Groups that have a higher risk of becoming vulnerable include, children, people with learning and physical disabilities, people suffering with mental health problems, chronically ill people and the elderly. Age concern (1986) defines vulnerability in the elderly as ‘people in need of some support, help and/or advice in order to prevent personal or social deterioration or breakdown. Without this their level of dependency on others or their ability to manage their lives as they wish, might deteriorate to the point of necessitating their removal to institutional care, which is not their preferred option and might otherwise be prevented or postponed (page 11).’ This statement is proven in my clinical experience. Whilst on placement on a busy acute medical ward, at a local hospital, I helped to care for an elderly lady, whom I shall refer to as Mrs Berry. Mrs Berry was 87 and had been admitted to hospital following a fall
People who care for dementia sufferers may find that as the illness progresses they will have to start discussions to get the person to make conversation. This is common. Their ability to process information gets progressively weaker and their responses can become delayed. Impaired depth perception, loss of vision, loss of colour vision, loss of contrast sensitivity and hallucinations are all problems that may be associated with dementia. As a carer non-verbal communication will become important, body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact and tone of voice will have to be taken into account when communicating with a sufferer.
Don't use foul language while on the stand. 10. Don't answer a question without understanding it first. 11. Do not offer additional information.
Q2. Explain how mental ill health may have an impact on the individual including: a) Psychological and emotional Mental illness can affect the individual in a deep way by affecting the way they feel thinks and feels. They may feel tearful and have feelings of worthlessness. b) Practical and financial Mental health problems may affect finances in many ways: * If the ability to work is affected there may be a sudden or, possibly, dramatic reduction in income. * If they spend time away from home, for example while they are cared for in hospital, it may be difficult to keep up to date with their financial commitments.
Advance Directives What kinds of medical care would you want if you were too ill or hurt to make that decision for yourself? Well there is a way to express your concerns about your medical care when you reach that point in your life when you are unable to make those decisions. You can create an Advance Directive. Advanced Directives allows you to give directions about your decision regarding your future medical care. Advanced Directives can protect your rights if you ever become unable to communicate your wishes due to an illness or injury.
The essay will further discuss what withdrawing or withholding treatment involves and its connection to euthanasia and the care of the dying pathway. It will further discuss how this relates to the medical profession and the impact of the decisions made. There is a difference when discussing withdrawal and withholding treatment in that a patient may have suffered a stroke and a decision is made not to ventilate the patient due to poor prognosis or for that person to be put on a care of the dying pathway following unsuccessful treatment attempts, here the active treatment will be withdrawn and this is discussed in further detail later in the essay. Both may be considered by some as passive euthanasia unlike active euthanasia which would involve the act of actually causing a patient to die by for example administering a lethal dose of a drug. (Winter B, Cohen S, 1999) The
The role of the IMCA is to represent and support people who lacks capacity and mainly without family or friends to support them,in specific important decisions made by NHS and local Authorities about serious medical treatment and changes of residence, IMCA's in certain cases involving care reviews and adult protection cases. The IMCA's advice must be taken into account in the decision making. WHAT WOULD AN IMCA
As a patient’s cognition and hence functional abilities for decision making is impaired in dementia, a patient may or may 7 Ethical Issues in Dementia 48 not possess adequate decision making capacity to make an informed choice. 3. A diagnosis of dementia per se, however, does not automatically imply a loss of decision making capacity, which is specific to each patient and to each medical decision. Therefore, those who cannot comprehend complex situations may still possess the capacity to make simple decisions, or to convey their opinions regarding the burdens and benefits of ongoing treatments. 4.
Again, it is important to re-assure family and significant others that in the next few weeks they will see a difference and understand that their needs are as important as other and taking care of ones own needs can help us to help those that need our help. They too can play an important role, by being there emotionally and offer activities, as when they feel fit to do so. You can offer periodic telephonic up dates and can be encourage to attend medical appointments. There are other organisations that can help family and significant others overcome their guilty feeling and management can find resources to help them
Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers In Health and Social Care Settings In this report i will be assessing the strategies used by health and social care environments to overcome communication and interpersonal interaction barriers. I will be considering physical, cultural, intellectual and social barriers and strategies such as staff training and how to diffuse aggression. I will also evaluate how useful these strategies are and which ones can be used for the more complex situations such as mental health problems and dementia. There are many barriers that can arise in a hospital situation as they deal with a variety of patients. As a physical barriers the patient may have sensory impairments such as loss of sight or hearing which can meek communication difficult as they may not hear all of what you say or cannot see what you are pointing at on an x-ray.