The Core Value Of Social Justice Essay - 1704 Words

Social Justice Similarly, the core value of social justice is defined in the context of ethical principles as that of social workers challenging social injustices. In working with a client like Vivi, a moral dilemma would arise which would have the potential to affect society as a whole by depriving others of the peace, equality, and treatment deserved by all human beings. Also, as a federally mandated reporter, a workers professional ethics and an individual’s personal set of standards can become compromised, in that, not only is child abuse and domestic violence an enormous societal problem, but it is also against the law. Thereby, affecting the general public as a whole and as a social worker, being legally and ethically bound to report such findings. Again, as a social worker who has endured a lifecycle of abuse may find appropriate decision-making confusing about what is right and wrong, and what obligations, limitations, and or actions the social worker has to the client and themselves , in keeping such information private and confidential. As a social worker, committed to social justice, one must understand the private and intricate â€Å"connection between an individual’s suffering and the social context from which it arises† Frederic G. Reamer, PhD., (2006); i.e. environmental forces that create, contribute to and address problems in everyday life. In knowing this, a social worker who works with clients can bring about a change in their behavior and actions, inShow MoreRelatedThe Six Core Values Of Social Work713 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"The primary mission of a Social Worker profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, a nd address problems in living.† (NASWRead MoreValues Ethics in Social Work 1298 Words   |  6 Pagesprofessional values in the ‘British Association of Social Work’ (BASW). With this the concepts of ethics and how this operates in social work practice and analyse the general role in governing and representatives bodies in social work practice†. Values are described as set of rules and guides in the right and wrong decisions we make. Values facilitates the decisions in recognising what is worthy and valuable, with this, weighs out the important and less important, when there is a conflict of values. EthicsRead MoreSocial Worker And Social Work Essay1076 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinition of what social work is. My view of social work was based off of movies that portrayed social workers as individuals who only worked with children. In these movies, the social worker was known as the Child Protective Agent and was called in when a child or children were being mistreated. After taking this course, I now know that my idea of a social worker, although right, was only the tip of an iceberg. The social worker does not only work with children, they work within a large social system thatRead MoreThe Core Value Of Social Work1025 Words   |  5 PagesThe first core value of social work is service. The purpose of service is to simply h elp those in need. It is our duty to find the help and support that individuals need in order to function properly, both individually and socially. Social workers have the ability to see potential in individuals and it is our job to help individuals find that potential. It is also our duty to address social issues. In order to do provide the services needed for individuals, social workers must use their own sourceRead MoreThe Code Of Ethics And The Social Work1562 Words   |  7 PagesWithin the social work profession, one of the main goals is promoting social justice and changing the lives of individuals, and with that goal in mind, it is imperative that the Core Values are followed closely. By definition from DuBois and Miley, â€Å"eradicating injustices and inequalities to ensure social justice and to protect human rights is the call to action for social workers† (DuBois Miley, 2014, p.47). Over time the profession of social work evolved, and eventually the National Ass ociationRead MoreWhere Do I Go From Here?1368 Words   |  6 Pagesthis course, my knowledge about professional values and ethics in the field of Social Work has greatly increased. I have learned that values and ethics are crucial in succeeding in social work and helping a client overcome an issue. The National Association of Social Work (NASW) created the Code of Ethics, which professional Social Workers can refer to and know how to best handle a situation (2008). The text, From the front lines: Student cases in social work ethics, states that the Code of EthicsRead MoreSocial Work s Journey As A Profession And Its Resulting Values913 Words   |  4 Pagesset of values they must analyze their lives and determine what is important to them. The time period in which a person was born, their cultural origins, religion, and life experiences all affect what their values will be. In the same way, the social work profession established its values by analyzing its origins, its successes a nd its failures. This paper looks at social work’s journey as a profession and its resulting values. This paper then discusses my personal life experience, my values, and howRead MoreSocial Welfare Essay719 Words   |  3 Pagesthe same. Some of these routines, would include education, social life, and most important of all career perspectives. Rules and procedures vary from the different business you apply to however do the different rules and procedures vary from the countries that business thrive from? The purpose of this essay is to describe the differences and similarities from the National Association of Social Workers and the International Federation of Social Workers. The difference between the NASW and IFSW is thatRead MoreWhat Learning Experiences Can You Design For Yourself That Will Help You Essay861 Words   |  4 Pageswork with. Furthermore, I can continue to work on implementing the social work skills as I work with clients and families, actively learn from others, and implement the guidance that is provided to me. b. What responsibility does a social worker have to monitor, evaluate, and improve services to clients? A social worker must take the responsibility to monitor, evaluate, and improve services to clients to uphold the mission of the social work profession to enhance the well-being of others while helpingRead MoreThe Cornerstone Of Nursing Practice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesprofessionalism and ethics have been the cornerstone of nursing practice. â€Å"Ethical values and practices are the foundation upon which moral actions in professional practice are based† ( LaSala Bjarnason, 2010). Core professional nursing values (CPNV) are taught and instructed upon in nursing programs. This paper will explore and define the CPNV of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice. Although these values are all individual characteristics, I will show that they are all intertwined

Effects of Exercise on Anxiety and Depression Essays

Critically Analyse the Research Findings on the Acute and Chronic Effects of Exercise on Anxiety and Depression It has long been speculated that there is a relationship between exercise and it effects on anxiety and depression. However, it is not until recently that research has shown that exercise is associated with positive changes in mood and reductions in anxiety and depression. According to the Mental Health Victoria, depression is characterised by prolonged feelings of sadness, dejection and hopelessness and will affect one in four women and one in six men at some point in their lives. In the United States, anxiety disorders and depression are the most common mental health disorders costing the public $45 billion a year (Berger,†¦show more content†¦399). Investigations on the chronic effects of exercise have involved programs which last approximately 2-4 months consisting of two to four sessions per week. Most research on effects of acute exercise has focused on the reduction of state anxiety. Recent studies, (Focht Hausenblas, 2001; Ekkekakis, Hall Petruzzello, 1999) showed that aerobic exercise resulted in lowered state anxiety and higher tranquility scores. In addition to this, other research has revealed that moderate-intensity exercise produced the greatest positive effects in affective responses implying that the anxiety reduction following exercise occurs regardless of the intensity, duration or type of exercise (Berger, Pargman Weinberg, 2002, pp. 399-401). Raglin and Morgan (1987) found that state anxiety was reduced for 24 hours after the exercise bout, whereas participants in a control rest condition returned to baseline levels within 30 minutes (Berger, Pargman Weinberg, 2002, pp. 400). Although acute exercise is no more effective in decreasing state anxiety than quiet rest of distraction, the effects last longer. According to Breus and O’Connor (1998), the decrease in state anxiety after exercise lasted several hours, which was more than in the distraction and quiet rest groups. This implies that positive effects may be gained afte r a few weeks of training, but enduring effects may only be achieved through continuous exercise. There is a need to developShow MoreRelatedMusic Therapy And Depression922 Words   |  4 Pagessingle geographic area, which also restricts the applicability of the findings to other populations. Anxiety and depression can also be relieved through music therapy and muscle relaxation training exercise; nurses can supervise patients several times through deep muscle relaxation (McGregor Antoni, 2009) and through tension relaxation exercise which can cultivate their abilities to perform the exercise by themselves (Stuart and Laraia, 2008). Music therapy refers to the clinical and evidence-basedRead MoreEssay On Clinical Depression1487 Words   |  6 PagesAmericans suffer from clinical depression each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2017), 322 million people are affected by depression around the world. Concerning industrialized Western world countries, it remains as the number one psychological disorder affecting its population (WHO, 2017). Most clinicians begin primarily with prescribing either pharmacologic or psychotherapy interventions. With billions of dollars spent in revue on treating depression (Chisholm, Sweeny, and SheehanRead MoreThe Effects Of Kouk Sun On University Students With Anxiety Symptoms1737 Words   |  7 Pages, Stumpp, J., â€Å"Reduced emotional stress reactivity to a real-life academic examination stressor in students participating in a 20-week aerobic exercise training: A randomised controlled trial using Ambulatory Assessment† and Kim, J., Yang, H., Schroeppel, S. (2013), â€Å"A Pilot Study Examining the Effects of Kouk Sun Do on University Students with Anxiety Symptoms†. The assessment will look at the best appraisal that best suit the case study of Mariana who is a first year health sciences student atRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Anxiety876 Words   |  4 PagesNormal and Abnormal Anxiety Anxiety is a reaction to things that stress you. It is normal to have some anxiety at work, school, or home. It is when anxiety becomes a daily occurrence with no known cause that it is categorized as a disorder. Anxiety, panic, and depression often begin with normal stress that gets out of control. Hectic lifestyles lead to poor eating habits, less restful sleep, deficiencies in vitamins and minerals the body needs, and higher levels of stress. You don’t have to workRead MoreEssay The Many Benefits of Exercise1513 Words   |  7 Pagesthe lack of education about health and exercise. Exercise has a wide variety of positive effects on the body and mind that can be categorized into three main parts. Part one describes psychological benefits, including the influences exercise has on the mind and its functions, as well as the behavioral changes it presents. Part two explains the physical qualities that exercise can enhance. This effect incorporates the body as apposed to the mind. Exercise affects your overall body appearance andRead MoreWhat Is 22 Random Control Trials For Patients With Chemotherapy And Treatment?1000 Words   |  4 Pagesterms of a psychological approach, the trials also used anxiety levels as a factor in their exercise plans. Out of five trials, three demonstrated positive effects, while two showed no statistical significance. Again, these programs included walking based programs and telephone counseling interventions. (Schmitz et al., 2010) The next trials they examined patients after chemotherapy and radiation treatments ended. In terms of depression and anxiety, the results were mixed. Out of seven trials, threeRead MoreThe Effects Of Exercise On Body s Physical Condition1247 Words   |  5 Pages Exercise has been proven to have a positive effect on our body’s physical condition, but what about our minds? Mental exercise, too, is influential on our bodies to decrease our stress levels. Though, we know how important it is to do physical exercise and manage stress, yet still 42% of adults say they are not doing enough to manage their stress mentally (http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2014/highlights.aspx ). Research has shown stress puts detrimental effects to our bodies and well-beingRead MoreWhile Joe Was Watching Tv One Day Eating Doritos He Was1555 Words   |  7 Pagesare the benefits of exercise?† He then took the time to research. A lack of physical activity leads to muscular reduction, weight gain, loss of bone strength, organ failure, and it can lead to an elevated risk for the leading causes of death, such as heart related problems and diabetes (Davis). An inactive life is bad for the human body, and very detrimental to one s health and life style. On the contrary, many physical, mental, and health benefits come with exercise. Exercise has physical benefitsRead MoreThe Publics Interaction With Anxiety, Depression, And Its Treatment1587 Words   |  7 Pages The Publics Interaction with Anxiety, Depression, and its Treatment Elijah-Smith-Antonides Community College of Road Island General Psychology Traci A. Rossi December 5th, 2016 â€Æ' The Publics Interaction with Anxiety, Depression, and its Treatment The treatment of mental disorders has made a huge amount of progress since the original days of cutting open a person’s head and letting the demons leak out. It seems that depression and anxiety are on the rise these days demanding more attentionRead MoreExercise May Help Improve Your Mental Health By Helping The Brain Manage Better With Stress1205 Words   |  5 PagesExercise may help improve your mental health by helping the brain manage better with stress. Stress is just a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium. It is pretty much in our everyday life and we have to find a way to lower the stress. A stressful event can cause the â€Å"fight-or-flight† response, causing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to rush through the body. A small amount of stress, known as â€Å"acute stress,† can be exciting because it keeps us active and

European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing Case Study

Question: Describe about the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing? Answer: Asthma is said to be an airway complication, which can be categorized physiologically as variable and partly reversible airflow obstruction and pathologically with overgrown mucus glands, bronchoconstriction, inflammation and thickening of airways because of scarring (Frieri, 2005). Bronchoconstriction is said to be the condition where airways become narrowed down within the lungs because of tightening of associated smooth muscle. Bronchial inflammation causes narrowing sown of airways because of swelling and edema caused by various immune reactions to allergens. Pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Severe damage of small airways leads to the buildup of big air pockets that is medically known as bullae and changes the tissue of the lungs. These complications are referred to as bullous emphysema (Rodrguez-Roisin, 2005). COPD occurs as constant and significant inflammatory response to the inhaled irritants. Continual bacterial infectivity may sometimes take part in inflammatory condition. Inflammatory cells, which are associated with COPD: neutrophil granulocytes, macrophages and few white blood cells. In addition smokers pose eosinophil, TC1and lymphocyte association. Pathophysiology of hypertension The hypertension pathophysiology is very much complicated. Various factors can modulte blood pressure for sufficient tissue perfusion (Zanchetti, 2014). These are: humoral mediators, circulating volume of blood, blood viscosity, cardiac output, neural simulation. Humoral factors may include balance of vasodilators and vasoconstriction. Pathophysiology of chronic heart failure The pathophysiology of chronic heart failure and leg swelling are correlated. The swelling of leg might have arisen because of fluid accumulation inside Lindas system. Fluid accumulation takes place because of reduced blood flow out of the heart and causes blood to return to heart through veins. This initiates accumulation of fluid within the lower limbs (Coats, 2000). 2. Clinical manifestations of chronic heart failure includes shortness of breathing or dyspnoea, fatigue, wheezing or chronic cough, irregular heartbeat, nausea or lack of appetite, impaired thinking, fluid buildup and quick weight gain. Important clinical manifestations, which go along with Lindas condition may include: productive and persistent cough, breathing shortness or dyspnoea, fluid buildup in legs and recent weight gain (Des Jardins and Burton, 2011). Dyspnoea may takes place because of the feeling of inadequate oxygen, chest tightness and daily living activity. Congestive heart failure takes place when a heart fails to properly circulate the blood successfully and fails to maintain the flow of blood to meet the systems requirements. If the case of chronic heart failure worsens, a patient may retain fluid inside his/her system. This takes place because of restricted blood flow to the kidneys (Skrabal et al., 2014). Consequently, kidneys generate hormones, which retain water and salt. This results in fluid accumulation inside the system, especially in leg or ankle region. Fluid buildup inside the lungs is the main reason for productive and persistent cough in Lindas case. Fluid buildup throughout the system may cause Linda to gain recent weight. 3. Lindas bending over the bedside table is might be because of her weakness, persistent coughing that makes her more tired, increased heart rate and little elevated respiratory rate. Nursing intervention Rationale Take notes on respiratory depth, rate and ease of breathing. Observation of associated muscles, change in color of mucous membrane Respiration rate may get increased because of pain or initial compensation to accommodate lung tissue scarcity. Nevertheless, increased breathing may indicate rapid oxygen consumption and immense energy expenditure or diminished respiratory reserve. Auscultation of lungs for the movement of air and abnormal sounds of breathing Lack of the movement of air on damaged side of the lungs Evaluation of restless condition and alterations in consciousness level Specify increased hypoxia Encourage resting periods and restrict activities to patient acceptance Increased consumption of oxygen can give rise to increased dyspnoea and alterations in vital indications with activity. Nevertheless, primary mobilization is preferred to assist the patient to avoid pulmonary difficulty and to attain and retain circulatory and respiratory efficiency (BURKE, PENSTON and RILEY, 2008). Maintain airway by properly positioning patient, application of suctioning and airway adjuncts Airway obstruction hampers gas exchange and ventilation. Frequent reposition of patient, place patient in sitting pose and to side position from supine position Maximize drainage secretion and lung expansion. These interventions are associated with impaired gas exchange. Nursing intervention Rationale Suctioning can be applied if breathing sounds do not get cleared after cough effort. After suctioning patient should be advised for deep breathing and coughing soon. Routine suctioning process can increase the chance of mucosal damage and hypoxemia. It should be performed gently to induce effective coughing These interventions are associated with inefficient airway clearance. Nurses should take care of Lindas safety factor. Linda has a chance to fall down so Linda should be assisted with bedrails or nurse aide, who can look after her during her movements. 4. Three nursing diagnoses for Linda should include pain management, fluid management and anxiety control. Pain management in nursing care is very much significant. It helps to evaluate cancer associated pain indications that may involve bone tissues, nerve or viscera. Application of rating scale helps patient to evaluate the pain level and offers tool for examining efficiencies of analgesics and this also enhance pain control. Patient should be provided with proper diet chart that will help the patient to maintain proper fluid balance for the entire day. Linda should be emotionally supported that will help her to initiate discovering and coping with the realism of cancer and associated treatment (Sloman, 2002). Linda might ask for time to recognize feelings or might ask for time to convey them. 5. Nursing intervention associated with pain management may include: asking patient regarding pain, determining characteristics associated with pain, for example: aching, burning and continuous and measure the pain intensity with the help of 0-10scale (Carr, Christensen and Layzell, 2010). Patient should be asked about their complication associated with fluid accumulation in the legs, whether it is painful or what other difficulties the patient is experiencing (Yarbro, Wujcik and Gobel, 2011). The reality about patients concerns and fear should be acknowledged and patient should be supported so that patient can express the inner feelings. 6. Lindas immediate support service might include a nurse aide, who can assist her with activities, movements and she might be support with emergency registered nurse, who can start monitoring and reviewing her ongoing health condition. Case study 2 1: Mr. Papadakis is a diabetic patient. The blood pressure of him found to be 156/72. He has high blood pressure. The normal heart rate is 100 beats per minute but his heart rate is more than normal rate that is 104 beats per minute. The normal temperature of human body is 37 C but his body temperature is slightly more than the normal temperature. 15 years ago he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and now his blood sugar level is 16.2 mmol/L. His body weight is 78 kgs which is not good for his health. He should reduce his body weight. He is suffering from chronic kidney disease because of the prolong time of diabetes. Recently he was diagnosed with parkinsons disease which is a disorder of central nervous system. The symptoms of this disease are sleeping problem, emotion problems, slowness of walking, dementia, rigidity etc. Because of his extreme blood sugar level he is now taking insulin twice a day. H e was not control his blood sugar level when it was diagnosed initially. For thi s reason oral dose of anti diabetic drug is not working. It is clear that his health condition is deteriorating day by day. He is not maintaining a proper diet chart. A diabetic patient should maintain a proper diet chart for his high blood sugar level but he eats whatever his wife puts infront of him. His health condition is not good but he is not aware of his health. When he had extra insulin when he feels he has eaten too much. The life style of him is not healthy. 2: Diabetes is a vast problem for a society. A person dies from diabetes in every six seconds. Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by a chronic hyperglycemic condition effecting from inadequate action of insulin ('Dyslipidemia Management in Adults With Diabetes', 2003). The blood glucose level of Mr. Papadakis is 16.2 mmol/L. An increased amount of glucose in the blood is an indication that diabetes is out of control. It happens when the body cannot use the insulin or does not have enough insulin. Signs of hyperglycemia are great thirst, dry mouth and need to urinate often (Kidney.org, 2015). For non-diabetic person: Pre-prandial plasma glucose: 4-5.9mmol/L Post-prandial plasma glucose: 7.8mmol/L For type II diabetic patient: Pre-prandial plasma glucose: 4.7mmol/L Post-prandial plasma glucose: 8.5mmol/L Because of the diabetes the small blood vessels are damaged. So the function of the kidney is hampered and they cannot clean the blood. For that reason the amount of water and salt is increasing ('Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes and Its Treatment Policy', 2015). 3: Prolong hospitalization is very painful for any patient. Mr. Papadakis is 72 year old diabetic patient ('Dyslipidemia Management in Adults With Diabetes', 2003). Normally he is very lazy in nature and he is not following any direction which is advised by his general physician. So it is more difficult for Mr. Papakadis to maintain a strict routine in hospital. Five possible complications that he may experience as a result of prolonged hospitalization are (Merckmanuals.com, 2015): Hospital- acquired infection: Hospital- acquired infections are known as nosocomial infection. The patients who are hospitalized for prolonged time have the risk for hospital- acquired infections. Urinary tract infection: Sometimes urinary catheter is used for the bed rest patients in the hospital. They are infected by the bacteria and urinary tract infection is developed. Blood clots: The patients who are not moving their arms or legs, they have risk to clot the blood. The patients with bed rest usually cannot move so blood moves slowly. As a result blood will clot. Depression: Due to prolong hospitalization patients become depressed. Because of the less contact with the people patients are feeling helpless. Constipation: Due to less activeness the stool passes slowly all the way through the intestine. So constipation occurs (Uknowledge.uky.edu, 2015). 4: The process of reduction of addiction to abusive drugs is called rehabilitation. Mrs. Papakadis have the tendency to use drugs for a small reason and that is not good for his health. So he needs rehabilitation therapy where a proper care is given by the health professionals. It is very important for the patient to get a support a faith from their family and friends during the rehabilitation process. Because of his age Mr. Papakadis needs a extra care. ('Drug abuse : an opposing viewpoints guide', 2015) 5: The nurse should communicate with the patient. It is the responsibility of the nurse to motivate the patient and encourage for his health awareness (Mukhamedzhanov Esyrev, 2013). In case of Mr. Papakadis he is very lazy in nature and he has not much energy to do some effective exercise. Nurse patient interaction plays an important role in the health care service. Failure in communication can start negative outcomes. The effective nursing care is the major role for the nurse because a patient and the family of the patient both are totally dependent on the care of nurse. The nurse should advise for a good diet chart and motivate for exercise. Mr. Papakadis should check his blood sugar level regularly (Volpe, 2011). 6: Mr. Papakadis should follow a proper diet chart which is made by his general physician. Mr. Papakadis should change his life style. Mr. Papakadis needs a good lifestyle and proper nutrition counseling. Mr. Papakadis is a diabetic patient with high blood pressure. By changing his lifestyle behavior he can improve his health condition. He should follow the proper medication and instructions made by her general physician. His health condition is very poor because of his ignorance. References: BURKE, K., PENSTON, H. and RILEY, J. (2008). Audit of specialist nurse pharmacological intervention in chronic heart failure.European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 7, pp.S14-S15. Carr, E., Christensen, M. and Layzell, M. (2010).Advancing nursing practice in pain management. Chichester, West Sussex: Blackwell Pub. Coats, A. (2000). The pathophysiology of chronic heart failure.Perfusion, 15(4), pp.281-286. Des Jardins, T. and Burton, G. (2011).Clinical manifestations and assessment of respiratory disease. Maryland Heights, Mo.: Mosby/Elsevier. diabetes management therapy. (2015). Retrieved 17 March 2015, from https://diabetes management therapy Drug abuse : an opposing viewpoints guide. (2015). Retrieved 17 March 2015, from https://Scherer, L. (2012). Drug abuse. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Frieri, M. (2005). New concepts in asthma pathophysiology.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep, 5(5), pp.339-340. kidney failure. (2015). Retrieved 17 March 2015, from https://kidnye failure Kidney.org,. (2015).About Chronic Kidney Disease - The National Kidney Foundation. Retrieved 17 March 2015, from https://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/aboutckd Merckmanuals.com,. (2015).Problems Due to Hospitalization: Hospital Care: Merck Manual Home Edition. Retrieved 17 March 2015, from https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/special_subjects/hospital_care/problems_due_to_hospitalization.html Mukhamedzhanov, E., Esyrev, O. (2013). Novel approach to pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Diabetes Mellitus, (4), 49. doi:10.14341/dm2013449-51 National Service Framework for Diabetes: Standards. (2015). Retrieved 16 March 2015, from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198836/National_Service_Framework_for_Diabetes.pdf Nice.org.uk,. (2009).Type 2 diabetes | Guidance and guidelines | NICE. Retrieved 16 March 2015, from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg87 Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes and Its Treatment Policy. (2015). Retrieved 16 March 2015, from https://. Kaku K et al . Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes and Its Treatment Policy. JMAJ, January/February 2010 Vol. 53, No. 1 Rodrguez-Roisin, R. (2005). The Airway Pathophysiology of COPD: Implications for Treatment.COPD: J. of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2(2), pp.253-262. Skrabal, F., Pichler, G., Gratze, G. and Holler, A. (2014). Adding hemodynamic and fluid leads to the ECG. Part I: The electrical estimation of BNP, chronic heart failure (CHF) and extracellular fluid (ECF) accumulation.Medical Engineering Physics, 36(7), pp.896-904. Sloman, R. (2002). Relaxation and Imagery for Anxiety and Depression Control in Community Patients With Advanced Cancer.Cancer Nursing, 25(6), pp.432-435. Volpe, M. (2011). High Blood Pressure Cardiovascular Prevention is now on MEDLINE.High Blood Pressure Cardiovascular Prevention,18(2), 41. doi:10.2165/11593500-000000000-00000 Yarbro, C., Wujcik, D. and Gobel, B. (2011).Cancer nursing. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Zanchetti, A. (2014). Predictive medicine, pathophysiology and therapeutics.Journal of Hypertension, 32(9), pp.1725-1726.

Japans Aging Population a Descriptive Study free essay sample

Many developed countries are facing the problem of an increasing aging population. Japan, being one, is not exempted from this continuously growing crisis. Peterson (1999), from the cover of his book Gray Dawn: How the Coming Age Wave Will Transform America and the World, already expressed his clamor for global awareness regarding this issue when he stated that, â€Å"There’s an iceberg dead ahead. It’s called global aging, and it threatens to bankrupt the great powers Now is the time to ring the alarm bell. In Europe, the aging population was brought about by a combination of low fertility rates and high life expectancies. Japan has been experiencing the same. This is brought about by a number of factors, including high and excellent education (considering that they are well-off countries), late marriage, and small living spaces (considering that Japan is a small country and is largely surrounded by water). â€Å"From the 1700s till the 1850s, the population of Japan remained steady at about 30 million. We will write a custom essay sample on Japans Aging Population: a Descriptive Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It just started to grow when Japan pursued modernization during the Meiji Restoration in 1868. In more recent years, the annual pace of population growth slowed down averaging about one percent from the 1960s till the 70s. In 2009 population estimate was 127. 51 million, down by 183,000 from the year before† (Statistics Bureau, 2010). From this short data, it can be seen how Japan’s population has drastically declined. What is worse is that, this problem is seen to progress further at a serious pace.This paper is significant in present-day study, because (a) solving the problem of the aging population may be a key solution for Japan to regain its status as the world’s second largest economy, (b) awareness in this problem may save the race of the Japanese from possible extinction in the next two millennia, and (c) advancing this kind of research problem and presenting possible solutions may also pave way for countries, including Japan, that are experiencing similar problems to open their eyes to accepting and reconsidering policy resolutions that they do not currently approve of.Having these in mind, this paper wishes to contend the following points: first, to present how the grayin g of the population of Japan poses a huge threat to the economic and social stability of Japan as a mono-national state; second, to examine the effectiveness of the policies of the government of Japan on the problem of an aging population beginning from the 1980s, as this issue began to be mportant in the first half of this decade, till present; lastly, to present possible solutions that are plausible enough to address this problem. The author theorizes in this paper that â€Å"if Japan will not welcome new and possibly more effective policies, the Japanese race is likely to be extinct in the next 1, 500 to 2,000 years, and Japan, as a nation, would just vanish in thin air. Facing the problem of an aging population is one of the greatest challenges that confront Japan in the contemporary era. Many authors have tried to discuss how this aging society, if not to be solved soon, may lead to Japan’s downfall. However, I would like to emphasize some of the insufficiencies in their study, so that this paper will be able to serve the purpose of having it made and possibly contribute to the needs of the Japanese society. According to a study by Gavrilov and Heuveline (2003), A direct consequence of the ongoing global  fertility transition  (decline) and of  mortality decline  at older ages, population aging is expected to be among the most prominent global demographic trends of the 21stcentury. Population aging is progressing rapidly in many industrialized countries, but those developing countries whose fertility declines began relatively early also are experiencing rapid increases in their proportion of elderly people.This pattern is expected t o continue over the next few decades, eventually affecting the entire world. † Indeed, the world is starting to feel the onset of global aging, but since I am focusing on a smaller scale, i. e. , the Japanese society, rather than on a global level, I would emphasize Japan in this paper, since next to China, it is the second largest economy in Asia and the world, and a decline in its economic performance will affect not only itself as an economic power, but the international market as well.Focusing on Japan, Atsushi (2006) discussed in his article, â€Å"Readying Society for an Old-Aged Workforce†, how the demographic shift toward fewer young people, and more elderly to the Japanese population is bound to transform employment radically. He used a comparison among young and old people in the Japanese population through the following graph: Fig. 1: Population Statistics of Japan 2001/2002 He discussed how this factor is bound to affect the economy at a great scale.Furthermore, he stated that â€Å"workers from the ages 20 to 59 will bear the burden of supporting the whole population, if the conventional retirement age of 60 continues to be applied†. He furthe red by saying: â€Å"If today’s workers are in their mid-fifties or younger, it will be natural for them to work until at least their mid-sixties. † This will not be a big deal for Japanese since they are naturally workaholic, but I cannot deny the fact that a younger workforce will be able to contribute more to let the economy grow and progress.However, even if this is going to be advanced, â€Å"the period companies can guarantee jobs for can only grow shorter, and the chances of landing a position that offers lifetime employment are becoming slimmer† (Atsushi, 2006). More negative outcome of this graying of Japan is stated in the opening line of an article from Manila Bulletin entitled â€Å"Japan Tackles Aging Society† (2011): â€Å"Japans Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Monday said the nation faces inevitable tax increases to help offset the cost of a rapidly ageing society and its impact on the levels of public debt. In relation to this, Makino (2009) stated earlier that â€Å"No less than recently elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has expressed concern about the social and economic consequences of the trend: a growing pension and health care costs, lower saving and investment rates, and a shrinking work force. † A number of negative consequences can be squeezed out of this inevitable event, and Japan has to welcome better and more effective policies. Some authors have discussed some policies already implemented by the government.Cardiosk (2008) discussed about the Angel Plan: â€Å"In 1994, Japan’s attempt to increase the national birth rate was the â€Å"Basic Direction of Measures in Support of Future Child Rearing† plan, more commonly known as the Angel Plan. Its main aspects were to lessen the stresses associated with raising a child by creating an infrastructure that supports working parents, offering counselling services, and changing the attitude of a fixed male and female role to one of dual parenting and shared responsibilities over the course of ten years. †    This is just one of the quite numerous policies that Japan had imposed to promote higher birth rates.Not every policy was successful, that the government had to revise or even stop implementing them. More of these policies will be discussed in the next part of this paper. TO MAKE OR TO BREAK: WHAT WILL JAPAN DO? (Main Body) As was stated above, this paper has three primary objectives. Before I properly proceed to the discussion of my objectives, I would like to define a primary factor that has led to the aging population of Japan, a growing average life expectancy and lower mortality rate. In 2006, Japan ranked fifth among countries with the highest life expectancy (82. 17%) next to Monaco, Macau, San Marino, and Andorra (CIA, USA).Fig. 2: Life Expectancies of Countries Around the World (2006) â€Å"Life expectancy is the increase in the number of elderly within a nation’s population and the socioeconomic changes that comes with such growth† (Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan, 1983). In Japan, this high rate of life expectancy can be contributed to a number of factors which include peace and stability inside the country (having no wars at all), an improved diet, and advances in medical treatments and drugs (Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia I, 1986). Japanese really like to eat fresh food, and ensure that they get the best quality of food to take in.They also drink green tea which is a good antioxidant and body cleanser. It is impossible for Japan, being an advanced country, to stop improving, to stop enhancing its food, and to halt advancing in the field of medical achievements. However, this improvement goes hand in hand with educational attainment, which usually leads to late marriage, and fuels the tendency of having a growing aging population. It is important for Japan to enhance and improve the intellectual production capacity of each of its citizen to maintain the vitality of the country.Below is a graph showing how the society is hugely composed of elders, in this case comprising 21% of the total population are people 60 and above. The ratio of people 15 or younger in the total population was the worlds lowest, at 13. 6 percent, surpassing Bulgarias 13. 8 percent. Fig. 3: Japan’s Population Based on Age Group Elders are considered â€Å"dependents† to the society, adding up to kids 14 and below, because they cannot be employed by companies and firms anymore, therefore making them unable to sustain themselves (since these businesses would want to hire younger and more able workers).Moreover, they do not contribute to giving and providing profit to the country, since they do not participate in economic activities anymore. By 2025 the dependency ratio (the ratio of people under age  15 plus those 65 and older to those age  15–65, indicating in a general way the ratio of the dependent population to the working population) was expected to be two dependents for every three workers. Because of this, several negative effects can be extracted from this phenomenon. First would be the â€Å"forced† extension of the mandatory retirement age.As the rate of the aging population goes up, companies would have no choice but to exten d the mandatory retirement age. During post-World War II, workers had to retire at the age of 55. However, this has been raised to 60 by many companies, due to employee shortage. In 2004, the government required the companies to, again, gradually raise the retirement age by 2013 (A Look at Pension Plans Worldwide, 2005). Second would be the necessity of revising welfare programs aimed at the elderly. However, as Japan is currently facing a huge debt, increases in these programs are not practical and applicable.One example would be the healthcare expenses for the aged. As the elderly increase, healthcare expenses will increase as well. Because of this, the Diet had to draft a bill that would require elderly patients to bear a part of the expenses for their own healthcare. To be able to provide more funds for the elderly, the government must cut its expenditures. This may not be easy since the politicians need to please their constituencies with jobs and money. However, if it is already the welfare of the country and its citizens that we are talking about, then personal interests might as well be set aside first.Third would be quite related to the second one which is the changes in the pension system. This takes up a lot of Japan’s funds, since they would have to support more and more pension recipients as the number of the aged increases. This would be an addition to the government spending. In 2007, the government planned on increasing its pension contribution from 37% to 50% by last year. This would quite burden the other members of the populace since the Ministry of Finance may just put an increase in the sales tax. Furthermore, this means that here would be an additional cost to the government, but this quite leaves it with no choice since it is the aging society that is predominant in the society. Other effects would include limitation of economic growth due to workforce reduction and decrease in consumption. Japan may also incur more international debts since the rate of savings would diminish. Indirect effects would include deterioration of educational environment and deterioration of economic infrastructure, since more funds will be provided for the social security expenditure.The government has already implemented several policies which were both effective and ineffective. The Angel Plan was already discussed in the second part of this paper. This plan was unsuccessful, since it was not able to improve the fertility rate. Even after it was revised and renamed â€Å"The New Angel Plan†, it did nothing to slow down the declining birth rate. It was not able to meet its goal which was to encourage the Japanese population to have more children. Fig. 4: Births and Total Fertility Rate, Japan, 1947-2002One reason as to why the Angel Plan failed was due to the simultaneous implementation of another policy, this time a policy caring for the elderly, in 1994 called The Gold Plan. This policy had actually started in 1990, but it was during 1994 when it reached its peak. The Gold Plan, or the Ten-Year Strategy on Health and Welfare for the Aged, was to be a major shift from long-term institutionalized care in hospitals and nursing homes to home programs and community-based rehabilitation facilities (Ihara, n. d. ).This plan was supported since it gave and provided more benefits to the elderly to be achieved within a particular period. Another policy implemented by the government was the New-New Angel Plan. This focused on (1) Independence of youths, (2) Support for work and family, (3) Importance of life and family, and (4) Further support for child rearing. â€Å"The New-New Angel Plan has shifted to a policy  of placing greater emphasis on community and corporate activities,  and cites specific numerical targets even for corporate programs.The aim is to raise the rate of corporate workers acquisition of  annual pay leave to at least 55% (the rate for FY2003 was 47%), and  to increase the percentage of corporations that include childcare  leave systems in their employment regulations to 100% (the share for  FY2002 was 61%)†¦ †¦ Moreover, to encourage middle and high school students to perceive  childcare as an enjoyable, fun-filled experience, the Plan will offe r  opportunities for these young people to come into contact with infants  and toddlers at daycare and other facilities. New ideas are also being  incorporated, such as setting up bases for community childcare support/assistance† (2005). I think that this plan reflected the crisis of the Ministry in implementing plans, since the Ministry quite relied on the past policies, which could just not put an end to the decline of the younger population. They are now calling on society as a whole to carry out more measures. Based on the present situation, this new policy still seems unsuccessful. Japan’s population does not seem so â€Å"improved† until now. Minor policies were also implemented.There had been medical and financial support for infertility, reform in education system (to mold the youth regarding the importance of child bearing), a cut in the waste in long-term public investment by local government, support for mothers staying at home, and even affordable dating services. The policies thought of by Japan are just too simple for them to deal with that no effects, whether it be long-term or immediate, are being felt. Maybe, drastic ones should be taken into consideration by the Japanese, regardless of their norms, if they still want to continue growing economically.The downside is they would have to â€Å"sacrifice† many of their social traditions, which would be quite difficult. But as what I have always believed in, â€Å"Desperate times call for desperate measures. † They would not want to be extinct, would they? First would be to provide an equal treatment for children born out of wedlock. Japanese are such perfectionists and idealists that they tend to discriminate. Women would not want to risk seeing their children totally discriminated against if they are not legally married to their man. Since they are known for being risk-averse, in any aspect, they would just not marry and have kids AT ALL.Countries, like Scandinavia and France, have adopted this approach and were able to improve their fertility rates (Noboru, 1999). For Japan, it is still a huge question mark. Second would be that Japan legalize that abortion be not permitted. Many Japanese women just abort their fetuses. This may not be against their religious beliefs, but this would at least help restrain the population decline. Third, Japan may try opening its doors to other nationalities for migration and eventually let them join the workforce. The Japanese are not against interracial marriage.However, they do not approve of it as well. They have deeply-rooted love for homogeneity. If Japan would not even accept and try these methods, it is highly likely that the Japanese population continue to decline (esp. if its decreasing rate would remain as it is now or even grow). According to Noboru (1999), it is possible that in 800 years, a baseball stadium would be enough to contain the remaining 50,000 Japanese. I agree with him. Given the very discriminating society that Japan has, there is no doubt that if they do not apply any of these, they would be extinct in a millennium or two.CONCLUSION The aging population is one of the most important social issues being faced by Japan from the 1980s until the present time. This has several negative effects that might lead to the downfall of the Japanese society. Because of this, the Diet had to devise policies that would raise the fertility rates of the people. However, I conclude that not even a single policy had been effective enough to encourage people to have more children. For if even one policy was, the Japanese would have somehow felt a sigh of relief from this crisis.So I suggest that Japan resort to â€Å"desperate† measures if they still want their race to witness and experience the offers of the future. Due to the limited time frame and the limited resources available, the data and information gathered and analyzed by the author in this paper are relatively not enough. Hence, the author recommends future studies to discover how possible it is for the Japanese come up with more effective policies to fight the aging population.