Successful Leadership Leads to a Successful Business

Quality of leadership has become a major focus of almost every business in America today. Extensive research and analysis of this aspect of management has led to many insightful books on effective leadership. One such book is C. A. O†Conner†s Successful Leadership. O†Conner discusses this complicated subject by breaking it up into seven major areas. These areas are developing awareness, understanding people, power and authority, communication, decision making, creating a vision, and taking charge. Through these seven areas, O†Conner gives valuable skills in becoming an effective leader. Before an individual can begin incorporating the seven major areas of leadership he must first learn followership. Through following, he realizes not only the importance of a leader that looks after the needs of his supporters, but also the need for supporters that contribute to the leader†s success. In any group or team where leadership is present, these two aspects are complimentary. Like wise, the skills of leadership and followership are also complimentary. An individual cannot develop his leadership skills without having developed his followership skills first. Followers learn the importance that teamwork, cohesiveness, and subordination have in the accomplishment of goals. Additionally, when an individual does obtain a leadership position, the experience he gains in following provides a basis to make better decisions. The first major area of leadership is developing self-awareness. In developing self-awareness, one must first obtain the assessment of others. A major source of this assessment is feedback. Careful attention to attitudes, comments and performance of subordinates offer great insight into the effectiveness of a leader. Listening to thoughts and opinions of fellow leaders is another major source. Honesty is the key to both sources of information in that the individual must not disregard negative aspects of his own leadership qualities. He must realize his own faults and shortcomings. The second step in self-awareness is to create a features list. A features list is done by the leader himself and is made up of at least five good leadership traits and at least five bad ones. A leader†s inability to come up with five or more traits in either category means a severe lack of self-awareness. The purpose of the features list is to keep the leader aware of his own qualities. As the individual develops as a leader, he should continuously create new features lists to ensure his own self-awareness. Once the individual has accurately assessed his own qualities, it is then time to implement improvements. A plan of action is the basis of this implementation. The plan should include creating a list of goals that enhance good qualities and make changes to bad ones. The leader must then make strides in realizing these goals. Like the features list, the individual†s plan of action should change as he develops as a leader. The next area of leadership is understanding people. It is essential that a leader understand that each of his subordinates is different, with different drives, dreams, and ambitions. To â€Å"classify† subordinates into a particular group is to deprive them of their individuality and ignore their particular needs. Understanding each subordinate†s needs is the key to motivating them. In assessing the needs of subordinates, a leader must be able to recognize what level each individual is on in Maslow†s hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy of needs is divided into five levels: the need for food, clothing, and shelter; personal safety and a source of income; family, friends, and caring relationships; self-confidence, creativity and individual achievement; meaning and purpose. In determining the level at which an individual is on, the leader can then help that individual in ascending to the next. The outcome is improved performance on the part of the worker. While this is not the only form of motivating people, it is the most effective in long term motivation. Put more practically, a leader can motivate an individual†s performance not only by explaining the advantages to the company, but also the advantages to that individual†s job security and advancement. By nature, humans seek to attain a better quality of life. For this reason, another effective form of motivation is rewarding. Individuals pay attention to doing a job well when they have personal interests as a result of the outcome. The job becomes beneficial to their own profits and not just the company†s. Balancing the use of rewards is very important. Too many offers of rewards result in disappointment and lack of motivation when one is not offered. Leaders must realize that rewards are only temporary forms of motivation that are not successful in long term leadership. The difficult task of managing power and authority is the third area of successful leadership. While understanding the authority of his position, a leader must also be open to the thoughts and ideas of his subordinates. Disregard for opinions is a sign of a weak leader who is afraid of being undermined and therefor hides behind his power. Leaders express leadership through three basic leadership styles: democratic, autocratic, and permissive. The democratic style of leadership is based on a mutual respect and treating everyone equal, regardless of seniority or position. The leader still maintains authority, but others are able to be active participants in finding solutions to problems. Autocratic leadership provides a strong, undisputed style of leadership that is effective when dealing with controversial issues. While clearly defining goals and expectations, the autocratic style of leadership often results in a leader overpowering subordinates which leads to dissension. The permissive style of leadership is described as being a weak attempt at democratic leadership. Subordinates whose leaders have adopted this style of leadership end up with poor coordination, direction, and guidance. In delegating particular tasks, effective leaders will follow a basic format of assignment. Rather then just handing a subordinate a task with the words â€Å"do this† attached to it, a good leader will define the task, discussing in detail the aspects of it, show why it is important and clearly state any expectations. In doing this the worker has a personal commitment and clear understanding of the importance of the task. Finally, the leader will evaluate and discuss the results of the task with that worker, providing feedback for that worker to improve himself. One of the most vital areas in successful leadership is communication. The most basic form of communication is listening and speaking. This involves not only the exchange of spoken words, but also close attention to body language and tone. This attention allows good listeners to sort of â€Å"read between the words† and fully understand the speaker†s message. Effective speakers take time to prepare what they intend to say, giving careful thought to what it is they are attempting to convey. There are five main features to effective communication. These features are often referred to as social skills. The first involves having a purpose for communication. This aids in guiding the exchange of information and avoids useless or irrelevant communication. The next feature is a clear and logical exchange with directness and confidence. The third feature is appropriateness. The presentation of the information must match the needs of the situation. In other words, choosing the format of delivery (i. e. mail, telephone, person-to-person interaction, etc. that is appropriate to the nature of the information. The forth feature is control. The leader must be able to exhibit self-discipline and restrain from over communicating. An example of this is allowing subordinates to learn tasks without intervention, creating an effective learning environment for the worker and not a micro-managed one. The last feature of communication is the ability to learn. Even the best communicators have room for improvement. Leaders must never be satisfied in their communication skills and continuously make efforts to improve them. Decision making is the next area of successful leadership. Leaders can be forced to make several decisions at the same time, making them to prioritize these decisions based on two criteria: future importance and current urgency. Future importance refers to the long term decisions that may seem insignificant presently, but will greatly impact the company in the long run. Making future importance decisions usually requires a great deal of analysis and planning. Current urgency decisions may seem extremely important at the time, but in actuality are not terribly relevant to the success of the company. In either case, future importance or current urgent, an effective leader makes these decisions with confidence and concern for his subordinates. The complications of decision making can often be made easier through good goal setting. In setting a challenging yet attainable goal, the leader gives solid direction to his department and sets clear objectives. From there, many decisions can be based on whether or not the consequences will help in realizing these goals. These goals offer basic guidance, eliminating irrelevant options. Even with the establishment of goals to guide in decision making, tackling a major decision can be very difficult. It is best for the leader to approach these decisions methodically, using a systematic approach of dealing with it. First the leader must establish what the primary and secondary requirements of the decision are and prioritize them. From there, he begins to consider every possible solution and tries to find new ones. Finally, through assessment of the first two steps, the leader chooses the best alternative based what he has come up with. This process can be used by the individual leader or be opened up for use of the entire workgroup in a more democratic leadership environment. The next area in successful leadership is creating a vision. A vision is an ultimate goal, usually rather universal, that gives overall direction to the company and its employees. The result is unified action that steers generally in the same direction. It is the difficult task of a leader to create and maintain this vision as a guiding light in day to day decisions. He must be aware of the sometimes ever changing â€Å"big picture† as seen by the interests of the company and ensure that the vision is in line with that picture. The final area in successful leadership is taking charge. This involves utilizing all of the first six steps and fully applying them to personal leadership development. It also emphasizes the importance of taking charge of leadership qualities that are already there and maximizing their potential. The leader must draw on experience to guide in decisions on how to lead. People are not born leaders. They become leaders through implementing these seven areas into their lives. A good leader must be able to fail and bounce back, learn from experience, and admit their own limitations. This along with a desire to learn and a drive to complete goals create the leader.

Comparing Films of Macbeth Essay

Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth,’ was first performed before King James I at Hampton Court in 1606. Since then, Macbeth has gone on to be an ever-popular play, endlessly produced by a sea of directors. Having recently watched two of these productions, the first by the Polish director Roman Polanski and the other British director Gregory Doran’s production for the Royal Shakespeare Company. It is apparent that there are great differences in how the two directors chose to portray the characters in the play. One of the interperative differences is in the character of Lady Macbeth. In the Royal Shakespeare Company’s version we first meet Lady Macbeth in Act1 Scene5. She has black long hair, very pale skin, a slim figure and is dressed in black. Many critics have commented that her appearance is rather witch like and this is exactly what most people expect her to be. We witness her reading a letter when she suddenly looks up. This is of course the letter sent by her husband telling her of the witches’ prophecy of Kingship. She looks directly into the camera and although she maintains a blank expression we can sense from her piercing eyes that her mind is already over flown with ambition. As she folds the letter and looks up, evil intentions are in her eyes. The next shot we see is of her in the bath and although she does not show a lot of emotion her eyes reveal that she is still thinking deeply about the letter. She then begins to beg evil spirits to â€Å"Unsex me here† before ducking her head into the water. This is done through a narrative voice. We don’t actually see her lips move. In the Polanski version we meet Lady Macbeth in Act1 Scene5. The similarities end here. In Polanski’s version we see Lady Macbeth with long golden hair. This is often associated with innocence and femininity. But in Doran’s version she has black hair. This is generally associated with evil. It is also important to note that she is dressed in white. This is again associated with innocence and purity, which we know Lady Macbeth is not. Lady Macbeth is very calm and gentle in the way she talks. Once again this contrasts with Polanski’s version in which she speaks quite cunningly. In Polanski’s version you could almost say she looks lifeless in this scene. We see her stand upon the battlements without any compassion for what she is thinking. This is strikingly different from the way she is depicted in the RSC version. Lady Macbeth’s final scene is Act5 Scene1. This is of course inversion as the first scene we met her in was Act1 Scene5. Doran uses further inversion in this scene as the last time we met Lady Macbeth she was wearing black. She is now wearing white. Doran, deliberately wanted us to notice this as he uses a black background to emphasise what she was wearing. In this scene we see her as a completely different person. When we first met her she looked very powerful and in control of herself but here we see her as totally out of control and insane. We also see that she depends a lot on the candle she is holding. This is ironic as in the ‘Unsexing Scene’ she called on darkness to fall on her. We also see her rub her hands hysterically to get rid of the blood. This is also ironic as she earlier said, â€Å"A little water will clear us of this deed.† At the end of the scene she finally stops crying, looks up, and with a sense of realisation in her face, says her last words. â€Å"What is done, cannot be undone.† In Polanski’s Act5 Scene1 we see Lady Macbeth as she awakens. Looking down she screams as she sees blood on her hands. Terrified, she cries, â€Å"Gracious Duncan is dead.† We then witness her walk about her chamber naked. (Hugh Hefner’s promise of nudity has been realised.) We see her open a box and pull out a now well-worn letter and read it aloud. This provides a full-circle sense to the tragedy. It takes the viewer back to the beginning of the story and reiterates how the horrible chain of events was started. This was very clever of Polanski; through Lady Macbeth’s sobbing she reads it, in the raggedness of the letter implies many repeated readings, Polanski shows her as, not so much mad but consumed by remorse for what they have done. I believe the two versions are very different, mainly because of the media they have been designed for. When Hugh Hefner promised at the launch of the film, a movie full of sex and violence I don’t think it would have particularly appealed to Shakespeare lovers. Conversely the RSC production is unlikely to appeal to the stereotypical playboy reader. This is reflected in both films and as a result they were very different. The Polanski version, is very good in its own right but my personal favourite is Gregory Doran’s simply because it has a more typical approach and is a lot truer to the text.

Aging Theory- Gerontology

Activity Theory means remaining occupied and involved on activities that are necessary to a satisfying late life. The meaning of this principle was that human mind comes to exist, develop and can only be understood within the context of meaningful, goal oriented and socially determined interaction between humans and the material environment.The basic concept of this theory is that all human activities are mediated by culturally created signs or tools. Through external interactions with these signs the internal mental state of the individual is transformed (Aboulafia, Gould, and Spyrou 1995).Activity Theory is not a theory in the strict interpretation of the term, it is consist of basic principles which constitutes a conceptual system in general that can be used as a foundation of more specific theories.These principles of Activity Theory includes object-orientedness, dual concept of internalizing and externalizing, meditations and continuous development.Whereas the object orientednes s states that as human beings, we should,live in a reality that is objective in a broad sense and the things that constitutes reality have not only the properties which are considered objective according to national science but socially/culturally defined properties as well.In this theory the high level motivating concept is activity. It is the general term that describes what the individual or group is trying to accomplish and typically indicates what outcome are they working out. A good case on this is activity like fishing.A fishing activity has actions that are performed on order to accomplish a specific goals and when that action is performed, the situation is assessed and later on determines if the goal is achieved. Actions also inludes operations and rules that requires the individual to act and think more in relation to the activity and the goalActivity Theory 2that they want. It includes figuring out where to fish, loading the fish to the car, baiting your hook, catching,cl eaning and driving home with the catch.The Activity Theory emphasizes on social factors and on interaction between agents and environment and the necessary tools in doing those actions.Tools shapes the way human being's interaction with reality. Tools are created and transformed during the activity development and this tools are used as a means of accumulation and transmission of social knowledge. It influences not only the environment but enhances the mental functioning of every individualWhat we can further analyze regarding this theory are the activities that will make adult busy and make them get into the process of maintaining an active lifestyle that will benefit them in attaining a satisfying late life. Continuity   of doing this activities makes adult develop their mind and body that will later on satisfy their life.I is important for older adults to be active in order to attain a satisfying late life because during these stages they need to be expose to activities that wi ll make them feel young and make their minds working so as to forget the illnesses that may occur due to the fact that they are getting old.Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being engage in activities like fishing, mind sports and physical exercises makes an older adult feel young and the continuous mental function provides them more knowledge and more enjoyable time spent with love ones.ReferencesAboulafia, A., Gould, E., & Spyrou, T. (1995). Activity theory vs. cognitive science in the study of human-computer interaction . Proceedings of IRIS

Home Schooling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home Schooling - Essay Example Looking at the nature of homeschooling it can be noticed that it seriously needs regulation. The regulation comes with challenges. The regulation of homeschooling has over the years had various critics criticizing its necessity. As much as there are various points that successfully explain the lack of necessity for homeschooling, there are arguments with bigger intensity explaining the need for regulating homeschooling. The arguments mainly proves the necessity of regulation of homeschooling to ensure its productivity. Discussion One reason why home schooling should be regulated is because of the high rate at which its rising and the high possibility of it being abused. Some parents might take advantage of homeschooling to serve their own interests. This is a possibility in cases where parents are trying to hide some aspects of their current or past lives. For instance, violent parents might take advantage of homeschooling to hide the inhuman things that they do to their children. Th is way they will be able to hide the bruises that result from the mistreatment that they subject their children to. This will create a scenario where the children will be having their basic rights violated, but no one will come to their rescue because no one knows. This can also be used by parents with criminal records to serve their own interest (Kunzman, 2009). However, it is clearly evident that this can have very minimal effect on the overall effectiveness of the productivity of homeschooling. Homeschooling should also be regulated because of the quality of education that all individuals are entitled to. Researches have it that, without proper regulation, the quality of education given to homeschooling students can easily be compromised. As much as there is always a fixed curriculum to be followed by both homeschool and public school teachers, it is hard to tell whether the homeschool teachers effectively cover the curriculum. This will mean that, in the end, the students would not have attained the intellectual maturity that is expected of a student that has gone through the United States of America’s education system (McMullen, 2002). The ultimate result of this sub quality education is that the students will not be able to keep up with the students going through the standard type of education both at higher levels of education and in various professions. Students who have gone through homeschooling through their high school years are less expected to major in the natural sciences than the non-homeschooled students, and that more attention has to go to this because of the growing number of homeschooled students in the United States of America. Homeschooled students are not exposed to professional science teachers and labs and so do not have as many options, with their growing number this could be a threat the education system (Phillips, 2010). This will definitely call for regulation because the increase in the number of people being homeschooled will, therefore, mean that there is a significant decrease in the number of professionals in natural science, a factor that might affect the country economically, politically and socially. Taking a look at the motives that parents usually have when

Contemporary Issues for Business and Society Assignment - 1

Contemporary Issues for Business and Society - Assignment Example In the current era organisations are making charities, voluntary actions, they are also using energy in a sustainable manner (International, 2006). Global organisations are promoting healthy work atmosphere, compensation and reimbursement policy as per the social and environmental factors. Globalised operational structures are demanding flexible strategic development. Global organisations are making social audit to produce the report to meet the demands of the stakeholders. In the current study, ‘Responsible Management audit’ of Nike is done in terms of meeting the above mentioned challenges. Various UN Global Compact Principles are contrasted on behalf of the Nike and annual ‘Communication on Progress’ report is stated to evaluate the topic (About.nike.com, 2015). UN Global Compact can be defined as a set of strategic guidelines scheme that are aligned to the operations and strategies of global firms. Guidelines are developed as per various factors like the human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. These factors are helping organisations to develop sound CSR strategies and maintain the benefits of their stakeholders. These guidelines are developed as per affects of the globalisation (AhÃŒ £mad and Crowther, 2013). Firms are able to maintain increased benefits for their market segment, and business associates. UN Global Compact scheme will increase the use of emerging technologies and feasible investment option in the global market. Henceforth, firms can increase their contribution on the national and international economies and societies. Global organisations like Nike, is facing intense challenge from the diversified social, political and economic factors of the market. Such challenges are restricting profitability and growth in international market (Berliner and Prakash, 2012). In the international footwear and sportswear industry Nike is holding the leading position. The American based multinational manufactures and designs athletic

School Calendar Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

School Calendar Change - Essay Example Teachers have raised concerns over the effects of long vacations, claiming that the time taken by students during vacation makes them forget what they had learned. As a result, reviewing the previous year material takes a significant amount of time, which, according to the educators, affects the curriculum. Cooper ((â€Å"Summer Learning Loss†) argues that summer vacation mostly affected mathematics and spelling subjects. This is because more accurate information is required from the two subjects as compared to the other tested skill subjects. Cooper goes on to defend his argument by stating that students are more likely to practice reading than performing mathematical calculations on their own. Another major effect of long summer holidays, as noted by Cooper (â€Å"The Effects of Summer Vacation†), relates to students with disabilities. The students require continuous study or instruction period to be able to understand better. The summer programs ought to help the disadvantaged students notably by ensuring that their studies are never interrupted for long. Students who speak languages other than English have also been affected by the calendar, because catching up after the long summer holidays is difficult. Cooper also notes that the scores of students are lower after the long summer vacations, the loss being equated to one month according to past studies. According to Cooper (â€Å"The Effects of Summer Vacation†), a new study program will help solve all the concerns raised by the old calendar. When short holidays are spread out across the year, they better serve the intended purpose. Considering all the above arguments, it can be stated that our school district has to adopt the new

IN ORDER INSTRUCTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IN ORDER INSTRUCTIONS - Essay Example After finding the data, Friedman experienced difficulties in publishing her articles, books and magazines on the topic due to its sensitivity. Later on, she managed to publish a book in 1963. In the introduction part of the literature, Friedman calls the problem nameless. She goes further to describe the unhappiness women were going through in the 1950s and 1960s (Coontz, 2011). Friedman has discussed the lives of several housewives in US, and how dissatisfied they were as housewives despite having husbands and children and the material comfort provided by their husbands. According to Friedman, the average marriage age was going down as the birthrates were going up during the 1950s. Women were persistently unhappy in marriage despite the fact that the American culture firmly held the view that women could only meet their fulfillment in housewifery and marriage (Coontz, 2011). Friedman decided not to ignore the voice within the American women, which insisted that they needed more than a home, husband, and children. The Feminine Mystique further insists that editorial decisions made in periodicals about women are made by men. Men could fake stories like women are satisfied by their housewifery positions, and that they are neurotic careerists to create â€Å"feminine mystique.† Feminine Mystique means that women are naturally satisfied of their housewifery roles. This fact contrasts the 1930 literature, which featured independent and self driven heroines who were career women (Coontz, 2011). Friedman recalls her decision of abandoning her career to raise children in conformation to societal expectations. The trend was the same because women were abandoning careers and studies to get married and raise children. There was fear that waiting for too long before getting married would scare potential husbands. Friedman has discussed how founders of feminism fought against the idea of confining women to housewifery. These feminists managed to

The Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Firms Assignment

The Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Firms - Assignment Example The major drivers of globalization according to Singer (2004) include social-demographic (regional, cultural), technological, which includes telecommunications, internet and transportation, economic factors like foreign direct investment, profit motives and market share, ecological and environmental factors like pollution and green laws, and political-legal factors like falling trade barriers, political stability and intellectual property. These factors have hence allowed not just the larger establishments such as the MNCs to look across borders but also the smaller entrepreneurs who capitalized on the resources and took advantage of the liberalization. Entrepreneurship has been defined in many ways by different authors and researchers. According to Stevenson, ‘entrepreneurship’ is â€Å"the process whereby individuals become aware of business ownership as an option or viable alternative, develop ideas for business, learn the process of becoming an entrepreneur and undertake the initiation and development of a business† (Chigunta, 2002). Opportunity Recognition (OR) is an important aspect of entrepreneurship (Silverthorne, 2005) and passionate vision distinguishes entrepreneurs from their competitive competitors (McIntyre, 1998). Entrepreneurs have a propensity to take risks and the need for achievement serves as the driving force (Koh, 1996). Hence an entrepreneur is one who is quick to identify an opportunity, take risks, one who is prepared for challenges and adversities and can achieve profits by utilizing the available resources.  

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example Customer relationship management also serves to evaluate the consumer as a means of providing them with the products which would be most suited to their demographic or psychographic profile (Coravue Inc., 2007). Generally this is accomplished by reviewing browsing habits stored in mass databases or reviewing comments left by customers on company websites. In the bricks-and-mortar sales environment, evaluating customer habits can sometimes be as easy as reviewing a credit card statement or sales history over a period of days or weeks. However, who really cares about customer relationship management' PepsiCo should, as there is little evidence that the company maintains a focus on CRM other than through brand-building exercises which appear to give the impression that PepsiCo products are more commodities than tools for building customer satisfaction and loyalty. Evidence suggests that PepsiCo, despite their extended, global reach and wide variety of subsidiaries and brand varieties, requires significant adjustment to existing CRM policies. This paper assesses the overall importance of customer relationship management whilst applying CRM literature to the current marketing environment at PepsiCo. Recommendations for improvements in CRM focus at the firm will also be proposed. Technological develo... elopments are generally the key to successful CRM programmes, allowing for business communications regarding CRM focus to be distributed as well as maintaining an adequate database of consumer-related information. The Internet, additionally, allows organisations to use real-time customer interaction, through a series of integrated communications messages, to support the brand's image (Turner, 2008). From the technological perspective, customer relationship management is about having the software support necessary to extend the brand/company experience into new areas of streamlined payment systems or interactive, entertaining product websites. PepsiCo is quite competent in its interactive marketing focus, developing a wide variety of contest websites, interactive product design websites (allowing consumers to interact in a virtual design environment), and countless others. For instance, the company utilised a promotional incentive by printing various codes on the tops of its Pepsi brand products, allowing customers to visit the corresponding website to win various prizes (Harwood, 2006). In this particular campaign, PepsiCo received 15 million entries, which suggests that the campaign was a tremendous success. It would be a likely assessment that much of the registration information regarding consumers was stored in a database in the event of requiring information for other promotional offers or incentives. Some might argue that promotional literature and interactive contest websites would not be included in CRM, however in terms of the successes of the Pepsi-Cola brand, these types of promotional activities are creating connection with consumer lifestyle and with the company itself. One need only visit a legitimate PepsiCo product website to witness an enormous

Bill Recommendation Essay Example for Free

Bill Recommendation Essay Is it a good idea for those individuals convicted of armed robbery to receive double the sentence that it is now? In my opinion the answer is no. Policy making in the field of criminal justice is extremely vital to society. Punishments can be very confusing in the fact of what is appropriate. What is too much and what is too little? There have been many studies that show that there is little or no deterrent of crime such as armed robbery when the punishment is a long sentence to prison. The reason for this lack of deterrent is because the person who is committing the crime or crimes knows what is at stake, yet he or she chooses to commit the robbery anyway. This is because the gains of that robbery outweigh the prison sentence. The main purpose of this bill is to stop or at least lessen the amount of armed robbery that is being committed by putting those who commit the crime behind bars for a longer period of time. This seems like a good idea at first glance. However there is more to this proposition. Lengthening the prison sentence is being used as a deterrent or to simply take the bad guys off the street for longer. This has not worked in the past and will not work now. Facing a long sentence has not deterred robbery from happening. If prison sentencing was enough robbery would not be around in society especially not as frequent as it is today. According to a study done by the FBI in 2006 447,403 robberies were reported to the police, which equals out to a rate of one robbery per minute in the United States (McGoey, 2014). The punishment for robbery can be up to 25 years in the United States. Doubling that and making the sentence 50 years will hardly make any change in the robbery rate. If anything it would just cause the jails and prisons to  become overpopulated quicker, costing taxpayers more money. Bill Recommendation There are more effective ways to address a crime than make the punishments more intense or longer. The classic school of criminology is what I base my recommendation on. In the late 1700’s, which are the time that the classical school came about, the punishment for crimes was extremely cruel and would be seen today as barbaric. Cesare de Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham played a tremendous role in the theory of criminology and criminal justice today would not be where it is without them. Their main focus was to lessen the harsh punishments implemented by the judicial system at the time (Schmalleger, 2012). Cesare de Baccaria believed that preventing crimes would benefit a society more than punishing someone who committed a crime. This belief was the driving force of the classic school of criminology. He believed the punishment should fit the crime for instance theft should be punished through the use of fines and crimes that cause personal injury to be punished by corporal punishment. This would, in turn he believed, prevent these crimes from happening. Jeremy Bentham viewed crime a little differently than Beccaria. Bentham was viewed as a utilitarian. He believed that the punishment for any crime must be that of the greater good for the community. Basically stating that any pain being used as a punishment towards an offender must be justified to benefit the good of the society. Modern criminal justice still holds its foundation in that of the classic school of criminology. Having said that, long prison sentences do act as a major deterrent for many criminals, but poses a major conflict of ideas to that of the classic school of thought due to the fact that crimes are committed based on free will and rational thinking. There are Bill Recommendation many factors such as emotional instability in s sudden moment, and mental and physical disorders that a longer prison sentence simply would not abolish. There is also the very likely chance that drugs and or alcohol is involved.  If the offender is being driven by an addiction nothing, surely not a longer prison sentence is going to persuade his or her decision (Schmalleger, 2012) With all of that being said, the answer to decreasing crime, more specifically armed robbery, a longer prison sentence is not the answer. The question at hand is: what is the answer? This is a question that is going to be debated as long as crime is resent in the population. Juvenile criminals usually mature into adult criminals, so perhaps putting more criminal emphasis on juvenile crime must be done. In addition to everything, it is well known that drugs are the foundation of many crimes. Drugs are responsible for many thefts and robberies, and more time behind bars is not going to make a drug addict think twice before robbing someone. More emphasis needs to be put on the war on drugs and alcohol addiction. Put the taxpayers money to good use by stopping the spread of drugs, not on paying for more people inside if jails. Lets stop the robberies from happening. References McGoey, C.E. (2014). Robbery Facts: Violent Crime Against Persons. Retrieved from http://www.crimedoctor Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Training in Diversity Essay Example for Free

Training in Diversity Essay Skills and expertise in a specific type of job is necessary in order for a person to be selected in positions in certain companies. Nowadays, having the financial and economic crisis, companies tend to choose personnel with the highest or best expertise from the pool of apprentices in the desired field of work. It will be a waste of time and money if the companies will no t be able to get a quality and efficient personnel. In observing the business world, the recession has not greatly affected the food industries except for the breakout of melamine and Salmonella for some cases, and I can say telecommunication services still have its place unmoved. I observed that companies with the aim of hiring and getting professionals in the job or places of the representatives are conducting trainings that might bring out their potentials offer degrees, say a 6 month review and hands on training with the supervisors and other professionals. Since the job needs skilled people, the requirement to become a certified customer care representative is at least a Bachelors Degree and a proficiency in English. Bishop and Company in Waipahu Hawaii, for instance opens a number of position for customer care representatives but provides a temporary contract with the workers, thus only have 8 hours work at day time. On the other hand, in the Philippines, particularly BPO Training Academy caters a number of trainings that will aid the call center agents or representatives to deal with the problems and the sole nature of the work. The company provides an outlook of a job thus giving its student quality education that in turn is a tool in overcoming the struts and frustrations of a call center agent. Moreover, even if the company requires fees for the training, the students have assurance for employment for the company has a number of partners that are in line with providing best service and assistance on line. References Customer Care Representatives. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008 – 09 Edition. Retrieved 26 February 2009 from http://www. bls. gov/oco/ocos280. htm#training

Anthropometrics: An introduction

Anthropometrics: An introduction Biomechanics Lab Report This lab report is based on the Anthropometrics practical session that took place in week three. Introduction The aim of the session was to find out what our Anthropometrical measures were and how they would compared to some typical figures that were given out at the time. The study of Anthropometrics deals with the measurement of the dimensions, mass, and mass distribution of the human body. It provides estimates of the lengths, masses, location of the centres of mass, and moments of inertia of the human body that are used in the study of human motion There are 10 main parts of the body that will be measured during the study of Anthropometrics and they are the two forearms, the head, the two upper arms, the trunk, two thighs and two shanks. All these measurements will give us an indication whether we are fit and healthy or if we are underweight or overweight, . Anthropometrics was found by a French savant called Alphonse Bertillon who in 1883 gave the name Anthropometrics to a system that he designed which involved him taking certain measurements and when they were recorded he found out that every single individual could be distinguished from other people by these measurements. This is because he concluded that everyone has a different physique and surface area. Materials and method The equipment that was used during this practical session were things like Goniometers A plinth Some Calipers A Height Gauge A set of Scales A Tape measure Nomogram Grip Strength Gauge Goniometers are designed for the measurement of limb angular movement. The sensors are attached across the joint employing double-sided medical adhesive tape and connected to instrumentation. The sensors are lightweight an unobtrusive allowing the data of human activity to be displayed or recorded while leaving the subject to move freely in the normal environment. The first thing that we did was to calculate our body mass index and to do this we measured our height and weight by using a Height Gauge and a set of scales. Then we calculated our body mass index by multiplying the height by itself and then dividing the answer that we got by our weight and this gave us our body mass index. Then we measure the length of our legs by using a tape measure. Then we measure the greater Trochanter knee joint and the Lateral Malleous knee joint by using Calipers. We also used the Calipers to measure the width of our wrist, elbow, knee, ankle and armspan. Then we used a goniometer to measure the angle of our quadriceps. Then we used the calipers to measure our skin fold thickness. Then we used the grip strength gauge to see how strong we were. We used the plinth to measure the lower part of the body. For example we used it to measure our lower limbs. We did the measurements that are above except for the height, weight and body mass index first on our right side and then on our left side and this enabled us to find out the total measurements of the entire body. Finally we checked our surface area by using the nomogram. Results Anthropometrical Measures Value Height (m) 185cm Weight (kg) 72.8 kg BMI (kg/m2) 21.3 kg/m2 Left Right Leg Length, ASIS Medial Malleolus (m) 101 m 101 m Greater Trochanter-Knee Joint (m) 45 m 45 m Knee Joint Lateral Malleolus (m) 43 m 43 m Wrist width (m) 5.7 m 5.9 m Elbow width (m) 7.3 m 7.3 m Knee width (m) 10 m 10.2 m Ankle width (m) 7.6 m 7.4 m Armspan (m) 185 m 185 m Q angle 10Â ° 10Â °, Chest/Waist/Hip Circumference m Chest 90 m Waist 79 m Hip 86 m Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) 0.91 whr Ratio Armspan to body height 1 cm Calf Circumference (m) 35 m 35 m Thigh Circumference (m) 47 m 46 m Grip Strength Ratio (L vs R) 34 26 Surface Area (Nomogram) 1.91 m2 Surface Area by calculation 1.93 m2 Skin fold thickness (rectus femoris) 8 5 Measure the ratio of ring finger length to index finger length m 0.925 m 0.924 m Discussion While analysing my results I found out that some of my results were normal and some of my results were below or above the average for that particular measurement. For example when I analysed my body mass index I found out that I was in the normal range for body mass index which was 20-25 kg/m Typical ranges for body mass index Underweight Healthy Range 20-25 kgm2 D Overweight 25-30 kgm2 Obese >30 kgm2 While analysing my results I found out that my skin fold thickness is lower than the normal average. For example the average skin fold thickness for a fit man is 14-17 percent whereas if you have a body fat percentage over 25+ you are classed as obese. On the other hand women will have a slightly higher body fat percentage than men because they have got a slightly wider physique than men and this means that women will have a higher body fat percentage. Skin fold thickness measurements are also used as an indication of obesity and it has been proven to be a more reliable method to find out how much fat we have in our bodies Typical values for body fat percentage Women % body fat Men % body fat Fit 21-24 % 14-17 % Obese 32 + % 25 +% While analysing my results I also found out that my q angle was lower than a normal q angle should be. For example a normal q angle should typically fall between 18Â °- 22Â °, with males usually at the lower end of the scale and females at the higher end of the scale. An abnormal Q angle will typically be increased from normal. This automatically increases the vulnerability to tracking problems like lower back, pelvis, leg and foot problems. An abnormal Q angle becomes further complicated when accompanied by a functional or anatomical short leg. Many people especially runners favour a functional short leg rather than anatomical short leg. They prefer a functional short leg to an anatomical leg because the functional leg is used to straighten an abnormal q angle whereas an anatomical leg just keeps it in place. In this case a heel raise is often recommended but this will make the problem worse by keeping the leg in an abnormal position when it should be in a normal position. A normal Q angle will have the patella rotated slightly more towards the mid line than the tibial tubercle. Also while analysing my waist to hip result. I found out that I am at a low risk of being overweight and getting a serious health problem. For example a man needs to have a waist to hip ratio of 0.90 to be at low risk of getting a serious health condition but if a man has a waist to hip ratio of more than 1.0 than he is classed as being at a high risk of getting a serious health condition. In comparison to this a woman needs to have a waist to hip ratio of less that 0.80 to be at a low risk of getting a serious health condition and if they have a waist to hip ratio of more than 0.85 then they would be classed as being at a high risk of getting a serious health condition. The types of health conditions that you could get if you are at high risk are things like Coronary Heart Disease, Hypertension and Diabetes. On the other hand there are some serious health conditions with being underweight and they are Osteoporosis, Diabetes, Infertility, Anorexia / Bulimia, Aneami and Aimmune Defici ency. These conditions mainly affect women who have a body mass index of less than 18.5.kgm2 When my results was compared with the averages for the different measurements I found out that they were below the normal average for some of the measurements and this is because everybody is different in many ways. For example people have different physiques so the amount of body fat that is found in a persons body varies and this means that everybodys body mass index will be different. Conclusion While concluding my results I found that I am fit and healthy and that I am in no danger of getting a serious health condition. I have also found out that there are a number of different conditions that affects people who are overweight and underweight. I have also concluded that everybodys Anthropometrical measures will be difference. This is due to the difference in physique, height, body mass and the surface area of the body. When I compared my results to some typical data I found out that I was around about the normal range for most of the measurements that were taken during the practical session. Reference Page Books Pheasant, T S, (1996), Bodyspace: Anthropometrics, Ergonomics, and the design of work, London, Taylor Francis Hall, J, S (1953) Basic Biomechanics, London, Human kinetics Websites http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/21/24/03.html www.biopac.com/s/sitesearch/runsearch.php?q=goniometer 28k www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2004/jun/charrette.htm www.nth.nhs.uk/dtrack.asp?r=docs/presentations/Podiatric%20Biomechanics%20-%20A%20Hardy.ppt www.brianmac.co.uk/injury.htm

the civil war Essays -- essays research papers

Weapons in the American Civil War The American Civil War is known to be one of the bloodiest wars in history. Significant advances in weapon technology contributed to the unprecedented carnage. All types of weapons were being invented including side arms, shoulder arms, and artillery. Surveying the origins and design of only a portion demonstrates fire power had outstripped battlefield tactics by the mid-nineteenth century. Side arms, most useful only at close range, underwent important changes during the Civil War era. A particular standout was the La Mat revolver invented by Dr. Jean Alexander Francois Le Mat, a French born New Orleans doctor. The La Mat revolver was one of the most famous pistols of the civil war#. What makes this pistol so unique is that it has two barrels. The main cylinder held nine .40 caliber rounds fired though the upper barrel and revolved around the lower .63 caliber barrel that held a charge of buckshot#. As many as 3,000 of these pistols found 1. they’re way to Confederacy. Confederate Generals including P.G.T Beauregard and J.E.B. Stuart # carried La Mats. The Colt Army Model 1860 was a more advanced model of the 1848 dragoon used in Mexican War. It quickly became the most popular sidearm of the Union Army#. What made this revolver so popular was the interchangeability of parts. The Colt model 1860 was a .44 caliber six shot weapon and weighed almost three pounds#. The cost of the Colt Army model 1860 was $13.75, which was more expensive than those made by Remington or Starr and the Government ceased the order for the gun in 1863. Another revolver used in the war was the Starr revolver. It was a .44 caliber, six shot, weighed tree pounds and was a double action, which means has no build in or intergraded safety. It fired a combustible cartridge and could also be loaded with loose powder and ball. Union soldiers in the western theater used the Starr revolver. In 1863 the U.S. Ordinance Department urged the Starr Arms Company to replace the double action revolver with a cheaper single action model, which the company did and sold the Union 25,000 weapons for $12 each#. During the course of the Civil War side arms became an important weapon for 2. both sides and helped contribute to the death toll. Side arms were very popular for Calvary units. The reason was because of the close range fighting that Calvary units took plac... ...onfederate War Department. It was a breech loading rapid-fire gun and was cranked operated. The gun was a very light artillery piece that shot a one-pound 1.57 caliber projectile with a range of 2,000 yards and could shot up to 65 rounds per minute. It was used in the Battle of Seven Pines and worked effectively that the Confederate War Department ordered 42 of them#. Even though this gun was so effective it had two major problems. The gun overheated very quickly and breech jammed because of the heat expansion. 6. The Union created the .52 caliber breech loading Billinghurst-Requa batter. It used a light carriage to mount 25 rifled barrels side by side and when loaded and primed, the barrels fired in a sequence. Some of these guns were used in battle but saw very little action. These two weapons show that weapon technology was at a new height during this era. Many things changed in warfare during the American Civil War. All fields saw some kind of change Ruther it was small arms, shoulder arms, artillery, or some new weapon. Weapon technology like the La Mat revolver or the first machine- gun helped make the American Civil War one of the bloodiest wars in history. 7.

The Grooming of Alice :: essays research papers

Iwo jima is an eight square-mile island of sulfuric sand and volcanic ash. It is 700 miles south of Tokyo. The Japanese put radar stations on Iwo to warn of approaching B-29's which regularly flew right over it on bombing runs to Japan. The Japs also had fighter planes on the two airstrips. Alot of young Marines enroute to the beaches of Iwo were amazed at the firepower and damage inflicted on the island by the Navy's battleships and planes. They thought that there wouldn't be any Japanese left for the Marines to fight. Little did they know that the bombs and shells weren't even getting close to the enemy. Tokyo knew the Allies were interested in Iwo Jima so they put a garrison of 22,000 troops, under General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. These troops built up the island to one of the strongest defenses in the Pacific. They added 1500 pillboxes and block houses, trenches, and hundreds of connecting tunnels. 1500 underground rooms including communications centers, hospitals able to treat 40 0 injured with beds carved into rock walls. They also constructed storage rooms for ammo, food, and water. There were tunnels large enough for soldiers to run through standing up. Block houses were built of concrete and reinforced by steel rods. Walls were 3 feet thick, ceiling were six feet thick. Block houses were camoflaged with sand so it made it difficult for US Navy flyers to spot them from the air. General Kuribayashi even had an underground command center 75 feet below the surface. Mt Suribachi was even honeycombed. For the Japanese on Iwo this was the end of the line. There was no hope of rescue from the Imperial Fleet. The Japanese soldiers had plenty of food and ammunition underground to support them for up to five months On the Marines side, General Holland 'Howlin Mad' Smith commanded the 4th & 5th divisions. General Smith requested ten days of naval bombardment, however the Navy could only provide three days with Navy battleships, cruisers, and carrier aircraft. Even then overcast weather conditions shortened that time. On 19 Feb 1945 the Marines came ashore on a long black sandy beach on the southern side of the island. The 4th & 5th Marines fought their way from shore to shore cutting Iwo in half and separating Mt. Suribachi from the rest of the island. By night fall, the Marines were firmly ashore but suffered heavy losses of 2400 casualties, including 600 dead.

Space Exploration - We Must Explore Mars :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Have you ever looked up in the sky and wondered if there is life elsewhere in the universe? Have you ever looked at a photograph of Mars and wondered if there really was ever life on it? People have a wide variety of opinions regarding these questions and with good reason. As far back as the broadcast of H. G. Well's novel, "The War of the Worlds", the world has been fascinated with the possibilities of what Mars may hold. Over time, the majority of people have come to realize that there is no way that life can currently be on Mars. Those who are uncertain think there may be microscopic bacteria underground. There is, however, rising speculation that Mars currently holds ice and possibly flowing water in certain areas on and under the surface. Because of the surface conditions, the water would evaporate very quickly and not be directly visible from space, along with the possible exception of the polar caps, which will be discussed later. Almost all researchers and scientists believe that there is ice on Mars, but the trick is to find it and use it to our benefit. Scientists have dreamt over the possibility that it may be possible to live on another planet. Some think that Mars has that potential to support life, if it's hidden resources are uncovered and exploited to their full potential. There is even evidence that it once contained enough water that it had been possible to hold life. Think about it, what if we could transform it into such a place, even if only our children's children get to see any result? The following will describe Mars, present evidence of ice and water, give possible ideas for the future exploration of Mars, and give reasons for why it is important. The fourth planet from the sun was named after the Roman god of war, Ares and the Greek god of war, Mars. The month of March was named after him so the Romans believed that March was the time of war. Juno, wife of Jupiter, became pregnant with him when Flora, the goddess of flowering and blossoming plants, touched her. Mars was known for his outrage and fury. He is said to have loved battle and killing. He raped a Vestal Virgin, Rhea Silvia. This led to Mars having two sons, Romulus and Remus, who would later found Rome.

Ethics †End of Life Choice Essay

Being a member of the hospital Ethics Committee, it is my responsibility to make policy recommendations on end-of-life issues. Due to my intellect and reputation as a clear thinker, my ideas on this matter carry a lot of weight with the other members of the committee. Within this paper I will make a strong and convincing case for my position and recommendations on this topic. This paper will address the following question: What, if anything, should be done to help people who are dying? First I must start off with the obvious question: Is the patient an adult of 18 years or older who is terminally ill and of clear and sound mind to authorize assisted death intervention? If the answer is yes, then we should follow the wishes of the patient. Ultimately, it is their body; their life and they should have the right to choose. That being said, I do believe that guidelines should be established and followed in order to assure that the welfare of the patient is the only priority. Such guidelines should be made that reflect the three states that currently have laws in place for assisted death, which are, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. The law should include but not limited to, a capable adult who has been diagnosed, by a physician, with a terminal illness that will kill the patient within six months may request in writing, from his or her physician, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication for the purpose of ending the patient’s life. Exercise of the option under this law is voluntary and the patient must initiate the request. Any physician, pharmacist or healthcare provider who has moral objections may refuse to participate. The request must be confirmed by two witnesses, at least one of whom is not related to the patient, is not entitled to any portion of the patient’s estate, is not the patient’s physician, and is not employed by a health care facility caring for the patient. After the request is made, another physician must examine the patient’s medical records and confirm the diagnosis. The patient must be determined to be free of a mental condition impairing judgment. If the request is authorized, the patient must wait at least thirty days and make a second oral request before the prescription may be written. The patient has a right to rescind the request at any time. Should either physician have concerns about the patient’s ability to make an informed decision, or feel the patient’s request may be motivated by depression or coercion, the patient must be referred for a psychological evaluation. The law protects doctors from liability for providing a lethal prescription for a terminally ill, competent adult in compliance with the statute’s restrictions. Participation by physicians, pharmacists, and health care providers is voluntary. The law should also specify a patient’s decision to end his or her life shall not â€Å"have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy. † These physician assisted suicide guidelines are within the â€Å"Death with Dignity Act. † The Death with Dignity Act is the philosophical concept that a terminally ill patient should be allowed to die naturally and comfortably, rather than experience a comatose, vegetative life prolonged by mechanical support systems. Currently there are two ways of assisted suicide, one is when the patient is given a prescription medication of a fatal dose that will cause them the loose consciousness and die shortly after. The other, which is not legal in the United States, is known as â€Å"Active Euthanasia† which is a type of euthanasia in which a person who is undergoing intense suffering, and who has no practical hope of recovery is induced to death. It is also known as mercy killing. Generally, a physician performs active euthanasia and carries out the final-death causing act. Active euthanasia is performed entirely voluntarily, without any reservation, external persuasion, or duress, and after prolonged and thorough deliberation. A patient undertaking active euthanasia gives full consent to the medical procedure and chooses direct injection, to be administered by a competent medical professional, in order to end with certainty any intolerable and hopelessly incurable suffering. My second question: Is the patient an adult of 18 years or older who is suffering? In rare cases some patients who are very ill do not respond to pain medications or may be suffering in other ways that make comfort impossible. In these circumstances there is a last resort therapy that can be used: terminal sedation. With terminal sedation, a patient will be given medications that induce sleep or unconsciousness until such time as death occurs as a result of the underlying illness or disease. The intention with terminal sedation must be to relieve suffering only, not to cause death. These measures are often accompanied by the withholding of artificial life supports like intravenous feeding and artificial respiration. * * Also, the physician may use medications that cause a â€Å"double affect. † This has been defined in medical journals as: â€Å"the administration of opioids or sedative drugs with the expressed purpose of relieving pain and suffering in a dying patient. The unintended consequence may be that these medications might cause either respiratory depression or in extreme sedation, might cause to hasten a patient’s death.† What does this mean? In the simplest terms it means that the medication required to abate suffering cannot be given without the probable result of hastening death. While this may sound vague and quasi-discomforting, it is a legal, medically accepted practice, as long as the intention is only to relieve suffering and not cause death. The death is attributed to the disease or complications of the disease, combined in some circumstances with the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments such as intravenous liquids, nutrition, and artificial respiration. While the patient need not be unconscious during this process, unconsciousness is often the result. * * The last question I ask is: in cases when a minor, a person under the age of 18, is either terminally ill or suffering, who has the right to make the final decisions, the parents/legal guardians, the state, or the patient? I believe that all three need to have a united decision. If one or more of the three votes differ, then neither intervention stated above may be used. These policy recommendations I have stated within this paper regarding end-of-life issues have been explained thoroughly and in detail. I have successfully made a strong and convincing case for my position and recommendations on this topic. I hope that the members of this Ethics Committee agree with my findings and support my recommendations and that my reputation as a clear and trustworthy thinking member is evident.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's Disease does not kill instantly; it destroys the individual bit by bit, tearing away at their person-hood and self-identity. Most victims suffer for 9 to 15 years after onset of the illness. It is the most common type of dementia in the United States and Canada and after age 40, the risk of developing it doubles with aging every 5.1 years during adults' life. A form of dementia, the DSM-IV-R's (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) criteria for diagnosing dementia include: impairment in short- and long-term memory, at least one of the following: impairment in abstract thinking, impaired judgement, other disturbances of higher cortical functioning, personality change, significant interference with work, social activities, or relationships, in addition, symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of delirium; and specific etiologic organic factor is evidenced or can be presumed. For an individual with this terrible disease, living with memory loss and its associated disabilities are very frightening. Alzheimer's includes behavioral characteristics that extend beyond its cognitive explanations. These behaviors require study because of the influence on both the patient and caregiver. Treatment often looks to drugs for relief of symptoms and to slow the course of progressive decline, rather than on assisting the individual with coping mechanisms. It has been termed a â€Å"family disease†, not only because of possible genetic relation between victims, but because family members provide 80 percent or more of the care giving. Chronic and progressive mental and physical deterioration decrease the victim's capacity for independence and increase the need for support from family members caring for the victim at home. The victim attempts to make sense of a seemingly new and hostile world, and this leads to dubious and uncharacteristic changes in behavior, personality, decision-making, function, and mood. Certain symptoms that are often associated with depression may be observed in patients who are cognitively impaired but not depressed. Professionals must be aware of all the symptoms the patient is experiencing, and reports from family members must also be taken into account. The patient usually reports fewer negative feelings or mood problems than are identified by caregivers. Patients often attempt to cover up their disease by modifying the behaviors of others, rather than identifying their own inevitable retrogression. Fears of the unknown, fears of abandonment, lowered frustration tolerance, and loss of impulse control may result in problematic behavior. Also, appropriate behavior may simply be forgotten, and faces of family members and friends unfamiliar. However, the victim of Alzheimer's often denies these symptoms. More obvious, even to themselves are the expression of emotions such as panic and deprivation. Experiences such as early retirement and anticipated changes in the responsibilities of daily life are never realized. The inability to drive a car is especially painful and frustrating for some. Self-esteem and sense of worth plummet. Individuals with Alzheimer's lose their capability to plan, postpone, wait, or predict the outcomes of their actions. Family members very often fail to attribute losses similar to those previously mentioned to a d isease. They tend to deny the existence of the disease. Family members may go through a period of denial in which they make excuses for the patient, attributing the problems they encounter to normal aging, stress, etc. Alzheimer's disease creates new demands on the family, who have to adopt numerous roles. The parent, once the primary caregiver to their children, is now like a child receiving care. Each family member defines the situation differently, but display common management behaviors that will be discussed further. Within these similar stages of management, reflection of individual attitudes is obvious due to unique interpretations of the stages. The spouse is usually the primary caregiver of the patient, but when unable to provide the care necessary, an adult child is the most likely candidate. These adult children fear that the disease terrorizing their family and destroying a loved one will be hereditary. Negative behavior changes that are undergone by the victim have major effects on the caregiver. Mental health and life satisfaction of the caregiver seem to decrease rapidly, but according to Lisa Gwyther (1994), the key to minimizing these effects is to strategically change responses by the human and physical environment. Changing the responses of the outside world, rather than attempting to change the responses of the individual with the disease helps to organize difficult changes. Experienced spouses and wise families learn to distract the patient rather than confront them on their shortcomings. They should learn to enrich the victims' pleasure in each moment, spurring preserved memories and skills to maintain the victims' positive feelings of competence, belonging, productivity, and self-esteem. Consistent reassurance and unconditional love are vital to peace and harmony within the family. The patient experiences degeneration of short-term memory, which often results in misplacement of objects and forgetting the names of familiar people. They have irrational or imaginary fears that make them suspicious of those closest to them, and they may accuse others of theft and/or infidelity. This is a source of increased frustration, confusion, distress, and irritability on the part of both the patient and the family. As a result, those involved may rely on alcohol and drugs to alleviate the stresses of coming to terms with the disease. Many families of victims either fail to seek, or do not receive a correct medical diagnosis. They tend to become over-involved and angry, stages necessary in the process of adjustment. The family members attempt to counterweigh the losses experienced by the patient, because the deterioration is beginning to become obvious. Their anger, not necessarily with the patient, stems from the burden, embarrassment, and frustrations caused by the patient's behavior. Burden is reported to be highest in this phase of mild dementia. When the spouse is the primary caregiver (in comparison with adult children or others), care is more complete, and less stress, conflict, and ambivalence are observed. Spouses tend to look for activities, or ways of interpreting the patients behavior, that allow for a continuing adult relationship, rather than a parent- child one, which may belittle the patient. Psychological stress results from conflict between resentment, anger, ambivalence, and guilt, self-blame, and the pain of watching a loved one deteriorate. Caregivers also report physical fatigue from providing care to their regressing loved one. Of all of these, the most difficult is performing the basic daily activities for the patient, and coping with upsetting behavior. Proactive approaches towards treatment of the disease involve the conscious decision that success is possible, both for the patient and family- unfortunately this is something that most afflicted individuals realize too late. In addition, the victims of Alzheimer's may or may not respond to certain types of intervention. A patient may react to one type of treatment one minute and not the next. Immediate, observable changes in patient and family behavior, function, and mood were noted when caregivers learned to separate the resolution of the problem from the intention of the patient. For example, rather than confronting a patient or assigning blame when an object is lost, the caregiver replaces the item the patient claimed â€Å"stolen†. In this way, unnecessary stress and tension are eliminated for both patient and caregiver. Each family member experiences a similar process of coming to terms with the changes. This process includes three stages: describing how the victim is the same, and/or different, prior to disease onset, rewriting the individuality of the victim, and redefining the relationship with the victim. During the first stage, family members look for behaviors that still represent the victims' â€Å"true† self, and those that the person with Alzheimer's no longer has. In the second stage, the disease and individual with the disease must be seen as two in one. Part of the struggle in this stage is to maintain the adult identity of the victim while managing their child-like needs. Still, in the third stage of the adapting process, major problems continue to present themselves. These may include: family and social disruptions, increased marital conflicts, and employment-related difficulties. Family members are usually not aware of one-another's viewpoints; they do not understand that they are not all seeing the victim the same way. Due to the fact that they are not all having the same type of relationship with the victim, paths towards the common goal of attaining highest level of function for the victim may be divided. As a result, the more effort individual family members put into achieving this goal, the more conflict is created. However, it individuals voice their different perspectives and encourage discussion, this may allow the family to function as a complete whole. Understanding between family members can be coupled with social support groups' ideas about the disease. A social network may be effective in protecting individuals with terminal diseases from some of the negative effects. An active organization, The Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) established a network of individuals and families affected with dementia. The speed at which this network is growing is clear evidence of the need for more groups like it. Information sharing, encouragement, and provision of social support are among the top objectives of such groups. A committee at the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association developed Project Esteem to provide emotional intervention for people with Alzheimer's in the Forgetful phase. Its purpose is to provide opportunities to share thoughts and feelings with peers and professionals, and to have some fun. It came about as two separate groups, one being individuals with Alzheimer's and the other, caregivers. Reported feelings related to dementia from both groups include: anger, anxiety, stress, acceptance, and frustration. The number of individuals who report negative feelings greatly outweigh those of acceptance. At initial meetings, bonding is established through the sharing of early memory experiences. Gradually, comfort comes from knowing that the victims are not alone; there are others with the same limitations. The realization that the victims are ordinary people with a chronic illness, rather than an uncontrollable mental illness, is comforting. Overall, the most effective coping occurs when the individual recognizes their own mental change, realizes the diagnosis, and deals with the unexpected attitudes of others. Benefits of group support in this early stage of Alzheimer's are considerable. Individuals sharing similar situations gain insight and encouragement through verbal exchange; when real world suggestions were needed, and non- verbally; when words were simply not accessible. However, as word comprehension and creation becomes increasingly difficult, the individual enters a new stage of disease development. Short-term memory, orientation, and concentration are now severely impaired. Throughout this stage, remote memory, intellectual functioning, comprehension, and judgement decline steadily. Ability to care for one's self also declines, and sleep patterns are altered; this is a severe blow to the patient's independence and self-esteem. The patient then becomes suspicious and paranoid, even of those closest to them. Likelihood of involvement in accidents at home and abuse of medication increase. Behaviors may include night wandering, night shouting, and nocturnal micturition (night- time urination). Obviously, traditional family behaviors and interactive patterns realize drastic alteration. Family members begin to feel guilty for their impatience and intolerance of the patient, even though many of the demands of the patient are unrealistic and illogical. A major problem for those closest to the patient is readjusting expectations of the patient and themselves. Changes and problematic behavior become a source of stress during this phase, but overall limitation and conflict is reported to decrease, which may simply be the result of institutionalization of the victim. Use of drugs is found to be twice as high in care-givers as in community subjects, and care-givers often let their own health deteriorate. Particularly for the spouse's caregivers, social isolation becomes an issue of psychological well being. Lack of time, energy, and interest in social activities becomes prominent as the deterioration of the patient increases. In one study, spouses of patients exhibited higher levels of stress, in comparison to adult children caregivers; but husbands, in comparison to wives, report fewer burdens, and are more willing to admit the difficulty of the tasks at hand and seek out professional help. Adult male children are as likely as women are to assist their parents, but the men appeared to have the ability to distance themselves from the aging parent. This physical and emotional separation seemed to lower the amount of guilt felt by the men. Possibly because of these differing abilities to deal with the disease, there is often conflict between family members as to how to care for the victim. Two broad coping techniques of family members of Alzheimer victims are: (1) Distancing techniques and (2) Enmeshing techniques. Distancing techniques (as discussed earlier) involve establishing distance between the patient and caregiver both emotionally and physically. Enmeshing techniques involve the intensification of the relationship, and often the exclusion of others. This option is usually observed in cases where the spouse is the primary caregiver. Apparently, it is very difficult for spouses who use the Enmeshing technique to become involved in social support groups. Social support is a proven mediator and alleviator of family stress and patient dejection. Adult day care programs provide respite for family members, and allow the patient to interact with individuals with similar conditions. Generally, the patients see the support group as being most helpful in the areas of information sharing and peer support. This information and assistance may help determine the strength of the individual in last stages of the disease. This phase is the final stage of Alzheimer's disease. Mental deterioration is complete; many patients are completely unaware of, or unable to respond to their surroundings. The patients are totally dependent on others for all aspects of daily living. The patient will, most likely, not identify family and friends, and may not communicate at all. Paranoia, agitation, and combativeness increase significantly, if the patient is able to display these emotions at all. He/she eventually becomes extremely weak, incontinent, non-ambulatory and bedridden. It has been hypothesized that at least some of the premorbid changes in strength and weakness may be predicted from changes observed in the earlier stages. Descriptions by caregivers of premorbid personality traits of the victim are similar to symptoms of depression, hallucinations, and delusions. It is during this stage that most victims are admitted to an institution for professional care. Several behavioral problems such as aggression and wandering appear to increase as individuals are moved from the community to nursing homes. Acceptance of this disturbing disease comes very slowly to the family members. The disease's sly onset and the original appearance by the victim of retention of regular physical vigor make acceptance increasingly difficult. As the disease progresses further and further, the changes that occur for the victim become increasingly obvious and family members tend to define the situation more similarly than in previous, seemingly inconspicuous stages. The grieving process is lengthy, because the death of the person is long before the death of the physical body. Although the loved one is long gone, their shell lives on. At some point during this stage, the spouse must undergo the final challenge of marital evaluation. Because the patient does not recognize anyone, the spouse is totally alone, but not single. Obtaining a divorce often creates many difficult legal issues. Many caregivers need assistance coping with the guilt of â€Å"abandoning† their spouse when placing them in a nursing home. Thus, financial problems come into the picture. Paying for nursing home services is difficult, as all effort in previous years has been put into caring for the patient. Relatives of deceased victims can be compared to those whose family member is still living. Wives and husbands display similar feelings of burden, but the husbands report more social limitations. On the contrary, sons and daughters are different in their descriptions of burden. Sons report less social limitations than daughters do, and less affective limitation when the demented parents had died. The sons of the deceased elderly also report less conflict with others than the daughters do. The need for individual support for the caregiver and family of the deceased is important, especially at this stage of sorrow. There may also be a sense of relief and release, as the extensive suffering of a loved one has finally ended. The empty body, which once contained a loved one, can finally be put to rest. Help and support from the staff at institutions with dealing with the grief of the final loss of a loved one is valuable and most definitely appreciated. Alzheimer's Disease is a ceaseless debilitating disease without known cause or cure. Deterioration of mental and physical processes is inevitable, but varies between individuals- the cause for this variance has only been looked at hypothetically. It is a terrifying disease for the victim, who is constantly aware of the losses that are occurring, but can do nothing to prevent the disease from proceeding on its deadly course. Family members respond to the disease within certain guidelines, but the attitude towards the different stages differs for all involved. Social support systems have proven extremely effective for both the victim and caregiver in the Forgetful phase of the illness. From that point on, influence on patients decreases significantly, but personal gain for caregivers continues. There is an evident need for publicly funded support for Alzheimer's disease victims and their families. The obvious lack of information concerning the symptoms and results of the disease show the necessity for incorporation of education and support into intervention strategies for caregivers. Evaluation of a patient with possible dementia requires a complete medical history, neurologic evaluation, and physical examination. At the present time, no diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's are available in laboratories. It is simply a diagnosis based on elimination of other diseases. There is great need for a biological marker that would confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimer's in a living patient. Rapid progress has been made in identifying a potential genetic marker that could be used to diagnose the disease without autopsy, biopsy, or extended evaluations. Potential disadvantages of this approach would be the reluctance of both patients and physicians to have lumbar punctures done, and the potential overlap of normal patients and Alzheimer sufferers. These potential markers are a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel. Metaphorically, Alzheimer's can be seen as a house that is constantly being eaten by termites, from the inside out. Although the house may look the same on the outside, the very foundation of the house, the part that makes it a home, deteriorates. Attempts to stop the decay are futile and, at best, temporary. Eventually, one will not feel comfortable at home, and will most likely leave the home- possibly for someone else to deal with. This relief is also temporary. The eating away of the house continues, until it eventually topples into an unrecognizable heap of what used to be a home. This feeling was best described by one individual in the middle stages of the disease: â€Å"†¦(J)ust a wild lost world. I'm here but I don't know where I am†. Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer's disease is one of most prevalent medical conditions that affect the older sector of society. More and more people continue to suffer from this disease, but at present, there is still no cure available. So what causes Alzheimer's disease? What are its effects, and are there any possible solutions for this condition? This essay would delve into the aforementioned details of Alzheimer's disease. Before the nature of Alzheimer's disease can be discussed, it is important to first define what dementia is.This is because Alzheimer's disease is identified as the most general cause behind the dementia not only in America but also throughout the world. Dementia refers to a syndrome which generally damages a person's daily functioning. This is because the memory is impaired, as well as other thinking capabilities, such as reasoning and thought organization. Even the capacity for language and sight is also affected. Due to the memory decline, simple activities become difficult and pa tients need assistance from others since they cannot take care of themselves anymore.Consequently, Alzheimer's disease is a medical condition which affects the brain; it is a disease that slowly develops, damaging one's memory and other mental processes. These include â€Å"reasoning, planning, language, and perception. † It is believed that the disease is caused by the overproduction or amassment of the protein called beta-amyloid; this protein is believed to result in the demise of nerve cells. The condition worsens as time goes by and can lead to death.The possibility of acquiring Alzheimer's disease increases as one ages, especially when one reaches the age of 70. Those who are beyond 85 years of age are most likely to be affected. However, it is important to point out that though memory loss is a normal part of aging, something as severe as Alzheimer's disease is not part of it. Alzheimer's disease was first discovered in 1906 by a German doctor named Alois Alzheimer; in 1910, the disease was officially named after him. Five years prior, Dr.Alzheimer had 51-year-old patient named Frau Auguste D. ; the symptoms of her condition include problems of speech, memory and understanding. She even began doubting her husband's loyalty for no reason at all. Her condition became worse and eventually, she died. When Dr. Alzheimer performed an autopsy, he found that the size of the brain had decreased. The most notable finding was that the cortex had significantly shrunk; the cortex is responsible for memory and speech, among other vital mental functions.When her brain was viewed in the microscope, Dr. Alzheimer discovered brain cells which are either dead or in the process of dying. There were also fat and other deposits found in the blood vessels and brain cells. The brain is composed of neurons, which are nerve cells. These neurons produce signals which are chemical and electrical in nature. The signals are transferred from one neuron to another, enabling the person to think and recall. The transmission between neurons is made possible by neurotransmitters.Those who suffer from Alzheimer's disease experience the demise of neurons; eventually, neurotransmitters are also affected, and the brain functions are completely interrupted. The autopsy that Dr. Alzheimer performed on Auguste D. revealed that the brain tissues were characterized by â€Å"clumps† and â€Å"knots† of brain cells. At present, the former is recognized as plaques, while the latter is now identified as tangles. Both are acknowledged markers of Alzheimer's disease. These two are also possible contributors in causing the brain disorder.On one hand, plaques are composed of the aforementioned beta-amyloid protein. There is still no determined reason for the death of neurons, but the said protein is believed to be responsible for it. There are three genetic mutations that are recognized as responsible for a small percentage of the early-onset type of the disease . These three are as follows: â€Å"amyloid precursor protein, presenilin 1 protein (PS1) and presenilin 2 (PS2). † The said mutations create plaques of amyloid. All three mutations are known to cause at least ten percent of all cases of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer's Disease does not kill instantly; it destroys the individual bit by bit, tearing away at their person-hood and self-identity. Most victims suffer for 9 to 15 years after onset of the illness. It is the most common type of dementia in the United States and Canada and after age 40, the risk of developing it doubles with aging every 5.1 years during adults' life. A form of dementia, the DSM-IV-R's (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) criteria for diagnosing dementia include: impairment in short- and long-term memory, at least one of the following: impairment in abstract thinking, impaired judgement, other disturbances of higher cortical functioning, personality change, significant interference with work, social activities, or relationships, in addition, symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of delirium; and specific etiologic organic factor is evidenced or can be presumed. For an individual with this terrible disease, living with memory loss and its associated disabilities are very frightening. Alzheimer's includes behavioral characteristics that extend beyond its cognitive explanations. These behaviors require study because of the influence on both the patient and caregiver. Treatment often looks to drugs for relief of symptoms and to slow the course of progressive decline, rather than on assisting the individual with coping mechanisms. It has been termed a â€Å"family disease†, not only because of possible genetic relation between victims, but because family members provide 80 percent or more of the care giving. Chronic and progressive mental and physical deterioration decrease the victim's capacity for independence and increase the need for support from family members caring for the victim at home. The victim attempts to make sense of a seemingly new and hostile world, and this leads to dubious and uncharacteristic changes in behavior, personality, decision-making, function, and mood. Certain symptoms that are often associated with depression may be observed in patients who are cognitively impaired but not depressed. Professionals must be aware of all the symptoms the patient is experiencing, and reports from family members must also be taken into account. The patient usually reports fewer negative feelings or mood problems than are identified by caregivers. Patients often attempt to cover up their disease by modifying the behaviors of others, rather than identifying their own inevitable retrogression. Fears of the unknown, fears of abandonment, lowered frustration tolerance, and loss of impulse control may result in problematic behavior. Also, appropriate behavior may simply be forgotten, and faces of family members and friends unfamiliar. However, the victim of Alzheimer's often denies these symptoms. More obvious, even to themselves are the expression of emotions such as panic and deprivation. Experiences such as early retirement and anticipated changes in the responsibilities of daily life are never realized. The inability to drive a car is especially painful and frustrating for some. Self-esteem and sense of worth plummet. Individuals with Alzheimer's lose their capability to plan, postpone, wait, or predict the outcomes of their actions. Family members very often fail to attribute losses similar to those previously mentioned to a d isease. They tend to deny the existence of the disease. Family members may go through a period of denial in which they make excuses for the patient, attributing the problems they encounter to normal aging, stress, etc. Alzheimer's disease creates new demands on the family, who have to adopt numerous roles. The parent, once the primary caregiver to their children, is now like a child receiving care. Each family member defines the situation differently, but display common management behaviors that will be discussed further. Within these similar stages of management, reflection of individual attitudes is obvious due to unique interpretations of the stages. The spouse is usually the primary caregiver of the patient, but when unable to provide the care necessary, an adult child is the most likely candidate. These adult children fear that the disease terrorizing their family and destroying a loved one will be hereditary. Negative behavior changes that are undergone by the victim have major effects on the caregiver. Mental health and life satisfaction of the caregiver seem to decrease rapidly, but according to Lisa Gwyther (1994), the key to minimizing these effects is to strategically change responses by the human and physical environment. Changing the responses of the outside world, rather than attempting to change the responses of the individual with the disease helps to organize difficult changes. Experienced spouses and wise families learn to distract the patient rather than confront them on their shortcomings. They should learn to enrich the victims' pleasure in each moment, spurring preserved memories and skills to maintain the victims' positive feelings of competence, belonging, productivity, and self-esteem. Consistent reassurance and unconditional love are vital to peace and harmony within the family. The patient experiences degeneration of short-term memory, which often results in misplacement of objects and forgetting the names of familiar people. They have irrational or imaginary fears that make them suspicious of those closest to them, and they may accuse others of theft and/or infidelity. This is a source of increased frustration, confusion, distress, and irritability on the part of both the patient and the family. As a result, those involved may rely on alcohol and drugs to alleviate the stresses of coming to terms with the disease. Many families of victims either fail to seek, or do not receive a correct medical diagnosis. They tend to become over-involved and angry, stages necessary in the process of adjustment. The family members attempt to counterweigh the losses experienced by the patient, because the deterioration is beginning to become obvious. Their anger, not necessarily with the patient, stems from the burden, embarrassment, and frustrations caused by the patient's behavior. Burden is reported to be highest in this phase of mild dementia. When the spouse is the primary caregiver (in comparison with adult children or others), care is more complete, and less stress, conflict, and ambivalence are observed. Spouses tend to look for activities, or ways of interpreting the patients behavior, that allow for a continuing adult relationship, rather than a parent- child one, which may belittle the patient. Psychological stress results from conflict between resentment, anger, ambivalence, and guilt, self-blame, and the pain of watching a loved one deteriorate. Caregivers also report physical fatigue from providing care to their regressing loved one. Of all of these, the most difficult is performing the basic daily activities for the patient, and coping with upsetting behavior. Proactive approaches towards treatment of the disease involve the conscious decision that success is possible, both for the patient and family- unfortunately this is something that most afflicted individuals realize too late. In addition, the victims of Alzheimer's may or may not respond to certain types of intervention. A patient may react to one type of treatment one minute and not the next. Immediate, observable changes in patient and family behavior, function, and mood were noted when caregivers learned to separate the resolution of the problem from the intention of the patient. For example, rather than confronting a patient or assigning blame when an object is lost, the caregiver replaces the item the patient claimed â€Å"stolen†. In this way, unnecessary stress and tension are eliminated for both patient and caregiver. Each family member experiences a similar process of coming to terms with the changes. This process includes three stages: describing how the victim is the same, and/or different, prior to disease onset, rewriting the individuality of the victim, and redefining the relationship with the victim. During the first stage, family members look for behaviors that still represent the victims' â€Å"true† self, and those that the person with Alzheimer's no longer has. In the second stage, the disease and individual with the disease must be seen as two in one. Part of the struggle in this stage is to maintain the adult identity of the victim while managing their child-like needs. Still, in the third stage of the adapting process, major problems continue to present themselves. These may include: family and social disruptions, increased marital conflicts, and employment-related difficulties. Family members are usually not aware of one-another's viewpoints; they do not understand that they are not all seeing the victim the same way. Due to the fact that they are not all having the same type of relationship with the victim, paths towards the common goal of attaining highest level of function for the victim may be divided. As a result, the more effort individual family members put into achieving this goal, the more conflict is created. However, it individuals voice their different perspectives and encourage discussion, this may allow the family to function as a complete whole. Understanding between family members can be coupled with social support groups' ideas about the disease. A social network may be effective in protecting individuals with terminal diseases from some of the negative effects. An active organization, The Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA) established a network of individuals and families affected with dementia. The speed at which this network is growing is clear evidence of the need for more groups like it. Information sharing, encouragement, and provision of social support are among the top objectives of such groups. A committee at the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association developed Project Esteem to provide emotional intervention for people with Alzheimer's in the Forgetful phase. Its purpose is to provide opportunities to share thoughts and feelings with peers and professionals, and to have some fun. It came about as two separate groups, one being individuals with Alzheimer's and the other, caregivers. Reported feelings related to dementia from both groups include: anger, anxiety, stress, acceptance, and frustration. The number of individuals who report negative feelings greatly outweigh those of acceptance. At initial meetings, bonding is established through the sharing of early memory experiences. Gradually, comfort comes from knowing that the victims are not alone; there are others with the same limitations. The realization that the victims are ordinary people with a chronic illness, rather than an uncontrollable mental illness, is comforting. Overall, the most effective coping occurs when the individual recognizes their own mental change, realizes the diagnosis, and deals with the unexpected attitudes of others. Benefits of group support in this early stage of Alzheimer's are considerable. Individuals sharing similar situations gain insight and encouragement through verbal exchange; when real world suggestions were needed, and non- verbally; when words were simply not accessible. However, as word comprehension and creation becomes increasingly difficult, the individual enters a new stage of disease development. Short-term memory, orientation, and concentration are now severely impaired. Throughout this stage, remote memory, intellectual functioning, comprehension, and judgement decline steadily. Ability to care for one's self also declines, and sleep patterns are altered; this is a severe blow to the patient's independence and self-esteem. The patient then becomes suspicious and paranoid, even of those closest to them. Likelihood of involvement in accidents at home and abuse of medication increase. Behaviors may include night wandering, night shouting, and nocturnal micturition (night- time urination). Obviously, traditional family behaviors and interactive patterns realize drastic alteration. Family members begin to feel guilty for their impatience and intolerance of the patient, even though many of the demands of the patient are unrealistic and illogical. A major problem for those closest to the patient is readjusting expectations of the patient and themselves. Changes and problematic behavior become a source of stress during this phase, but overall limitation and conflict is reported to decrease, which may simply be the result of institutionalization of the victim. Use of drugs is found to be twice as high in care-givers as in community subjects, and care-givers often let their own health deteriorate. Particularly for the spouse's caregivers, social isolation becomes an issue of psychological well being. Lack of time, energy, and interest in social activities becomes prominent as the deterioration of the patient increases. In one study, spouses of patients exhibited higher levels of stress, in comparison to adult children caregivers; but husbands, in comparison to wives, report fewer burdens, and are more willing to admit the difficulty of the tasks at hand and seek out professional help. Adult male children are as likely as women are to assist their parents, but the men appeared to have the ability to distance themselves from the aging parent. This physical and emotional separation seemed to lower the amount of guilt felt by the men. Possibly because of these differing abilities to deal with the disease, there is often conflict between family members as to how to care for the victim. Two broad coping techniques of family members of Alzheimer victims are: (1) Distancing techniques and (2) Enmeshing techniques. Distancing techniques (as discussed earlier) involve establishing distance between the patient and caregiver both emotionally and physically. Enmeshing techniques involve the intensification of the relationship, and often the exclusion of others. This option is usually observed in cases where the spouse is the primary caregiver. Apparently, it is very difficult for spouses who use the Enmeshing technique to become involved in social support groups. Social support is a proven mediator and alleviator of family stress and patient dejection. Adult day care programs provide respite for family members, and allow the patient to interact with individuals with similar conditions. Generally, the patients see the support group as being most helpful in the areas of information sharing and peer support. This information and assistance may help determine the strength of the individual in last stages of the disease. This phase is the final stage of Alzheimer's disease. Mental deterioration is complete; many patients are completely unaware of, or unable to respond to their surroundings. The patients are totally dependent on others for all aspects of daily living. The patient will, most likely, not identify family and friends, and may not communicate at all. Paranoia, agitation, and combativeness increase significantly, if the patient is able to display these emotions at all. He/she eventually becomes extremely weak, incontinent, non-ambulatory and bedridden. It has been hypothesized that at least some of the premorbid changes in strength and weakness may be predicted from changes observed in the earlier stages. Descriptions by caregivers of premorbid personality traits of the victim are similar to symptoms of depression, hallucinations, and delusions. It is during this stage that most victims are admitted to an institution for professional care. Several behavioral problems such as aggression and wandering appear to increase as individuals are moved from the community to nursing homes. Acceptance of this disturbing disease comes very slowly to the family members. The disease's sly onset and the original appearance by the victim of retention of regular physical vigor make acceptance increasingly difficult. As the disease progresses further and further, the changes that occur for the victim become increasingly obvious and family members tend to define the situation more similarly than in previous, seemingly inconspicuous stages. The grieving process is lengthy, because the death of the person is long before the death of the physical body. Although the loved one is long gone, their shell lives on. At some point during this stage, the spouse must undergo the final challenge of marital evaluation. Because the patient does not recognize anyone, the spouse is totally alone, but not single. Obtaining a divorce often creates many difficult legal issues. Many caregivers need assistance coping with the guilt of â€Å"abandoning† their spouse when placing them in a nursing home. Thus, financial problems come into the picture. Paying for nursing home services is difficult, as all effort in previous years has been put into caring for the patient. Relatives of deceased victims can be compared to those whose family member is still living. Wives and husbands display similar feelings of burden, but the husbands report more social limitations. On the contrary, sons and daughters are different in their descriptions of burden. Sons report less social limitations than daughters do, and less affective limitation when the demented parents had died. The sons of the deceased elderly also report less conflict with others than the daughters do. The need for individual support for the caregiver and family of the deceased is important, especially at this stage of sorrow. There may also be a sense of relief and release, as the extensive suffering of a loved one has finally ended. The empty body, which once contained a loved one, can finally be put to rest. Help and support from the staff at institutions with dealing with the grief of the final loss of a loved one is valuable and most definitely appreciated. Alzheimer's Disease is a ceaseless debilitating disease without known cause or cure. Deterioration of mental and physical processes is inevitable, but varies between individuals- the cause for this variance has only been looked at hypothetically. It is a terrifying disease for the victim, who is constantly aware of the losses that are occurring, but can do nothing to prevent the disease from proceeding on its deadly course. Family members respond to the disease within certain guidelines, but the attitude towards the different stages differs for all involved. Social support systems have proven extremely effective for both the victim and caregiver in the Forgetful phase of the illness. From that point on, influence on patients decreases significantly, but personal gain for caregivers continues. There is an evident need for publicly funded support for Alzheimer's disease victims and their families. The obvious lack of information concerning the symptoms and results of the disease show the necessity for incorporation of education and support into intervention strategies for caregivers. Evaluation of a patient with possible dementia requires a complete medical history, neurologic evaluation, and physical examination. At the present time, no diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's are available in laboratories. It is simply a diagnosis based on elimination of other diseases. There is great need for a biological marker that would confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimer's in a living patient. Rapid progress has been made in identifying a potential genetic marker that could be used to diagnose the disease without autopsy, biopsy, or extended evaluations. Potential disadvantages of this approach would be the reluctance of both patients and physicians to have lumbar punctures done, and the potential overlap of normal patients and Alzheimer sufferers. These potential markers are a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel. Metaphorically, Alzheimer's can be seen as a house that is constantly being eaten by termites, from the inside out. Although the house may look the same on the outside, the very foundation of the house, the part that makes it a home, deteriorates. Attempts to stop the decay are futile and, at best, temporary. Eventually, one will not feel comfortable at home, and will most likely leave the home- possibly for someone else to deal with. This relief is also temporary. The eating away of the house continues, until it eventually topples into an unrecognizable heap of what used to be a home. This feeling was best described by one individual in the middle stages of the disease: â€Å"†¦(J)ust a wild lost world. I'm here but I don't know where I am†.