor considered was that of the medication which when used to treat certain conditions can in fact cause depression, which is brought on by the toxicity of the drugs. The elderly are more prone to toxicity because of their impaired absorption, metabolism, and excretion of drugs (Cosgray and Hanna, 1993). It was imperative to note that the older person tend to take medication errors such as omission of doses and incorrect dosage when they are self-administering a drug and many elderly people tend to take a number of different drugs for different ailments which causes further confusion. Thus all non-prescription medications such as bottles, out of date prescription items were also removed from the reach of Scot. This was to prevent Scot having access to potentially dangerous medication and inadvertently taking them incorrectly. Until his condition improved, his medication was given to staff in the community. Scot constantly brought up the issue of dying during every one to one session with him. Although he did not want to end his present condition by committing suicide, he accepted death as an invertible end, which he anticipates will inevitably come soon for him (Sampson et al 2011, Samson 2010). His main concern was to be able to work and spend time in his garden again before he died. However, he did have the tendency to be rather depressed of what he saw as not doing much in his prime days to fulfil his ambitions. This sometimes brought on a sense of guilt and sadness to Scot. The National Service Framework for older people (DoH, 2001) emphasised the need to support carers in their role. Scots wife was therefore educated about how to handle the decline capabilities of her husband including how to provide safe environment for Scot and help him with respite programmes that will give her a break from her care-giving responsibilities. Scots wife also received education and information about how and why her husband behaves in his condition and how she can reduce the feelings of anxiety, tension and loss of control that has resulted from the impact of Scots deterioration. CONCLUSION From this study, I learnt that, assessing the health needs of patients like Scot can be beneficial to him and his family. By conducting a thorough assessment and involving patient participation, a satisfactory package of care was made available to meet Scots health needs. Furthermore, I learnt patients can be fully aware of all the services that are available and the capacity of making choices at the time of assessment The NHS plan (2000) was a modernisation strategy where 19 billion pounds was invested for a ten-year plan 2000-2010. It introduced the National Service Frameworks (NSF), which set national standards and identify key interventions for a defined service or care group, put in place strategies to support implementation and established ways to ensure progress within an agreed time scale. The plan was developed to shift the balance of power from top down to bottom up and involve patient participation. The impact of the policy related directly to patient care and all patients including Scot are entitled to a basic package of care by being a member of a PCT. Scot benefits from an enhanced package of care, as the NSF for older people (2001) and NSF for diabetes (1999) is available. Local community facilities such as a bowling club and voluntary services such as Alzheimers Society and Age Concern are also used by Scot. By the end of my placement, evaluations showed that although there have not been significant changes in Scots mental and physical state, it is also imperative to note that he has been supported and maintained well to carry some of the daily activities of living. Whilst Scots care plan continued to be reviewed, there is also an on-going support and educational programmes for his wife, which will enable her to effectively care for Scot. I have understood that whenever I undertake care, I must take a holistic view of the persons physiological, psychological and social circ umstance in order to provide effective and continuous care. The model of care used on the (activities of living) worked fairly well for Scot. However, I do not feel it is a holistic model of care and focuses largely on the biomedical model of health. REFERENCES Alzheimers Disease Society ADS (2011) The prevalence of dementia. London. 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