A World of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

A World of Art - Essay Example The other the triangle between Mary and Jesus represents the cup of the last grail. Look out the windows, one can see the country side which is not congruent with the subject matter. He uses the technique of Chiaroscuro. It is dark in the room and bright outside. It is interesting to note that he used the same country side in his Mona Lisa painting which he completed in 1503. The colors used are green and orange(brown). There is symmetry with the large rolls on the table. Important paintings Perspectival study of the Adoration of the Magi: (Art Authority) Pen and ink, traces of silver point and white on paper. Fascinating to see his study in perspective of texture, the use of Chiaroscuro, the use of sienna to show white, the three dimensional by the fact that we can see the thickness of the stairs and the pillars. the lines showing how everything is done in perfect mathematical dimensions then The Adoration of the Magi: (Art Authority) oil on panel. The oil thing which remains from t he perspective is the stairs and the pillars but they are quite distant. It was as though he used the study to do several painting. The texture is very primitive for a Leonardo da Vinci. The trees are two dimensional and Mary is in one color. Perhaps it is a question of aging. The people are half real. Titian, The Assumption of the Virgin: Oil on wood. A perfect study in vertical perception there is an incredible sense of movement, towards the heavens. In analyzing the lines, there are the two triangles with two parallel lines. The texture of the fluffiness of the clouds but also the heaviness the angles have of carrying Mary Profane Love: a perfect contract between the Assumption and this perfect technique of Chiaroscuro. There is the light shining on her face and her hand. She is also looking at someone but we do not see him either. There is also the mirror which shows you something that the person in the painting doesn't see. This is a technique which began with Leonardo da Vinci . The texture of her clothes is magnificence Van Gogh, Starry Night : oil on canvas. It is not polychromatic though he does use a great deal of blue. He avoided using red. He uses hatching in the modern sense of the word. His brush makes short rapid strokes of the same color. The texture has very little dimension to it other than a little bit of the town. I would not call it two dimensional. Road with Pollarded Willows and A Man with a Broom (Art Authority) is from carbon, ink, and watercolor on paper. His texture is three dimensional. You can see the end of the road but you see the beginning of the impressionist school as the road slightly bends to the right. As he advanced in his training, he mixed different techniques each time of pencil and ink, or pencil, ink and water color to cite an example. He showed his being influenced from different schools. He painted 37 self portraits. It is documents that none of them look directly at the viewer but the Self Portrait 1887 looks straig ht on. His self portrait in the straw hat looks like a modern version of hatching. Jasper Johns, Numbers in Color: uses the technique of pattern and polychromatic. He called his paintings of clusters "crosshatchings (Johns) Grey numbers (Art Authority) is the same technique of patter without color Andrea Mantegna, The Lamentation over The Dead Christ 1494: tempera on canvas. The texture is three dimensional. He uses lines in one angle to gain depth to take away from the size of his feet. There is

Brief Description On The Milk Scandal Commerce Essay

Brief Description On The Milk Scandal Commerce Essay The toxic milk scandal became public in August 2008 with the disclosure that the baby formula produced by Sanlu was contaminated with melamine, which caused kidney failure among the babies who consumed it. However, until the Chinese Health Ministry confirmed on Sep 12, 2008, that the milk powder produced by Sanlu was contaminated by melamine, neither the government nor the company took any actions to warn the public. Later, government inspections reported that the products of 21 other dairy firms were also contaminated with melamine. Even as the milk scandal unfolded, many countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, and Indonesia rushed to ban Chinese dairy products. Foreign companies which sold China made products or products which used Chinese ingredients had to recall their products. overview of food industry business ethics Significance of business ethics Nowadays, the issue of business ethics comes to peoples mind more frequently especially in the food industry since food are the essential items for human and it will affect our health directly. In 2004, the use of hair in the production of soya sauce was exposed and made headlines in the press. Moreover, there is many more news about China how they use very cheap material like industrial acid and oil to mix into their food products in order to minimize the introduction costs. As a developing country, business in China is developing very rapidly. It is now playing a more decisive role in social life and almost all people would be involved in business activities. As a result, unethical business behavior would have negative influence towards society. Hence, society is now more concerned with the issue of business ethics. Since the Chinese foods are now exported all over the world, ethical practice of Chinese enterprise issues are the key factors to be success. General perception on business ethics in food industry There is much news recently that related to food safety in world wide. Therefore, consumers have three types of ethical concerns toward food industry. Methods of Production and Distribution The production of food raises a number of issues that need to be considered. The packaged food industry essentially consists of manufacturing using farm produce. Clearly hygiene, quality control, health and safety considerations are of great importance. The following are among the issues that should be considered as per my knowledge: 1. Animal welfare in the meat products industry. 2. Use of child or bonded labour, or employment of illegal immigrants. 3. The International Labor Organization (ILO) standards provide useful benchmarks in this area. 4. Improper use of the pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals. 5. Misuse of water resources and the consequent impact on local farmers 6. Good quality control of the food supply 7. Ensure the material supply and healthy to human 8. Use environmental friendly packaging as much as possible for the packaging 9. Inform the actual gradients of the food contented 10. Inform the public immediately once unhealthy food was produced and distribute to market According to our observation toward Chinese business, their objective of the business is only generating profits as much as possible. The ethical senses are not significance within the society. Reason behinds the widespread sufferings of the infants According to the case content, there is several factors lead to this hazard. On Sanlu In fact, Sanlu acknowledged the problem far beyond the serious ha affects hazard explored in 2008. From the case content, there were several customer complained the problem to Sanlu about the ill effect of taking the milk by infants. However, Sanlu chose not to launch this news to alarm general public due to they do not wanted to affect its sales and image. In addition, they were not willing to import the sophisticated milk test machine from overseas. On Government First, we believed that Chinese government has too much confidence on the self governance by the enterprise especially on Sanlu these big companies. One of the regulations implemented was the inspection-free policy. A company would not be required to undergo inspection for a period of 3 years if it can meet the following three requirements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product with stable quality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High market share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ passed the inspection for more than 3 consecutive times However, past performance did not reflect that there will be not problems in future. Since, the demand of Chinese milk increased significantly and the milk supply source has been polluted, the problem got serious in 2008. If Chinese government inspected the quality of Sanlu continuously, the situation will be under controlled. Moreover, the respond of the milk incident was too slow to control the situation. The Shijiazhang government and the Communist Party of China did not report about the said issue to the provincial and state level authorities till 9 Sep, 2008. At that time, about 53000 infants were already affected. On the steadily growth market and growth strategy of Sanlu Since there is high demand in milk industry and there is not strict control over the milk supply, more and more farmer and agent joined the supply market for making money. The situation got worse after the Mengniu and Yili enter into the Hebei market because the supply of milk was tight in this fast growth market. Since the milk demand from Sanlu and other company increased steadily, the market collection station cannot get enough milk for production. Since it is a profitable market to sell milk to these producers, many middlemen aroused and sell the milk to Sanlu directly. They were not ethical enough since they had diluted the milk to increase the supply volume for more profit and they added this melamine into the milk which was harmful to infants. Since not quality inspection from milk station, this toxic milk was finally gone into the market and lead to the milk scandal finally. Sanlu also needed to responsible on this issue since its growth strategy in market share made they ign ore the quality control by milk station and make this incident. Finally, the covered error of the milk scandal did not made the problem dismissed. Reversely, it generated a serious problem not only about the image destroyed of Sanlu its own but also the image of Chinese milk products, hundred thousand of farmer made not income and needed to kill all of their cows as well as thousands of infant were suffered from Kidney stone. If proper action has been done, the situation will be better. Sanlu and Government actions toward the milk scandal On September 17, 2008, the Chinese Health Minister, announced that melamine contaminated milk had led to more than 6,200 children falling ill in the country and over 150 children suffered acute kidney failure. Six days later it was announced that four children had died and the number of children falling ill had increased to 54,000. On Sanlus production and management actions On September 12, 2008, the Hebei provincial government ordered Sanlu to stop production after preliminary investigation confirmed that melamine contaminated baby formula was the reason for kidney stones among children. The company was also ordered to stop sales of all brands of its baby formula, recall its products, and destroy all the products that were unsold and recalled. Also Sanlu set up a fund of 800,000,000 yuan, which 700,000,000 yuan was estimated to be the compensation amount that the compensation amount that the company needed to pay to its customer such as refund, hospital expenses and compensation on sick or death of the infants. On September 15, 2008, Sanlu had issued a public apology of its role in the milk scandal. Zhang Zhenling (Zhenling), Vice President of Sanlu, read out a letter of apology at a news conference in Shijiazhuang, The serious safety accident of the Sanlu formula milk powder for infants has caused severe harm to many sickened babies and their families. We feel really sad about this. Sanlu Group expresses its most sincere apology to you. We solemnly declare we will recall all the infant milk powder produced prior to August 6. And for those produced after that date, we will also make a recall if consumers have doubts and worries.15 Later, Sanlu also sacked Wenhua. On Government actions The Health Ministry informed the World Health Organization, Hong Kong, and Macaus health departments, the New Zealand Embassy in China, and the press about the melamine contamination in baby formula. The Ministry also announced that a free medical checkup would be given to affected children. It sent medical specialists to hospitals across China to help treat the affected children. Started from September 2008, the Chinese government started a nationwide inspection of baby milk powder. It announced that liquid milk products including packaged milk and yoghurt would be checked for melamine contamination. On September 16, 2008, GAQSIQ announced an inspection of all Chinese baby milk powder makers and found traces of melamine in 69 batches of baby formula produced by 22 companies including brands like Mengniu,12 Yili,13 and Bright Dairy.14 After the inspection, these dairy firms were ordered to stop new production and sale of dairy products. As the milk scandal escalated, steps were also taken against some government officials. While some of them were sacked, some of them resigned owning moral responsibility. On September 17, 2008, Ji Chuntang, Vice-Secretary of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Mayor of Shijiazhuang, was removed from his job. Earlier, four officials including the Vice Mayor in charge of agricultural production, the Director of Shijiazhuang Municipal Animal Husbandry and Fishery Bureau, the Director of Shijiazhuang Municipal Food and Drug Administration, and the Director of Shijiazhuang Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision were dismissed. On September 22, 2008, Li Changjiang, the Director of GAQSIQ, resigned. On September 26, 2008, four executives of Sanlu including Wenhua were arrested for producing and selling sub-standard products. Milk dealers and suppliers were also arrested for selling contaminated milk to dairy companies. Jiabao, the then Premier of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China, said, The government will put more efforts into food security, taking the incident as a warning. What we are trying to do is to ensure no such event happens in future, by punishing those responsible leaders as well as enterprises. None of those companies lacking professional ethics or social morals will be let off.16 In an effort to restore confidence among domestic and international consumers, the Chinese government introduced a new set of quality control standards which included strict limits for melamine in dairy products. In the case of infant formula, the limit was set at one milligram of melamine per kilogram and the limit for liquid milk at 2.5 milligrams per kilogram. On October 09, 2008, in an effort to stimulate the dairy industry of China, the Chinese government announced an emergency rescue plan for the affected dairy farmers. The government planned to give 300 million Yuan in subsidy. In addition, the interest rate for loans granted to dairy producers to buy raw milk was also reduced by 3 percent for the period between October and December in 2008. Some local governments in China had also promised to give a subsidy to the dairy farmers. For example, the Hebei province had allocated 316 million Yuan (US$46.4 million) as subsidies to dairy farmers. The dairy companies in China had to recall several thousand tons of melamine contaminated milk products. Sanlu was ordered to recall its products immediately after the Hebei provincial government found melamine contamination in its baby formula. After GAQSIQ had found melamine contamination in the products of 22 Chinese dairy companies, they were also asked to recall their products. On October 15, 2008, GAQSIQ ordered recall of all dairy products made before September 14, 2008. According to a notice issued by the agency, All supermarkets, shops, and all city, town, and village-level vendors will urgently remove and seal up all milk powder and liquid milk made before September, pending further testing. On December 27, 2008, it was announced by the Chinas Dairy Industry Association that the affected children and their families would get compensation from the 22 companies found guilty of producing and selling contaminated milk powder. According to the statement issued by the Association, The enterprises offered to shoulder the compensation liability. By doing so, they hope to earn understanding and forgiveness of the families of the sickened children. The money for compensation is in place now and will soon be handed to the people who have custody of the sickened children through various channels. If the babies suffer from relative after-effects, all medical fees will be covered by the fund. In a letter sent to the victims and their families by these 22 companies, the compensation amount was specifically mentioned for sick children, for those who were suffering from kidney failure, and for families whose kids had died because of the tainted milk powder. It was also mentioned in the l etter that dairy producers would set up a fund to pay the medical costs of the children who were ill, until they reached the age of 18. On January 22, 2009, two people were sentenced to death for their involvement in the Chinese milk scandal. Wenhua was given a life imprisonment and three other executives were given imprisonment from five to fifteen years In my personal opinion, the government failed to supervise product quality responsible. The effectiveness of the regulatory environment in China is slow in disclosure the hazard as well as makes prompt action to stop it. According to some research in the internet, there were many government departments to monitor food safety in China. As there was no single agency to look after all product safety regulations and enforcement in the country and there was no clear hierarchy of agencies, the duties of different departments often overlapped. Recommendations to Sanlu to recover its goodwill as well as Chinese milk industry toward global Investors who had already invested in the Chinese dairy industry were worried about regaining consumers confidence. In this respect it means consumers are now thinking twice before purchasing such products, so the key challenge now is to regain the consumers trust. As you can recall the case from Hong Kong, Vitasoy milk and Lemon tea also suffer from big hazard of the pollution in production line and made the milk turns sour in around ten years old. We believed as a well known organization with market leadership role, they can recover their goodwill step by step like Vita Corporation in order to gain the customer confidence again as below. However, the situation in Hong Kong is much easier to turnover since the government and the legislation control is much strict and clear to follow. If Sanlu would like to gain back the image, both Sanlu and Government needed to do something to ensure the quality of their products is healthy and safe to customer usage. We believe that ethical business environment is the key issue to recover the confidence from general public on the Chinese milk production On Government Regulations To avoid similar incident happen again, implementing of new issues and regulations are necessary. For example, AQSIQ should have regular and sudden inspection on the quality of products. The food industry inspection should be in random and strictly follow the international standard norm. Laws and ethics Nonetheless, only depends on laws, it is not sufficient to ensure the problem would not exist in future. It is more difficult to depend on enterprise to follow the law in PRC such the corruption and education level is not high. There are many acts that are legal but unethical. And there are also many people use money to change illegal to legal by cover the problem or override the checking from government. As in the milk scandal, the use of small amount of melamine was legal because it is not harmful to adult; there was no regulation on it. It is clear that laws cannot fully control human behavior; as law is only norm to control people behave. However, for business ethics, the standard is much higher than that of laws. It is because as a highly ethical company, their goals are not only profit but also care of the public as well as their customer. Ethics is not concerned only with peoples behavior. It is a standard for our core values. As an individual or a company, in addition to bein g legal, being ethical is the key which shows that their values are of higher standard rather than meeting the minimum requirement only. As a ethical corporation, Sanlu should use the concept that customers babies are their babies, they will not give some harmful materials or potential harmful ingredient towards their own babies. They should care the health of all babies although add melamine and dilute milk can be acceptable to increase production. Education on general public Peoples behavior is actually influenced by norm, attitude and values from the society and most likely are from their own family. Changes in norm, attitude and values are very important for improving business ethics. We believed that it is the value of Chinese enterprise was too famous on profit and do not know clearly what ethical standard they needed. Hence, on top of implementation of measures and regulations, education on both top management and employees would be the most fundamental way to do so. For example, government can improve more foreign consultant and special to teach ethic and made speech in university to raise the concern of general public and know they can do it profitability like coca cola, nestle as well as PG etc. On Sanlu itself Ethic knowledge training Unethical issues cannot be done by only one level. If the ethical standards are enough in the company, they will carry out a mutual inspection on other actions toward ethic enterprise. For example, before employees go to their working positions, the company should provide ethics training, covering ethical issues and addressing the rules, compliance requirement and the corporate values to their employees. Let employees realize the importance of business ethics for the company as well as their own. During training, discussions on cases of ethical dilemma and analysis with employees are valuable in developing employees awareness of business ethics and ethical competency. Furthermore, the company should communicate information about the reporting mechanisms with all employees. When there is any unethical behavior, employees can report to the company immediately. This would be the most efficient way to discover any problems and take prompt actions to solve them. Quality control process and crisis management Since Sanlus image was totally damaged in this incident, we recommend that Sanlu can import the modern of art testing machine for strict quality control and the production chain should be more transparent toward general public. They can set up a additional inspection team which contains outsiders from other milk industrys expert and also foreign country representative to investigate the production channel, sourcing as well as the healthy and safety level on its our products. Therefore, the general public may slowly regain its confidence on Sanlus milk products. Also, the management team should have a knowledge sharing about the investors New Zealand industry on how they manufacture the milk and ensure the required process and ethical norm can be implemented in Sanlu to regain the image from global market. Once the incident happened again, Sanlu should know how to reduce the negative effect toward customer like stop production immediately, message general public timely and recall all affected products from retailer and dealers in order to show their sophisticated experience in crisis management. Like Vita group, we believe that the market will accept their products again. In conclusion, we believe that the critical factor on this incident and regain image of Sanlu in the case is all about ethics. We believed that the technology and expertise in China are enough to produce healthy and safety products. However, their action has been affected by the norm to earn as much money as possible in short period of time by legal but no ethical actions. In order to reduce the negative image toward Chinese product such as foods, drinks, electronic and toy. Chinese government should pay more effort on improve the ethical standard by education and control of the government officials. If they cannot to do so, the short-term goal of Chinese enterprise toward profits without concern on general public would affect the development of the economy of whole Chinese market.

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future Essay examples -- Techn

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future The education system over the last 100 years has largely remained unchanged despite major technological advancements and the changing global economic environment that require new skills and experiences. Despite numerous pedagogical concepts being introduced in the education system, the traditional mode of instruction has continued to dominate today’s classrooms. However, though most educators have been hesitant in adopting technological advancements and applying them in education, the wave of change is inescapable. Future educational systems will have to embrace new ideas in order to be more effective in preparing students for the changing global economic demands. This paper reflects on the views of authors of two journal articles on the topic of how educational systems will operate in the future. The main ideas presented in this paper include teachers’ competencies in preparing students for a knowledge economy and how educational computing will operate in the future. According to Andrawes, students need to be equipped with skills needed in accessing and processing the wide array of information made available by the advancing technology. Educators also need to equip students with the knowledge of using computers and be familiar with the wide range of technologies (2011). In addition, it is incumbent upon the stakeholders in the education system to incorporate technologies used in the marketplace and the newly emerging ones into the school program. Beyond meeting these recommendations, Andrawes (2011) go further and propose that educational systems need to focus on providing education to people of all ages. In this regard, schools in the future will be continuous and constant facili... ...geluth, 2011). In addition, the instruction function will play a fundamental role in assisting in the development of new instructional resources and managing a personalized scope of instruction based on the nature of each project. Within the instruction function, a fully integrated assessment function will provide original tasks aimed at assessing the performance of each student. In addition, the assessment function will be crucial in facilitating prompt feedback and in designing and developing personalized assessment of each student. Besides these primary multiple functionalities, the PIES will accommodate secondary functions such as information on school personnel, general student data, communication, and PIES administration. Therefore, PIES will be a major development that points to how future educational systems will operate (Aslan & Reigeluth, 2011).

General Description of the Community Essay

Target area being assessed by the author is hospice service in Sioux Falls and surrounding areas provided by Avera Mckennan. Hospice care is end-of-life care provided by health professionals and volunteers Hospice care provides medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of terminal illness. Although most hospice patients are cancer patients, hospice accepts anyone regardless of age and type of disease. The goal of hospice treatment is to keep patient comfortable and improve quality of life. Hospice care tries to manage symptoms so that patient’s last days may be spent with dignity, surrounded by his/her loved ones. Hospice care is family-centered: the patient and family are both included in the care plan and emotional, spiritual and practical support is provided depending on the patients wishes and families needs. Hospice is not so much a place, as it is a philosophy of care with a family-centered approach that considers the patient and family to be the unit of care (Lattanzi-Licht et al. , 1998). Avera Mckennan Hospice Services are the main focus of author. Avera McKennan’s Home Hospice and Palliative Care program office is located in the Dougherty Hospice House. Through this program, they provide hospice services in a variety environments: hospice care in the home setting, hospice care in an assisted living facility, hospice care in a skilled nursing facility and also, in Dougherty Hospice House. The Dougherty Hospice House is a unique sixteen bed hospice facility located on the Prince of Peace campus. This place provides a home like setting with specious rooms for patient and sleeping accommodations for family members. It also has a meditation room, wireless internet, beautiful meditative garden, large dining and family room for families to gather, and library. Dougherty Hospice House and its surrounding property are tobacco free environments. About 80% of all hospice care is provided in private homes, nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities (Caffrey, C. et al. , 2011). If hospice care provided in patient’s home, a family member will look after their loved one much of the time. Someone form hospice team will usually visit patient once or twice a week assessing a patient and addressing current health issues. Avera McKennan Hospice team consist of 25 people including nurses, social workers, spiritual advisors/chaplains, nursing assistants, trained volunteers, pharmacist and medical director. In case of emergency home hospice patient can call the 24-hour hospice number for advice. A nurse usually can come to patient’s house at any time of the day or night or give an advise over the phone. Based on the patient’s circumstances and stage of care, a hospice interdisciplinary team (IDT) may provide variety of services. Registered nurses assist patient with management of discomfort, pain and side effects of previous treatment ( nausea from chemotherapy). Also nurses help educate both patient and family about what is happening. The nurse is a link connecting patient, family and physician. Home health aids provide extra support for personal care such as bathing, shaving, dressing and eating. Trained hospice volunteers offer assistance with everyday tasks such as shopping, babysitting, and carpooling. They are being available to listen to the patients and families and offer compassionate support. Primary doctor approves plan of care for hospice patient and works with hospice team. A hospice medical director who has expertise in symptom management and end-of-life care is available to the attending physician, patient and family, and hospice team as a great resource and consultant. Chaplains, priests, or other spiritual counselors help patient and family explore the meaning of the death, and perform religious ceremony specific to the patient. Respite care can be provided by inpatient hospice to give family a break from stress of care giving in up to 5-day periods. This service recognizes the need for caregivers to have time away from caretaking roles (Ingleton, Payne, Nolan, & Carey, 2003;Lattanzi-Licht e. l. , 1998). Terms such as caregiver burden (Chwalisz & Kisler, 1995), caretaker role fatigue, spousal burnout, and role engulfment refer to an imbalance between the physical and mental resources needed to give care and those available within the family unit (Reese & Sontag, 2001). Regularly scheduled family conferences most often led by the hospice nurse or social worker allow patient and family members share feelings, talk about what to expect, what is needed, and learn about process of dying. The interdisciplinary team coordinates Avera McKennan Hospice services and supervises al care 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The team is making sure that current information is shared among all the services involved in patients care. Official Community Government (form of government). For-profit and nonprofit hospices have the same regulations. They must comply with State low and Code of Federal Regulations governing hospice care. For-profit hospices grow more than six times faster than nonprofit hospices. Profit sometimes risks compromising the quality of care patients receive. Nonprofit hospices provide hospice services to anyone including persons who do not have health insurance coverage and cannot afford to pay for care. In this case, nonprofit hospice can provide services to person free of charge as part of its charitable mission because nonprofit status of the hospice requires it to offer charitable services and they are dedicated to the mission of caring those in need. Main purpose of for-profit hospices is to make money and pay dividends to their stockholders. They have no obligation to provide services to anyone who does not have Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance coverage. However, both type of hospices are trying to make money, but when they compete for patients, they must provide better care. Avera’s Home hospice services are covered 100% under Medicare and some Medicaid plans, but inpatient care at the Dougherty Hospice House involve some financial expense. Social workers offer patients and their families help with payment options and never turn away a patient for inability to pay for the service. Medicare is the primary payer for hospice services covering 77% of all hospice expenses. The rest is paid for by Medicaid (4%), private insurance (12%) or other sources (7%). Compare to hospital and skilled nursing facilities, hospice is considered a cost-effective service. Hospice charges per day are much lower than hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Hospice care is covered in full by most insurance. Medicare and Medicaid provide a special Hospice Benefit. This benefit provides 100% coverage for visit by staff, medications related to the hospice illness, durable medical equipment in the home, and supplies for skin care, incontinence management, dressings, etc. Hospice care covered under Medicare includes both inpatient care when needed, and home care services. The focus of hospice is on care, emphasizing help the person to make the most of each day by providing comfort and pain relief. Most private insurance companies include hospice care as a benefit. Patient and family can hire hospice providers and pay for their services out of pocket. If patient has a limited financial resources, non-profit hospices provide services without charge as part of charitable mission. Any patient who enters hospice must be evaluated at the time of admission to the hospice program. Hospice dietitians assist the patient in reaching the best nutritional goals, depending on the current state of the patient’s condition. Common problems for hospice patients are nausea and vomiting. These can be controlled with anti-emetics in some cases, while for some patient s change of diet is sufficient. Educating patient and family about the changes occurring in the patient’s body is imperative. During the course of illness, patient experience changes to some extend in their food intake. It is common for the hospital patient to reduce oral intake of food and fluids as the disease progresses. In general, there is metabolism alterations occur in patient’s body with a terminal illness. Furthermore, there comes a time when the body begins to break cells down instead of building them up. At this point, the body is no longer takes nutrients in. Sometimes patients are forced to take food by family members; in this case the body may refuse through vomiting or diarrhea. A hospice dietitian will explain when this point is reached. However, addressing to stop oral intake before this point is reached is not appropriate. Ongoing assessment of hospice patient nutritional needs will help to determine if there is any appetite change or ability to take the food in and keep it. Based on a study of the non-hospice end-of-life experience of 3,357 seriously ill patients who died reported 40% were in severe pain prior to their death, and 25% experienced moderate to great anxiety of depression before they died (Lynn, 1997). However, hospice is a compassionate way to deliver health care and supportive services. Despite the low South Dakota’s death rate compare the national death rate, the two leading causes of death are heart disease and cancer, accounted for half of South Dakota deaths. Healthy lifestyle changes are critical in reducing deaths due to cancer and heart disease. These modifications can be accomplished by reducing tobacco use, increasing physical activity, and developing healthy eating habits. Minorities in South Dakota include African American, Asian, and Hispanic populations. In general, language barriers, transportation, finances, and lack of insurance were found to be the issues encountered by minorities in seeking adequate health care. Furthermore, end of life care is not reach minority population and remains as a national issue. The majority of hospice patient care is provided in the place patient calls â€Å"home†. In addition to private residences, this includes nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As the health care becomes better, the population lives longer. Nursing home patients benefit from hospice services as much as people living in their homes. According to studies, nursing home residents enrolled in hospice were less likely to be hospitalized in the final 30 days of their life (24% vs. 44%) (Miller, 2001). They were more likely to be assessed for pain, were twice as likely to receive pain management within clinical guidelines (Miller, 2004). Large percentage of elderly people receives home hospice service. Many homes need some modifications for the hospice services to be provided. For example, a bedroom may need to be relocated to a main level of the house for those who have difficulties claiming stairs. There is widening of the hallways may be required to accommodate a wheelchair access. Because of the growing number of people who wish to stay and receive care at home, general contractors are available to assess remodeling needs. A number of programs and sources provide reduced rates, loans, or free services with home modifications.

Support Learning Activities

Describe how a learning support practitioner may contribute to the planning, delivery and review of learning. What learning support strategies have you used or could you use to meet the needs of your learners?Learning support practitioners can be an invaluable resource in the successful planning, delivery and review of learning. They can offer immeasurable support to the teacher and, most importantly, to the pupils. However, that support is only truly effective if it is organized, structured and consistent – both in terms of the learning objectives set by the teacher and the pupil’s own learning needs. There are many ways in which a learning support practitioner can contribute to the Classroom Process Cycle1 (planning > preparing > doing > reviewing etc. ) but let’s look at just some of them.Planning is essential to working efficiently and effectively as a learning support practitioner (or teaching assistant). Without planning how you intend to support the pupilà ¢â‚¬â„¢s learning you run the likely risk of not just wasting their time whilst you organise yourself, but also providing inconsistent and often conflicting or confusing messages to the children. If you are not ‘on the same page’ as the teacher then there is a possibility of inadvertently contradicting them which in turn confuses the pupil, clouding their understanding and ultimately creating obstacles to them achieving their learning objectives.This is counteractive to learning, which could not be further from the purpose of the teaching assistant role. The ways in which a learning support practitioner can contribute to the planning are numerous, from the obvious preparation of equipment and a safe environment conducive to learning to providing insightful input regarding pupil’s individual learning needs and abilities based on their own experience.Offering your own observations of effective support strategies based on your acquired knowledge of a pupil’s abilities can be a priceless resource for the teacher, who may never themselves have the chance to gain such insights into an individual child’s learning style. The opportunities for one to one time between teachers and pupils are very few and far between so the observations of a teaching assistant, who works more often with smaller groups and individuals, can be vital in providing a more in depth and detailed view into what strategies he or she thinks will work –  especially when dealing with specific or specialist learning needs.The truth is, of course, that there is never one learning strategy that works for any one child. Learning support strategies need to be fluid and the support practitioner needs to be able to adapt from one to another as and when the situation requires. You may need to remind the pupil of the teaching points, make sure they are concentrating, question them and encourage them to ask questions themselves.My own experience of working with a sma ll group preparing a presentation on the six wives of Henry VIII was that there was a constant need to continually remind the five pupils of the aim of the exercise – namely that they needed to have a finished, structured and lucid presentation at the end of it! The temptation amongst them was to concentrate on the more ‘fun’ aspects of their research (in this case tales of extra-marital affairs, incest and beheadings!) and on preparing skits and drawings but they were clearly losing sight of the fact that all this had to hang together as a coherent presentation with equal participation from each pupil.Making sure the pupils concentrated and didn’t get sidetracked, reminding them of the teaching points and giving them constant encouraging yet guiding feedback were key strategies I used in making sure the task was completed successfully. The delivery of learning support is not complete, however, until you have fed back to both the pupil and the teacher and reviewed your own success as a learning support practitioner.In feeding back to the pupil it is vital that your feedback is constructive. This does not necessarily mean it has to be positive but it is vital that it is not destructive. It should serve to encourage and help the pupil. Feeding back to the teacher is equally as important as this will provide the teacher with information as to individual pupils’ progress, any difficulties they might be having (or indeed that you might be having) and this in turn will feed into planning for the next lesson as per Wilkinson’s Classroom Process Cycle.The importance of the role of teaching assistant should not be underestimated as they provide essential support to both teachers and pupils alike. As the demands put upon teachers are increased seemingly year by year, the learning support practitioner is there to contribute to all aspects of the planning, delivery and review of learning giving a broader support structure for the t eachers and a more complete learning experience for the pupils.

Strong and Weak Vowels in Spanish

Strong and Weak Vowels in Spanish Vowels in Spanish are classified as either weak or strong, and the classification determines when combinations of two or more vowels are considered to form a separate syllable. Key Takeaways: Spanish Vowels The strong vowels of Spanish are a, e, and o; the weak vowels are i and u.When two strong vowels are next to each other, they form separate syllables; in other combinations, the vowels are in the same syllable.Two vowels next to each other form a diphthong; three vowels next to each other form a triphthong. Two Types of Vowels The strong vowels of Spanish - sometimes known as open vowels- are a, e, and o. The weak vowels - sometimes known as closed vowels or semivowels- are i and u. Y often serves as a weak vowel as well, functioning in the same way and sounding the same as i. The basic rule of vowel combinations and syllables is that two strong vowels cannot be in the same syllable, so that when two strong vowels are next to each other, they are considered to belong to separate syllables. But other combinations - such as a strong and a weak vowel or two weak vowels - form a single syllable. Be aware that in real life, especially in rapid speech, two strong vowels, such as in the words maestro and Oaxaca, often slide together to be pronounced in a way that may sound like a single syllable or very close to it. But they are still considered separate syllables for writing purposes, such as when dividing words at the end of a line or for the use of accent marks. Keep in mind that vowel sounds in Spanish tend to be purer than they are in English. In English, for example, the word boa (a type of snake) often sounds something like boh-wah, while in Spanish boa sounds more like boh-ah. This is because English speakers often pronounce the long o with a slight ooh sound at the end, while Spanish speakers do not. Diphthongs When a strong and a weak vowel or two weak vowels combine to form a single syllable, they form a diphthong. An example of a diphthong is the ai combination in baile (dance). The ai combination here sounds much like the English word eye. Another example is the ui combination in fui, which to the English speaker sounds much like fwee. Here are some fairly common words that include diphthongs (shown in boldface): puerto (port), tierra (earth), siete (seven), hay (there is or there are), cuida (care), ciudad (city), labio (lip), hacia (toward), paisano (peasant), cancià ³n (song), Europa (Europe), aire (air). In some words, a strong and weak vowel or two weak vowels dont merge together but instead form separate syllables. In those cases, a written accent over the weak vowel is used to show the distinction. A common example is the name Marà ­a. Without the accent mark, the name would be pronounced much like MAHR-yah. In effect, the accent mark turns the i into a strong vowel. Other words where an accent mark is used to keep a weak vowel from becoming part of a diphthong include rà ­o (river), heroà ­na (heroine), dà ºo (duet) and paà ­s (country). If there is an accent over the strong vowel, it doesnt destroy the diphthong. For example, in adià ³s, the accent merely indicates where the spoken stress goes but doesnt affect how the vowels work together. Triphthongs Occasionally, a diphthong can combine with a third vowel to form a triphthong. Triphthongs never have two strong vowels in them; they are formed by either three weak vowels or a strong vowel with two weak vowels. Words that have triphthongs include Uruguay (Uruguay), estudiis (you study) and buey (ox). Note that for purposes of the written accent, the y is considered a consonant even if it is functioning as a vowel. Thus the final syllable of Uruguay is what gets the stress; thats where the stress goes on words ending in a consonant other than n or s. If the final letter were an i, the word would need to be spelled Urugui to maintain the pronunciation.

Harry Potter Essay Example

Harry Potter Essay Example Harry Potter Essay Harry Potter Essay Many parents and school boards have challenged the presence of these books in libraries and school curricula. While Rolling attempts to represent the connection between good and evil in the Harry Potter series, many feel that series contents depict violence because the story deals with ghosts, cults and encourage cheating, corruption, lying and witchcraft; these ideas oppose several of the teachings of The Bible. Many disputes have risen over the series contents, especially in regards to its effect on young children. J. K. Rolling Harry Potter series has been questioned for its supposed inappropriate content and Its frequent use of Which supporting philosophies and has been banned and challenged In many schools and libraries worldwide since its publication in 1998. J. K. Rolling shows the ultimate victory of good overcoming evil through messages that embody love and courage In her novels J. K. Rolling expresses that the evil she portrayed In her novels was intentional. She utilizes evil characters such as Lord Voltmeter who has the ability to make others his slaves by dwelling in their bodies because she couldnt pretend that when dealing with evil, no one gets hurt (Rolling). The novel was banned in Zealand, Michigan shortly after its publication. Gary L. Fenniest, Superintendent of schools in Zealand, made a restriction on reading, sherries in school environment in any kind of way after he first read the books. Many concerned parents started to complain when their kids would go home and tell them scary stories about witches and goblins that involved spells. : Rev. Lori Joe Speeches, a worried parent expresses that as we expose our kids to the occult, we expose our kids to blood, to violence, and desensitizing them to that, (Savage). They let that their kids were not mature enough to handle such abrupt violence and did not want them to come home with new ideas that would eventually lead to their own downfall. As most parents would, they believed in keeping their kids away from evil by limiting their access to it. Some parents suggested that this kind of exposure to occult (Savage) will eventually lead to deadly violence such as the shooting that occurred In columbine High school In Littleton, Colorado. The books were supposedly harming their vulnerable children because they believed that their kids are like pongee, and they will soak things up and sometimes store them for a while before they spit them back out (Savings). On November 22 1999, parents and the superintendent decided to take action against this potential harm by making some firm pronouncements. They decided that the Harry Potter series cannot be displayed in school libraries, and if the student desires to read them, they must receive their I OFF As a result, the American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression, an organization that completely disapproved of the decision, lashed out against the school decision to attics a minority of students and parents by banning the Harry Potter series because it would deprive a majority of students whose parents do not have an issue with this. As the organization became more adamant in its position, the advisory committee recommended reviewing the decision of Fenniest and the school staff. On May 1 1, 2000, Fenniest accepted its recommendation and retained the only the classroom readings for elementary school students. However, the Harry Potter series began to face an increasing number of opposition as the years passed. In the very next year, in March, Harry Potter was banned once again in the I-J. Carol Rockford, Principal of SST Mars Island Church of England School in Chatham, Kent expresses her opinion about the Harry Potter series as a part of the school curriculum. Rockford, speaking on the issue, states that the nature of the stories does not fit in with the schools church ethos (School Bans Harry Potter 1). Rockford and the other school staff felt that the books did not match up with their religious beliefs and clashed with the teachings of the bible. In her opinion, they promote what the Bible clearly condemns, I. E. , witchcraft and sorcery (Banes, 5). Expanding on the motive behind the decision, Rockford states, the Bible is very clear and consistent in its teachings that wizards, devils and demons exist and are very real, powerful and dangerous and Gods people are told to have nothing to do with them. We are a Church of England aided primary school which means the church ethos is very important to what we do. (Robinson). Rosewoods strong position about the Harry Potter series in the school library shelves sparked uproar among many. National Secular Society stated that it is wrong to remove the series from schools because it had always been an imagination booster and banning these books would be doing students a great disservice. INS General Secretary Keith Portentous makes a comment that Childrens imaginations have been nourished for centuries with stories of wizards, witches and fairies (School Bans Harry Potter 1). From the US, Author J. K. Rolling defended her books and said that the books are in fact moral. She states that the good and evil is hat shapes the story, and that the novels needed to include such ingredients to honestly tell their stories. (School Bans Harry Potterl). This did not stop Carol Rosewoods and the school staffs firm decision. In 2005, Genuine County, Georgia, Laura Mallory argued to ban the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Cabana from J. C Magical Elementary school, where her four kids attended school. Originally from Louisville, she argued that since teachers do not assign books such as the Bible for student reading, Harry Potter should not be assigned either Mallory thought that the kooks are harmful to children. She said, The good characters lie, cheat and steal and are not punished. The stories encourage children to perform spells and promote Which. (Diamond). Mallory trusts the school system to protect her precious young children and she certainly doesnt want them indoctrinated into Wisconsin (Ban Harry Potter or face more school shootings). As a result of Mallory attempt to ban the books, Genuine officials argued that the books are a good learning tool and encourage children to read and to spark creativity and imagination (Ban Harry Potter or face more school shootings). The School Board argued that banning books Victoria Sweeney, an attorney representing the Gannett County Board of Education, expressed that it would be wrong to remove the book from schools based on one persons opinion. On December 14, 2006, the Georgia Board ruled that there is no reason for the books to be banned, thus stating that the parent failed to prove her point that the series promotes the Which religion and therefore that the books availability in public schools does not constitute advocacy of a religion (Harry Potter ND the Prisoner of Cabana). The books were also banned in Wakefield, Massachusetts when Rev Ron Barker, SST. Josephs pastor, removed the books from the school libraries claiming that witchcraft and magic are not appropriate enough to be a part of a Catholic school. While many agreed with Barker, many other students and parents were upset about the decision because it was made without notice. Rick Hudson, a parent who has sent his three children to SST. Josephs School, expressed that he was upset that this was done in the first place but he was more upset that it as done in secret. A mother, who asked that her name not be used, said, l think the spirit of what hes doing is the right thing. I believe he is sincerely interested in the childrens well-being. (Luggage). She trusts Barkers Judgment and believes he would never do harm for the students. Ever since its original publication in 1998, J. K. Rolling Harry Potter has sparked much controversy over the years. As one of the most banned books, it is no surprise that many parents and school boards challenge the presence of the books in libraries and school curricula. According to he American Library Association, every year from 1999 to 2002, Harry Potter topped the list of titles challenged or targeted for censorship Len 2003, it ranked second (Bald, 125). Rolling attempt to represent the association between good and evil failed in many places in the United States and other countries as well. J. K. Rolling Harry Potter series is a work that has been questioned for its supposedly violent content and particularly its repeated use of philosophies behind witchcraft that promote Which, and as a result, has been banned or challenged in many schools and libraries around the world.

Soft Skills in the Workplace First Day Do’s and Donts

Soft Skills in the Workplace First Day Do’s and Donts So you’ve applied, interviewed, received  the job offer, filled out all the paperwork, and  read through the company orientation manual. Now what? Joining a new company often means learning what systems are already in  progress. Who do you report to? How will you be given new assignments? Do you  get to prioritize for yourself, or will your supervisor be managing your day-to-day  tasks? You can’t meet or exceed expectations if you don’t know what they are!Your First Day In The OfficeMake sure you bring something to write with and something to write on! If you’re  invited to attend meetings right away, sit back and observe; it’s usually better to direct  any questions to your immediate supervisor or office neighbor later, instead of  disrupting the discussion. Draw yourself a seating chart to record your new  coworkers’ names and where they sat (it will help you to put names with faces) and  take notes to start getting up t o speed.DOs1. Take initiativeThis doesn’t mean going rogue or being resistant to existing  company practices, but you can demonstrate that you’re an independent thinker  by coming up with your own way to complete an assignment and running it by  your supervisor to get approval. They may appreciate that you’re already  thinking of ways to innovate. If they want to redirect you, be receptive to the  feedback.2. Get to know your neighborsSet a goal of introducing yourself to one coworker  a day until you know at least everyone on your team or anyone with whom your  department interacts regularly. Don’t be distracting or monopolize their time, but even a few moments of chatting  as you refill a cup of coffee can help you develop working relationships with your  colleagues.3. Volunteer for projectsIf you’re in a meeting and someone higher up the food  chain is looking for someone to lead a new project or supervise the execution of aà ‚  new initiative, consider whether your workload could accommodate an addition  (and check with your boss). It’s better to be the person who says â€Å"Yes, I can  handle that for you- anything else?† than the person who sits silently while an  opportunity passes them by.DON’Ts1. ComplainEven if your old office gave out free coffee and omelets every  morning and all your new office seems to have is stale animal crackers, you  should approach your first weeks on the job with a continuation of your best  interview behavior. Don’t let your reputation become that of somebody who  gripes instead of saying good morning, or is convinced the grass was greener on  the other side of the fence.2. Act helplessIf you’re really and truly stuck, don’t waste time struggling under  the radar. But with run-of-the-mill IT issues, small-scale office needs, or learning  new software, cultivate a sense of self-sufficiency. A needy employee di stracts  coworkers and signals the boss that they’re not ready for more responsibility.3. Get too comfortable too quicklyBe aware of the prevailing office culture and  do your best not to disrupt it by cluttering shared space or bringing in too many  photos or knickknacks from home. There’s always time to bring more of your  personality into the office once you’ve established yourself as a professional first,  a cat or dog or sports enthusiast second.4. Mock HR PoliciesWhether your orientation was a quick spin around the office  complex or a more formal company-wide presentation, demonstrate your  professionalism by taking them seriously- from the basics, like adhering to a dress  code, to the legal standards of conduct, like refraining personal comments about  your coworkers.

METHODOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

METHODOLOGY - Essay Example Research Design A research design is critical in establishing the outlay upon which data analysis will occur. A research design aids in achievement of the research objectives through a purposeful articulation of the overall theme of the research (Katherine, 1998, p.2). In addition, the research design helps in explaining the reason for which a particular kind of data is necessary for the research (Kiecolt & & Nathan, 1985, p.6). The design helps in showing the intended use of the data in a way that seeks to attain the research objectives. The research design for this research seeks to marry the objectives of research with the practical possibilities that are achievable from our chosen method of data collection. This research makes use of both quantitative and qualitative secondary data to unravel elements in the data that reveal information consistent with our research aims. By a combination of authentic secondary data sources, our methodology will help use comprehensively fulfill th e intended research objectives. ... the secondary data used in this research are government records, industry data sources, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, journal publications, books, annual reports, magazines, and company data. Specifically, the research uses data touching on various aspects of shareholder rights in UK, US and China. Some of the data discussing shareholder issues include books on corporate governance discussing companies, and other sources exploring the place of shareholders. Information needed Secondary sources help in identifying related areas of research, which require further inquiry. In addition, secondary data sources outlining the legal frameworks upon which shareholders base their actions undergo careful analysis regard to each of the three countries under study. For the achievement of this purpose, sources of data from professional corporate regulatory bodies such as the ICSA and GAAP form a constituent part of the research framework. With the use of such sources of da ta, we can comprehend the legal groundwork on which shareholders can operate. In consideration of the research objective, which emphasizes the use of real life cases from companies from each of the three countries, three companies, one from each country goes under scrutiny for this analysis. The case studies help us to gain a more intimate understanding of shareholder behavior, and legal realities the shareholders face for each of the three countries. In particular, secondary data from three companies aid in achievement of this objective: Balfour Beatty Plc. of UK, KBR of the US, and CNOOC limited from China. For the research to display a more encompassing perspective on the issues under consideration, the research also enlists the use of company data and annual reports to identify details

Analysing your diet using diet plan 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysing your diet using diet plan 6 - Essay Example Other than macronutrients, vitamins have different functions to play in a human body. Vitamins referred to as micronutrients. These include Vitamin C, D, E, B6, B12 etc. Each micronutrient plays respective role in the correct functioning of biological systems. The fact remains that the nutrients, both micro and macro, are absorbed in the body and then transported to the destinations where they are suited for best workability. The absorption of micronutrients takes a number of hours. As soon as the absorption takes place, it can be well noted that these nutrients are transferred into blood vessels. There is always a stored amount of nutrients in human body which would make sure that they are recovered during the days when the amount of nutrient (specific) is less. Also, micronutrients are basically water soluble which means that the transfer of these nutrients to other organs would be helping human body to reduce deficiency in a lesser duration. Method: See Handout Results: Following the stated method, a number of findings were noted regarding the intake of food providing certain rate of energy in the body. The results can be visibly understandable if they are compared with he standardized results of intake i.e. Reference Nutrients Intake (RNI). For instance, by careful dietary analysis, it comes to understanding that energy intake rate must be 2217 Kcal whereas the intake taken by me in a day that compared to the energy standard of RNI was 1271 Kcal. Here, it can be noted that I need to work on this standard as I am having a deficiency of energy. In addition, carbohydrate (g) measure as per the analysis notes to be 336.8 while the intake measurement was 80.8g. This denotes that the amount of carbohydrates being taken by me in a day is lesser than the standard measurement point. Proteins can be considered as the nutrients which I have marked overly different intake measure than the expected one. This is visible from the measurements both standard and my per day consumption (Goestenkors & Day, 2011). The rate of proteins that I undertook in a day is noted be 101.8g while the standard is 45.0g. Similarly, the intake of Fat as marked in the software is 61.9g while standard rate 86.2g. Followed by the rate of Fat intake is the measurement of calcium as per RNI should be 700mg while the intake by me in a day was found out to be 338mg. Furthermore, the measurement of vitamin c was marked as 61 whereas usual intake as per RNI should be 40mg. Nutrients Unit Intake Per day R.N.I Per 100g Energy Kcal 1271 1271 2217 74 Fat g 61.9 61.9 86.2 3.6 Protein g 101.8 101.8 45.0 5.9 Carbohydrates g 80.8 80.8 336.3 4.7 Vitamin C 61 61 40 4 Calcium Ca 388 388 700 23 Table 1: The RNI measures and Daily intake measures Discussion The evaluation that was undertaken in this exercise helped me understand the fact that there are a number of shortcomings that can be noted in my daily routine intake (Hesli & Mills, 1999). The above results have marked it quiet evidentl y that there are some of the nutrients that are relatively lesser in my daily routine. This gives a clear idea that I need to work on the ways which can reduce the deficiency (Amend, et al., 2006). The areas where I have lacked a great deal are merely carbohydrates and energy. In order to make sure that I am coping with the measurement of carbohydrates, I would be eating food that is rich in carbohydrates bananas, brown rice etc (Meleis, 2011). There can be a portion of this food that I can take in a day to make sure that

Household Saving In Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Household Saving In Australia - Essay Example Though the household savings rate has improved since bottoming out in 2003, they are still well below typical historical levels. After reaching a high of nearly 15 percent by the 1980s, there has been a steady decline, which hit a modern low of -2.7 percent in 2003 (Statistics portal 2009). The level has remained low and has shown no correlation to the rate of GDP growth during the last 30 years (Statistics portal 2009). However, the declining rate has a significant correlation to the personal debt to income ratio, as "in the 1980's, the average household owed less than $50 in debt for every $100 in income. In just 15 years, the ratio has tripled to almost $160 in debt for every $100 of income" (Gilbert & Disney, 2007, p.1). People are using disposable income to pay down and manage their debt, and there are little left for saving. Individually there are numerous reasons why an individual may choose to put some money aside, or fail to save anything. However, as a population there are some trends. Almost 75 percent of the people that make less than 20K per year had any savings, and this figure increased with income reaching 95 percent for those making over 60K (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). In addition, people making over 60K were twice as likely to be saving for retirement, while those that make less than 20K were saving for an unforeseen emergency (Harris, Loundes, & Webster 2002, p.209). It has also been reported that women tend to save more than their male counterparts due to their living longer and having more retirement years (Loundes 1999, p.22). Superannuation and other 'forced' mechanisms for savings have been credited for the slight rebound in savings levels in recent years. Societies that saved have traditionally been thought to have healthy economies, but too much saving may reduce demand and slow the economy. Demand side economists suggest that in times of an economic slowdown, consumers and the government should borrow and spend rather than save. According to Skousen (2001, p.362), "if the public decides to save more during an economic turndown, it only makes matters worse". Consumers purchase fewer products, industry lays off workers, and there is less income to save. However, critics of demand side policies contend that increased savings would "have a favourable effect on interest rates, the rate of inflation, the current account deficit and future living standards" (Vamos 2008). The debate on individual savings is no less contentious than it was 75 years ago when Keynes argued that we could spend our way out of a depression. In conclusion, Australia has been following the world trend of a reduced level of savings for the last 30 years. In the current economic downturn, the time may not be ideal to recommend saving for the general public. However, for the individual there is never a wrong time. Savings may be needed for an unforeseen emergency or for their coming retirement, as well as help stabilize an economy that is already in a significant downturn. References Gilbert, R & Disney, S (eds.) 2007, Australia's National Saving Revisited: Where do we stand now, Press release from IFSA's National Savings Report, Sydney, AU, viewed 14 May

Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Auditing - Essay Example 2). Inventories should always be stated at the lower cost and the market prices or the net realizable value. The net realizable value is the amount that the asset can fetch as at the reporting date, less the estimated costs required to complete the transaction. These could include selling costs and overhead costs. The values stated in the inventories of Abbey Plc. in the annual report for the year 2014 should be tested adequately to ensure that they are the correct market values of such inventories. Fixed assets are critical items, which the auditor should ascertain and ensure that values attached to them are their correct fair values to be disclosed to the shareholders (Rittenberg et al. 2011, p. 626). Disclosing the values of the fixed assets in excess of their correct fair values would make the financial statements to be overstated; thus provide shareholders with a wrong financial position of their company. Trade and other receivables should be recognized and carried at the lower cost of their original invoiced value and the recoverable amount. In case the time value of money is material, receivables should be carried at the amortized cost. The company should make provisions in situations where there is some adequate evidence that the amount would not be recovered in full. The balances should be written off when the chances of recovery are assessed as being remote (Henning et al. 2007, p. 313). Adequate audit procedures should be done to ensure that the company did not make too much or too little provision to cater for trade and other receivables, which could not be recovered. Also, before writing off bad debts, all the relevant procedures should be followed since some managers may decide to write off debts, which could not be written off with the objective of hiding the correct amount of revenue collected by the company

Introduction to Policy Process Framework Dissertation

Introduction to Policy Process Framework - Dissertation Example A fact worth noting is that without such a regulatory policy, many of the private insurers exploited consumers in different ways. For example, consumers of health insurance lacked adequate information concerning the available services offered in the marketplace. Each of these stakeholders contributed immensely to the development of the provision that requires private insurers to have an interactive marketplace. Consumers recognized that the policy would place them in a better position to understand the different available policies and make the right choice concerning the preferred health insurance coverage. Consultation with different stakeholders and interest groups led to the development of the policy that needed to be implemented by private insurers (Tate, 2012). Specifically, the government exhibits a measure of control on the premium rates defined by private insurers. The government does so to ensure that private insurance companies do not exploit Americans. There was a heated d ebate concerning the structure of the marketplace because it differed from what many stakeholders knew. The development of the structure of the modern marketplace depended on the views of all the stakeholders. The Affordable Care Act has provisions that represent redistributive policies. Specifically, the Affordable Care Act outlines that rich Americans should be highly taxed so that the taxes can cover the health insurance of lower social class. There is an existing gap between the upper class and the lower class because the rich have access to more opportunities. A close analysis of the uninsured in the United States reveals that the lower class cannot afford health insurance coverage. Additionally, the lower class is denied opportunities of having health insurance coverage because of the premium rates determined by the insurance companies (Morgan & Boardman, 2012).

Analysis of Vocational Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of Vocational Leader - Essay Example It resulted to people becoming more preoccupied with maximization of wealth than serving the common good. To avoid this tendency, the book Vocation of a Business Leader: A Reflection prescribed that leaders should be more preoccupied in producing goods and services that addresses human genuine needs, that they should be more responsible in conducting themselves and their businesses. The issues covered in the book is very much related to Accounting because the recent corporate scandals that rocked America and slid this country into recession was caused by the issues tackled in the book- too much emphasis on wealth maximization rather than producing goods and services that serves genuine human needs. Companies such as Enron and Worldcom cheated on their financial reports so that their company would appear good and attract more investors and continue to receive financial rewards (i.e. fat bonuses). If the prescription in the book will be seriously taken, managers and executives would instead look after the welfare of the community at large before their own. This issues is not limited to companies but also on a personal level. Young people now tend to think how their acts would benefit themselves first before being motivated to do it. For example, when one starts a business, it is the profit that is being considered first before creating a product or service that would serve its customers

Introduction to Policy Process Framework Dissertation

Introduction to Policy Process Framework - Dissertation Example A fact worth noting is that without such a regulatory policy, many of the private insurers exploited consumers in different ways. For example, consumers of health insurance lacked adequate information concerning the available services offered in the marketplace. Each of these stakeholders contributed immensely to the development of the provision that requires private insurers to have an interactive marketplace. Consumers recognized that the policy would place them in a better position to understand the different available policies and make the right choice concerning the preferred health insurance coverage. Consultation with different stakeholders and interest groups led to the development of the policy that needed to be implemented by private insurers (Tate, 2012). Specifically, the government exhibits a measure of control on the premium rates defined by private insurers. The government does so to ensure that private insurance companies do not exploit Americans. There was a heated d ebate concerning the structure of the marketplace because it differed from what many stakeholders knew. The development of the structure of the modern marketplace depended on the views of all the stakeholders. The Affordable Care Act has provisions that represent redistributive policies. Specifically, the Affordable Care Act outlines that rich Americans should be highly taxed so that the taxes can cover the health insurance of lower social class. There is an existing gap between the upper class and the lower class because the rich have access to more opportunities. A close analysis of the uninsured in the United States reveals that the lower class cannot afford health insurance coverage. Additionally, the lower class is denied opportunities of having health insurance coverage because of the premium rates determined by the insurance companies (Morgan & Boardman, 2012).

How technology has influenced the Thomson Travel Agency Essay

How technology has influenced the Thomson Travel Agency - Essay Example From this, it is quite obvious that travel agents play a vital role in this business. When armed with technological knowledge, they form a force to reckon with. Surveys conducted by various people outline the importance of the latter in influencing consumer’s decisions on the destinations to take. From the time a person decides to make any trip, they are usually faced with the decisions of which airline to take, the particular place to visit if on holiday, convenience and efficiency of the whole process. Due to the boom of technological advancements, potential passengers or tourists can by the click of a button, peruse the options availed to them. However, this information can be mind boggling to an extent that it can became more of a headache than a resourceful tool. Thus, travel agents can make recommendations to their clients and help them in choosing the particular travel package that would best suit them depending on their needs (Howard 1963). It is like they completely allow these people to take over all their travel arrangements so that, all that is required of them are to show up. Tour operators are thus faced with the key role of advertising their products. Marketing becomes an important tool so as to stay in business, of which, travel agents are made to go out of their way to infuse better marketing strategies (Birner & Booms1982). Computer technology provided a way to effectively manage all the extensive information concerning general travel. For example, with introduction of the Computer reservations systems (CRS) in 1953, that was later converted to the Semi Automated Business Research Environment (Sabre). This was a combination of CRS and global distribution system (GDS) that provided a wide load of travel information and reservations. â€Å"Directional selling† which involved the sale of package holidays using a complex chain of travel agents, is a practice that has become

Discrimination And Empowerment Mental Health Social Work Essay

Discrimination And Empowerment Mental Health Social Work Essay This essay will firstly define what discrimination is and what it means to discriminate. Examples will be used to demonstrate what discrimination may look like. A definition of empowerment will also be used. The essay will then critically explore theory and ideas around power and how power manifests between groups. This part of the essay will touch on the idea of othering. The essay will move on to focus on mental health, race and racism. The essay will use the idea that mental illness is a social construct and look at how mental illness can be open to influences of racism from society (Bailey 2004). The essay will make links to institutional racism in mental health and psychiatry. In a basic sense to discriminate means to: differentiate or to recognise a distinction (Oxford Dictionaries 2012). In this basic sense it is a part of daily life to discriminate. For example, a baby will often discriminate between a stranger and their caregiver. Discrimination becomes a problem when the difference or recognised distinction is used for the basis of unfair treatment or exclusion (Thompson 2012). Anti-discriminatory practice in social work concerns itself with discrimination that has negative outcomes; whether this is negative discrimination or positive discrimination. Both are equally as damaging. Thompson (1998) defines discrimination as a process where individuals are divided into particular social groups with an uneven distribution of power, resources, opportunities and even rights. Discrimination is not always intentional (Thompson 2009) and there are various types of discrimination (EHRC 2012). Discrimination can be direct, indirect, based on perception or on association (EHRC 2012). The Equality Act 2010 is legislation that protects individuals and groups against discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 brought together several pieces of legislation to protect several protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Discrimination does not just occur on a personal level, according to Thompson (2012), discrimination occurs on three levels; personal, cultural and structure. This will be explored more later on. Empowerment is a term that often comes in to play when examining discrimination; therefore it is important to have an understanding of both. Empowerment is the capacity of individuals or groups to take control of their circumstance and use their power to help themselves and others to maximise the quality of their lives (Adams 2008: xvi). Empowerment is then not an absence of discrimination and power but an individuals capacity to own or share that power and take control. Therefore empowerment is an anti-oppressive practice not an anti-discriminatory one. They are linked but not the same. Social workers act as mediators between service users and the state. Social workers are in a role that can potentially empower or oppress (Thompson 1997). For this reason Thompson (1997: 11) argues that good practice must be anti-discriminatory practice, no matter how high the standards of practice are in other respects (Thompson 2012). Thompson (1997) reminds the reader many times throughout his book that If youre not part of the solution you are part of the problem. I choose to include this because it reinforces that social workers need to challenge discrimination and take action against it. Discrimination is political, sociological and psychological (Thompson 2012). To accept and tolerate it and to not to challenge it does indeed make social workers part of the problem. Discrimination has links with power which the essay will move on to explain next. As defined by the Oxford Dictionary (2012) power is the ability or capacity to do something; the capacity or ability to act in a particular way to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events; or physical strength or force exerted by someone. From this definition power could be seen as a coercive force or authoritarian. However, some theorists would argue that there is more to power than just coercion and authority. Parsons (1969 cited Rogers 2008) took a different view on power. He saw power as a way of maintaining social order instead of a force for individual gain (Rogers 2008). Parsons (1969 cited Rogers 2008) believed that to be able to enforce coercive action and justify it, there needs to be a collective interest from the social system as a whole (Rogers 2008). Lukes (1974) would disagree with Parsons definition on power. Lukes argues that power is less abstract (Rogers 2008) and that exercising power is the decision to exert control. Lukes (1974:74) illustrates this point as: A exercises power over B when A effects B in a manner contrary to Bs interests. Dominelli (2008) focuses more on the idea of competing power; which group has more power than the other. This splits people to either be in the dominant group or the minority. A dominant group tends to be deemed superior, and with superiority comes privilege (Dominelli 2008). As a result the other group is deemed inferior, the minority and disadvantaged. It is this compound of dominance and oppression that discrimination derives from (Rogers 2008). It is a groups perceived superiorly over another group (Thompson 2012) that justifies coercive action, control and discrimination. When people form oppressive relationships the tendency is to make a strategic decision that excludes a particular group or individuals from accessing power and resources (Dominelli 2002). Othering can be experienced as multiple; multiple oppression. People can be othered simultaneously due to a number of social divisions (Domenelli 2002), for example, being a black woman who experiences mental health issues. Social workers need to recognise power and its links to discrimination. Not to could further oppress (Thompson 2012). It can feel uncomfortable to be in the privileged position; whether this is as a white person or a man and so on. The privileged group need to engage in the fight for equality (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). White people need to engage with the fight against racism and accept responsibility for racism as it is a problem of white society and therefore involves white people (Strawbridge cited Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). This explanation can be applied to any other groups that are considered to be the other. Rogers and Pilgrim (2006: 15) suggest that superiority is a social construction: a product of human activity. Dominelli (2002) goes further to say that oppression itself is a social construct as oppressive relations are not pre-determined but they are reproduced between social interactions and routines. Language is often used as a key part of social interaction and is also a very powerful tool. This relates heavily to social work as social workers are responsible for writing reports/care plans/assessments. Depending on how social workers word written pieces of work can indeed paint a very different picture of the service user they are working with. I was once told that words are the bullets of prejudice, this illustrates that labels and language can be powerful, damaging, potentially discriminatory and oppressive. Although labels can be damaging they are a part of social interaction. Labels help us to construct our social world and we use them to find similarities and differences to process the world around us (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007). Although the process of labelling is fundamental to human behaviour and interaction (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007:19) social workers need to be aware of when these labels have the potential to be damaging, oppressive and rein forcers of discrimination. Social workers need to reflect and consider what labels they give people and what impacts this may have. Labels can be used to change or sustain power relations which can have an impact on prejudice and on achieving equality (Moncrieffe and Eyben 2007). This essay will use the themes discussed so far to focus in on mental health as an area of practice and critically explore institutionalised racism within mental health practice and psychiatry. To begin I will briefly return to Thompsons (2012) PCS analysis in relation to mental health and race. The P level is our own individual attitudes and feelings (Thompson 2012). Although it is important to examine our own beliefs we do not live in a moral and political vacuum (Coppock and Dunn 2010: 8). For this reason Thompson (2012) also refers to the cultural (C) and structural (S). P is embedded in C and C and P in S which builds up interlocking layers of discrimination; personal, cultural and structural. The C level is where we learn our norms and values. Individuals learn these values and norms through the process of socialisation which occurs through social institutions such as the family, religion and the media (Haralambos and Holborn 2008). These institutions can produce ideas about what is considered normal or right (Coppock and Dunn 2010). From this it is not surprising that there is an attitude in society that people who experience mental health issues are violent and a danger to society; even though there is no relationship between mental health and violence (Rogers and Pilgrim 2006). However, the general media uses terms like psycho (Ward 2012) or crazed gunman (Perrie 2011) in relation to acts of violence creates prejudice. This prejudice can then be used to discriminate. For example, a community may not want a mental home to open near them as the mental people will cause a threat to their community. The S level is the level of institutional oppression and discrimination. Ideas that Thompson (2012: 34) refers to as being sewn in to the fabric of society. Western psychiatry is laden with cultural values and assumptions that are based on western culture (Coppock and Dunn 2010). This suggests that western and white is normality and anything that deviates from this is abnormal (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012), or as previously discussed; other. It is the C and S level which the essay will focus on more. Institutional racism explains how institutional structures, systems and the process embedded in society and structures that promote racial inequality (Jones 1997). It is considered to be the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin (MacPherson 1999). Jones (cited Marlow and Loveday 2000: 30) goes further than this definition to also include laws, customs, and practices which systematically reflect and produce racial inequalities. Institutional racism is believed to be a more subtle and covert type of racism (Bhui 2002) and often said to be unintentional (Griffith et al 2007). BME groups are differently represented in psychiatry (Sashidharan 2001). People of African-Caribbean heritage are over represented yet people of Asian heritage underrepresented in mental health settings (Sashidharan 2001). As BME groups deviate from the white norms they appear to receive either too much attention or too little (Sashidharan 2001). This would suggest that the systems which operate within psychiatry are institutionally racist. Both race and mental illness are social constructs (Thompson 1997; Bailey 2004). Thompson (1997) argues that despite the lack in biological evidence for the explanation of racial categories it is still a widely common way of thinking. Bailey (2004) argues that mental illness has always been a social construct therefore open to racism and other forms of discrimination. The declassification of homosexuality in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) illustrates Baileys (2004) point. Race immediately brings up issues around power and the relationship between what is seen as natural and social (Westwood 2002). Historically it was viewed that inequalities around race had a natural explanation (Westwood 2002). Race could be traced back to anthological tradition (Rogers 2006; Craig et al 2012) and colonial discourse with the belief that white identity is superior (Westwood 2002) and that black people are lacking civilisation, savages and a subhuman species (Bailey 2004: 408-409). According to Bailey (2004: 408) the effects of racism on psychiatry can be directly linked to the early stereotypes about black people arising from pseudoscientific racism. It is this pseudoscience racism (science which lacks scientific method or evidence) that underpins racism in mental health services today (Bailey 2004). Racism has many different sides and is a multidimensional form of oppression and discrimination (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012; Thompson 2012). Racism is widely known to be the cause of disparities in health and mental health (McKenzie in Bhui 2002; Griffith et al 2007; Craig et al 2012). BME individuals find themselves navigating their way through a system that works from the dominant discourse of the medical model (Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012). This allows a small amount of room for different and alternative frameworks to challenge racism which is already ingrained in the system. To illustrate this point I will use an example from my practice. I work with a black woman who experiences mental health issues. She has spiritual beliefs and usually openly takes about her beliefs at home. She fears one resident as he is very religious and she feels that he has special powers. I supported her to an appointment with her psychiatrist as she had begun to feel mentally unwell. He did not enquire about any social, cultural or structural factors that may impact on her mental health. I tried to advocate the experiences she had shared with me and reiterated what she was saying. However, he advised her that the tugging she experienced in her stomach was physical and to see a doctor and increased her anti-psychotic medication. Her spiritual experiences were not validated, he individualised the cause of her illness and used a medical intervention. Western psychiatry tends to separate the mind from the body and spirit (Bailey 2004). According to Bailey (2004) many BME service users find this approach unhelpful and irrelevant to their experiences of mental distress. This is because for many BME the mind, body and spirit work in union and the feelings and behaviours behind this is woven into peoples wider existence (Bailey 2004). Kortmann (2010) believes that these types of clinical intervention are often ineffective due to service users non-western origin and tend to quit treatments earlier. For example, some African cultures can believe that seizures are cause by evil spirits (Kortmann 2010) and therefore do not take medication prescribed as they do not believe it to be an illness. Westwood (2002) writes that the negative impact of racism can have a significant impact on an individuals mental health. However in a recent piece of research Ayalon and Gum (2011) concluded that black older adults experienced the highest amount of discriminatory events but there was a weaker association with this and experiences of mental health issues. To account for this it was concluded that BME groups experienced more events of discrimination over their life course and as a result have become more resilient to it (Ayalon and Gum 2011). Some writers argue that to construct institutional racism as the explanation to the disparities in mental health can add to the debate and effectively alienate BME groups even further (Singh and Burns 2006). Singh and Burn (2006) state that, the accusation of racism within psychiatry will give service users the expectation that they will receive a poorer service and this will encourage service users to disengage with services or offer voluntary admission. What Singh and Burn (2006) are speculating is presented by Livingstone (2012) as self-stigma; the stigma that is present on an individual level rather than on a cultural or social. It is the stigma that is internalised that can prevent people from access services (Livingstone 2012) and thus, actively discriminating against ones self. Therefore, Singh and Burns (2006) argue that individuals to stay away from needed services until it is too late and there are few alternatives but to detain them and enforce treatment. Although Singh and Burn (2006) make a logical point they fail to recognise BME service user experiences of Mental Health Services. Bowl (2007) conducted a qualitative research to gain the views and experiences of South Asian service users as most literature is through the lens of academics and professionals. The experiences of this South Asian group would certainly suggest the presence of institutional racism within Mental health Services. The main areas identified were their dissatisfaction in not being understood in the assessment process due to language barriers and cultural incompetence (Bowl 2007). This misunderstanding led to misdiagnosis and refusal of services (Bowl 2007). Racism is often not the only form of oppression that people face. Disadvantage can occur from several areas (Marlow and Loveday 2000). BME groups experiencing mental health issues are already subjected to multiple oppression. There is not enough words in this essay to explore this further but wanted to acknowledge that forms of oppression are not experienced in isolation of each other. For example, links have been made between individuals lower socio-economic status and experience of mental health issues and how black people can face the added stress of earning less and experiencing higher levels of unemployment (Chakraborty and McKenzie 2002). This begins to illustrate the complexity and how oppression is inextricably intertwined. Institutional racism has been highlight in a number of Inquiries in practice. It was firstly highlighted in the Stephen Lawrence Report in 1999; a black young person who was murdered in a racist attack and yet again in the David Bennett Inquiry in 2003; a black man who died in 1998 after being restrained faced down by several nurses for nearly half an hour. Lord Laming (2003) also identified issues around racism in his Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. There is not enough words to go into any of these inquiries in any detail but they have been included to demonstrate institutional racism in practice in the police, mental health service and social work. It may seem that whilst mental health services operate within the medical model that is catered towards the white majority things will not change. Institutions and systems are indeed difficult to change, however social workers can work with service users to empower, advocate, challenge and expose discrimination in services and bring about social change. Empowerment is complex in general but becomes more complex in relation to race and ethnicity (Thompson 2007). Social workers need to firstly be aware of institutional racism before they are able to challenge it (Thompson 2007). For social workers to challenge institutional racism they need to challenge policies that do not address the needs of BME groups. To do this, social workers need to be aware of the complex power relations and deeply ingrained racist patterns in society (Thompson 2007). In my practice in a mental health setting I have contact with medical professionals and often support services users to appointments. I find that I must hold onto my social work values and not get drawn into the medical model way of working but to remain holistic in my approach. To conclude, this essay has demonstrated that discrimination is far more complex than treating someone differently. It has focused on a more subtle, covert and indirect form of discrimination: institutional racism. The essay has examined the links between discrimination, racism and power and introduced the idea that mental illness and race are both social constructs. It is this subtle and covert form of discrimination that can be damaging. It can be hard to recognise as it is woven into the very fabric of society (Thompson 2012). However, the message in this essay is that social workers need to recognise power relations, how they operate, on what level they operate at and to challenge discrimination (anti-discriminatory practice) and work with service user to empower them to overcome these obstacles (anti-oppressive practice). Social workers must swim against the tide and not collude with these attitudes no matter how deeply ingrained and embedded they are in society. For the social workers that fail to do so will ultimately become part of the problem. Word count: 3281