Stroke The Causes And Effects Health And Social Care Essay

Stroke The Causes And Effects Health And Social Care Essay In this assignment I discuss Paul who is a 65 year old male and has suffered a stroke. My aim is to explain what a stroke is, the causes and effects, and give you my understanding of how I as a Health Care Worker can help identify, meet and care for the clients needs following a stroke. For this assignment I will bring together the knowledge I have gained as a health care assistant student to date along with some research also. I have carried out my research using the internet, Irish heart foundation, stroke centre organisation, stroke.ie. My focus as a health care assistant is to explain what care my client should receive after his stroke, identify the assistance needed and give recommendations to meet his rehabilitation, to help him keep abilities and gain back lost abilities and also take care of his needs such as physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs. Introduction A stroke is caused by an interruption of the blood supply to part of the brain, the term stroke comes from the fact that it usually happens without any warning, striking the person from out of the blue (ihf.com) A stroke can happen to anyone, some people are at higher risk for different reasons such as age and family history. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, being overweight, diabetes, and high cholesterol. 2 people per 1000 in the world have a stroke, people affected are mostly over the age of 60, and stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death over the age of 65yrs. (ihf.com) Paul is 65 years old and lives alone he was very active and in good health up until he suffered a stroke. Paul suffered an ischaemic stroke (a cerebral thrombosis) a cerebral thrombosis is the most common type of stroke. When Paul arrived at the hospital he was met by the stroke physician. He spent 2 days in intensive care and 4 days on the high dependency ward and is now is on a recovery ward. I the health care assistant along with the rehabilitation team in the hospital doctor, nurse, consultant, and physiotherapist etc will help assist in my clients recovery. Stroke Effects A stroke causes damage to the brain, the effects depend on the part of the brain that is affected, but every stroke is different. (stroke.ie) For some people the effects are mild and dont last long, other strokes can have severe or continued disability. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and vice versa. (stroke.ie) Any weakness or paralysis in the right arm can result from a stroke from the left side of the brain. The left side of the brain in the majority of people controls language, reading, talking, writing and understanding. On the right side perceptual skills (understanding what you see, hear, touch) and spatail skills (speed, position, and distance) are controlled. Paralysis happens because of damage to the area of the brain that sends messages to the limbs and balance can be affected also. Swallowing problems affect half of the people who have had a stroke, so food and liquids are harder to swallow. Communicating can affect the persons ability to use and understand language this is known as aphasia, two main communication problems are difficulty understanding the spoken word and trouble to express words. Vision can be lost on one side, if the person has weakness on the left side of the body it can be difficult to see on that side. Emotional changes ups and downs can be caused either by distress that comes from having a stroke, or changes that have happened in the brain. (stroke.ie) Changes in the brain cause mood swings, depression, anger, sadness and loss of confidence, so the patient may find it hard to control emotions and can laugh or cry for no reason. Needs Met Physical ~ some people find it difficult to keep up with leisure activities due to low mood, no motivation, a disability or low self-esteem following a stroke. While still in my care, i will help my client by keeping his abilities he has, and gain back the abilities he has lost with stroke, I will help my patient with any exercise he needs and help him become more independent. I will along with the physiotherapist will help my client get into good sitting and lying positions as this helps to prevent skin breakdown, support the weak side affected to help reduce changes in muscle tone due to inactivity, and at all times encourage my client to reach his personal goals. Hygiene ~ the care of a clients personal hygiene is very important for their health and wellbeing. I will ensure that the clients hygiene needs are met and will help my client with his daily hygiene by washing him at his bedside until he is able to get into the shower, also helping him with dressing, shaving and brushing his teeth. Nutrition ~ is very important in maintaining the clients health, and good nutrition is vital as it helps maintain body weight and keeps the cells working properly. My client Paul is left handed and is very weak on the right side so I will assist with his meals until he gains enough strength to feed himself. He has dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), so I have pureed his food to make it easier for him to swallow. There are specialised utensils that will help my client when he gains the ability to feed himself. Emotional ~ following a stroke the person is left with a sense of loss and may feel anger, fear, worry, uncertainty and rejection. I will provide Paul with psychological comfort re assuring him that he is in safe and secure surroundings, and will show him patience, understanding, empathy and encouragement supporting him always in his recovery. Aftercare Care at Home Stroke rehabilitation is the process by which a stroke survivor works with a team of health care providers with the aim of regaining as much of the function lost after a stroke as possible. (sc.org) My client will join in a comprehensive rehabilitation programme in hospital and when he leaves, this will increase his chances of recovery and help him regain a large part of his functions lost as a result of stroke. Some of the professional team involved in this will be: Physical medicine rehabilitation physicians, physiatrists take both the physical impairments and medical conditions of their patients into account and work with other health practitioners to devise treatment plans. (stroke.org) Physical therapy will help my client restore function, improve mobility, relive pain and help limit permanent disabilities and also help with maintaining overall fitness and health. Occupational therapy will help Paul with any mental, physical or emotional problems by developing his ability to pe rform tasks in his daily living surroundings, and help him recover or keep daily living and work skills. Speech therapy is a very important part of life after a stroke as aphasia disturbs the process of language and understanding due to brain damage from a stroke my client can receive this to help him gain back this ability. My client has family are able to help, and will play a vital part in the care and wellbeing that Paul will need when he goes home. They can help him by supporting and encouraging him through the different stages of his recovery. The public health nurse is part of a community care team and will provide helpful advice on managing difficulties that can happen while caring for a person in their home. She will also assess my clients needs, so that she can supply him with appropriate support services, speech therapy, physiotherapist, social worker, and home help etc. Paul can also get advice on practical aids such as walking frames, suitable beds and any other mobilit y aids my client may need. Conclusion A stroke can be a devastating and distressing experience to happen to the individual and their families, stealing the person effected of their independence, confidence, abilities and health. Stroke recovery is usually a slow process and can often take months while the brain is healing. Recovery all depends on the person and long term effects can range from mild to severe. There is a wide range of specialists that care for a stroke patient from the medical, nursing, and therapy professionals. The multi-disciplinary team give care to the person in a range of settings, ICU, general ward, and home after care. Some people are affected mildly and may not take long to recover, but in others it can leave the person with severe disabilities, paralysis, communication problems, and loss of vision, physical and emotional changes. All of the people involved aim to help the person regain the highest level of function, although after a stroke the person may depend totally on others as they can be v ery ill. The care and needs will change as their conditions may get worse or better,

Kindred Spirits Hotel †Case study Essay

Identify and Define the Problem: Before Greta became the owner of the Kindred Spirits Hotel, there had always been a comfortable, family atmosphere, but this was turned upside down by her presence. She was cold and uncommunicative. She would yell at the employees and reprimand them in front of employees and guests. She also insisted not working the breakfast shift. This was hard on the staff because major decisions needed to be made at that time and Greta was unavailable. As well, she fired three workers to cut costs. However, the work needing to be done did not decrease, she just expected everyone to do more. This made it difficult to feed guests breakfast, check out guests, and clean the rooms before new guests arrived. Most days, new guests had to wait for their rooms. Sometimes, they left and went to other hotels. Revenues were down 18% over last year at this time and profits had decreased 25%. Greta immediately cancelled all bonuses and cut back on the benefits offered to employees. The problem is that Greta’s attitude, work ethic & style have tarnished the hotel’s reputation and operation. As a result, the workers’ morale has been diminished to an all-time low. Generate and Evaluate Possible Solutions: Greta has to do a self-reflection and adapt to the environment to which the rest of the employees have become accustomed. She needs to treat the staff with respect and to stop yelling at them. In addition, Greta needs to become more of a team player. She needs to lose the attitude that she is superior because she is the boss and pitch in and help herself. She needs to be available particularly in the morning, as that is when decisions are made and it is the busiest and most critical part of the day. Greta may also consider hiring back those employees she released, in an effort to get the work done, thus better servicing the guests. This would also improve staff morale. If she were to admit she made a mistake and were to apologize for her behaviour, she might win back some of the employees’ respect and improve morale. There is a cost to hiring back the employees, but this additional cost should be offset by an increase in bookings due to improved service. The hotel was profitable when the staff was all employed there working for the previous owner. What needs to be changed is her treatment of the staff. She should hold a meeting with the staff to explain the changes and her actions, outlining that things will be better in the future. You might say, â€Å"How fast will the benefits occur and will a positive impact be achieved?† Most of these alternatives will take effect right away, but in order to increase the revenue and profit we are looking at long-term goals. The staff should support these entire solutions listed above because no matter how you look at it, Greta has to give back to the hotel. All of these alternatives will rekindle the staff’s morale, giving them the boost they need to do a hard day’s work. The hotel will prosper once again. If Greta can’t adapt then she should sell the business to someone who can make the business a more profitable one. She might also consider promoting Greg to manage the hotel and delegate total authority to him, removing herself from the operations. The staff respect Greg and have worked well with him in the past. Greg has had plenty of experience having these priorities before – in the last two years the previous owner had left much of the management decisions up to him. This would re-motivate the staff. Choose a solution In order to successfully address the problems herself, Greta needs to recognize that she herself is the problem. She also needs to be able to modify her behaviour and attitude. If she cannot do this, a successful implementation is not possible. Problem #2 Identify and Define the Problem: The second problem is parking. The city of Stratford had had complaints from neighbours about this. The hotel only had11 parking spaces and the overflow parked on the street. The town council was debating cancelling overnight parking on the street. This would have a dramatic impact on the hotel. In two weeks there would be a council meeting and Greg suggested he attend in Greta’s place but she screamed at him saying that she was in charge and how dare he try to undermine her authority. Greg had enough. He threatened to quit and walked out of the hotel. Generate and Evaluate Possible Solutions: Greta has to resolve her issues with Greg foremost and apologize for making those remarks. Greg is well respected by the staff and has been working in this business for fifteen years, so he should have her respect too. Since Greta couldn’t make any progress with the city council and has alienated them with her remarks, she should give Greg a shot and let him speak, or discuss his ideas beforehand so she can present his views at the meeting. If Greg walks out on her, other employees might follow. It is very important that she does not lose Greg, who is a valuable asset to the hotel and her business, else her problems may escalate. Greta could call a meeting with the staff and brainstorm together. 11 spaces are not enough for their guests to park. If they are unsuccessful with city council, they could expand their capacity by renting more property, build an underground garage or designate an area for parking. One spot per employee, one spot per guest. If an indoor garage were to be built, additional expenses would be incurred. The hotel might approach the city to help cover these additional costs. To earn money back, a fee should be charged for the use of the garage. Choose a Solution The easiest and most economical solution is for city council to grant parking on the street. The best chances for this happening would be if Greg were to present the hotel’s case at the council meeting. Greta should recommend that Greg attend. If this fails, the hotel should negotiate to pay for additional parking, where the costs are passed on to the hotel guests using the parking facilities.

Imprisonment in Frankenstein

In Mary Shelley's gothic novel Frankenstein and Charlotte Gilman's short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† imprisonment is a reoccurring theme. The main characters in both stories seek to break free of the confinements imposed upon them by hierarchical societies. These strictly stratified societies prosecute the characters;who respond with immediate action in order to achieve that freedom which their societies have purged from them.Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, and John's wife all suffer the indignities of both literal and metaphorical imprisonment founded on racism, classism, and sexism. In â€Å"Frankenstein,† Victor endures several types of imprisonment. His workshop is much like a prison cell, in that he stays in the room for months at a time and leaves only for brief stretches. Victor admits that, â€Å"My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement† (Shelly 32). Victor is literally imprisoned by the a uthorities for the murder of his best friend, Henry Clerval.He is metaphorically imprisoned by his inability to protect his loved ones, including his future wife, from his monster. He reveals the dread created by his powerlessness when he says, â€Å"And then I thought again of his words- I will be with you on your wedding-night† (Shelly 117). Victor’s fear of social ostracism, which would be the likely outcome if anyone of his class were to discover that he had created the repulsive monster that had killed so many innocent people, also impairs his actions.It is only after he decides to hunt down the monster and vanquish him in order to ease his conscience that Victor breaks free from the prison that his fears create for him. Although Victor dies before avenging his loved ones, his death is what ultimately releases him from this prison. Frankenstein's monster also suffers both literal and metaphoric imprisonment. Because his hideous appearance prevents him from develop ing relationships with humans, he is a prisoner in his own body. The monster’s accidental killing of a boy in the woods is an example his inability to have even the most basic social experiences.The monster is also sentenced to something like solitary confinement by the De Laceys. Although he spends months learning how to speak and read so that others will think him civilized, the De Laceys chase him away when he finally approaches them. Felix tackles the monster who remorsefully states â€Å"I could have been torn limb from limb† (Shelly 91), this shows how unwilling the De Laceys are to compromise. The monster is wronged in the same way that the victims of racism are wronged: namely, he is rejected for his outwardly appearance.Even though the monster is the only one of it's race, he is prosecuted by a hierarchical society who doesn't judge based on character. Frankenstein's monster tries to win his freedom from isolation by asking his creator, Victor, to construct a female monster for him. The monster pleads, â€Å"You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of the sympathies necessary for my being† (Shelly 98). The monster believes that having a companion would give him a reason to live, however Victor denies his monster of this request. We see in Anne K.Mellor's â€Å"Processing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein†, â€Å"By stealing the female's control over reproduction, Frankenstein has eliminated the female's primary biological function and source of cultural power†(Mellor 274). This further more states that Victor has created the perfect patriarchal society, in which the creation of humanity no longer needs the service of women. The woman in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† also experiences several different types of imprisonment. The woman's husband, John, treats her like a prisoner in her own home because of her postpartum depression.She feels that she has very little freedom of though t or action because John dictates the course of her life as though he were a prison guard. She has internalized her husband’s authority to the point she hears John's voice in her head. The narrator states, â€Å"I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus-but John says the very worst thing I can do is think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house†(Gilman 2).The narrator starts to keep a secret journal because of this captivity, this writing is the only emotional stimulus the woman can forgo to express herself freely. She says, â€Å"I must not let them find me writing† (Gilman 3). In a metaphorical sense, the woman finds herself trapped by her condition and the patriarchal society in which she lives. Both prevent her from asserting her independence as a women. In a physical sense, she finds herself confined to a room of John’s choosing. All she can do is obsess over the wallpaper. The narrator says, â€Å"I am getting really fond of the room in spite of the wallpaper.Perhaps because of the wallpaper† (Gilman 7). Eventually, when she sees the creeping women in the wallpaper,the narrator gains a measure of freedom when she tears it all down, thus freeing her mind as well as the imprisoned women, fusing into one. The narrator rejoices that, â€Å"I've got out at last† (Gilman 10). She goes insane at the cost of winning her freedom from John and a sexist society. The main characters in both stories undergo a major transformation. They all start as prisoners of sorts, but they all eventually break free when they confront the powers that imprison them.This proves evident with some truths about humanity, about the prisons that we construct for ourselves and the prisons that our societies constructs for us. Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, and John's wife all suffer from hierarchical societies wh ich reject the characters, who attempt to gain their freedom which have been denied to them.Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte. The Yellow Wallpaper. Boston, Ma: Small & Maynard, 1899. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. . Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York, NY: W. W. Norton &, 1996. Print.

Descartes Method Of Doubt Essay - 1881 Words

Question: Describe Descartes’ â€Å"method of doubt.† What beliefs does Descartes think survive his method of doubt? Do you agree with his arguments? Renà © Descartes (1556-1650) considered a rationalist claims that before we can describe reality or what it means to exist, one must know what reality and existence is. Descartes proposed that it is pointless to claim something is real without justification. However for something to be justified it must be also be indubitable. In [Renà © Descartes, Meditation I, 1641] Descartes argues that ones beliefs can be systematically doubted. All truths, for example; beliefs, ideas, thoughts, and matter should be doubted in order to build a belief system that is indubitable. In this essay I will discuss the methods of doubt; these include perceptual illusions, the dream problem, and a deceiving God. I will also discuss the phrase I am, I exist and I am a thinking thing that passed the method the doubt. I will use these methods of doubt and phrases to explain why the arguments are either weak or strong and whether I agree to their meaning. The Method of Doubt Descartes’s task in essence was to create a system that would support indubitable knowledge; a creation that would allow a foundation for the expansion of the truth and remove all doubt from knowledge. This means that if something is to be true it is to be known beyond all reasonable and possible doubt. To do this Descartes uses the following method: 1. Accepting only information thatShow MoreRelatedDescartes Method Of Radical Doubt1819 Words   |  8 PagesDescartes’ method of radical doubt focuses upon finding the truth about certain things from a philosophical perspective in order to truly lay down a foundation for ideas that have the slightest notion of doubt attached to them. 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