Vodou Religion :: essays research papers

Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystà ¨ (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic â€Å"Africa.† The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (â€Å"serve the spirits†)—to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the lwa within the entranced devotee. Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (manbo and oungan), â€Å"children of the spirits† (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountà ²gi) comprise more formal â€Å"societies† or â€Å"congregations† (sosyete). In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. There is some regional difference in ritual practice across Haiti, and branches of the religion include Rada, Daome, Ibo, Nago, Dereal, Manding, Petwo, and Kongo. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwà ¨l, that perform a religio-juridical function. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice.

kung san :: essays papers

kung san Among the many cultures in Africa, one of the most well known cultures would be the Kung San. The Kung San are a very unique culture and are the most studied foraging society in the world. As with numerous other cultures around the world, the Kung San are faced with many problems. But one problem the Kung San don't face is that of being a nonentity, partially because of the popularized view of the Kung San shown in the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy. The Kung San are a hunting and gathering people living in southern Africa. Kung San are a varied people in terms of looks and language, and include people living Angola, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia. The Kung San, like many human groups, have a rigid sexual division of labor, with women doing most of the gathering, food preparation and child care, and men doing hunting and some complementary gathering. There does exist a limited socioeconomic hierarchy by age, with adults controlling more resources and manufactured goods than children. The Kung San usually eat small meals during the day and eat a large supper with the whole family in the evening. Water is a limiting factor in the Kung San environment. The Kung San will disperse in the wet season, and aggregate in camps in the dry season around the few permanent water holes. A Kung San encampment consists of grass huts arranged roughly in a circle, constructed around an area of clearing in the center; these huts are constructe d quickly and rarely used for more than a few months at a time. The Kung San maintain a level of egalitarianism so that no one person is revered more than the next and so that no one thinks they are any better than the next. In the Kung San culture, many are married as young as eight years old in order to keep conflicts and extramarital relations down to a minimum. One of the Kung San's favorite activities is to sit in the shade talking amongst themselves. They are afraid of angry words and violence so the occasional dispute is worked out before it becomes a major one. Since competition might bring dispute, they try to live as equals. The Kung San effectively employ talking and joking to

General accepted accounting principles Essay

This is a set of rules that guide accountants and auditors in preparation and audit of financial statements. GAAPs guide financial reporting in public organizations under SEC requirements as well as in private companies and government organizations. These rules are not rigid and therefore allow the accountants and auditors applying them some room to make own judgments. GAAPs ensure that financial statements prepared under its standards are comparable, consistent, reliable and relevant. Such financial statement aid users in decision-making on such issues as investing decisions, credit worthiness and tax computation. They help accountants make decisions when encountered by a difficult situation. Financial statements prepared under GAAPs also reflect a true picture of the entity’s financial position. (Stickney, C. and R. Weil, 2005) Historical cost It is a generally accepted accounting principle that applies to preparation of the balance sheet. This principle dictates that an item in the financial statement should be recorded at the amount that it was paid for rather than at market value. This is because the market value fluctuates a lot and those preparing financial statements may apply subjective measures of the market value. Recording assets at their actual cost does not affect a business entity much since assets are held to facilitate the entity’s operations and not for resale. It is criticized for ignoring the time value of money and market values of the various balance sheet items. However it is preferred as it leaves the management no room to manipulate the values as they would with market values. Financial statements prepared under this principles on therefore more reliable. (Stickney, C. and R. Weil, 2005) Accrual basis vs. cash basis accounting Accrual basis accounting recognizes revenue in the accounting period it is realized or earned and not necessarily when they are paid up. Revenue is considered realizable if the entity has enough ground to expect cash in future. It is considered earned when the entity has done enough to warrant compensation. The accrual basis also dictates that expenses be charged from revenue they were incurred to produce. Cash basis accounting on the other hand, requires that revenues is recognized in the accounting period that cash is received and expenses in the period they are paid for. Revenues and expenses involves in credit transactions are therefore not recognized until payment is done. It is usually applied in small organizations with a short credit periods. It is simple and inexpensive since one does not have to maintain several ledger accounts such as accounts payable accounts receivable, prepaid and accrued expenses. It also allows the entities to defer tax payments until it receives the cash. However accrual basis is more widely used since it gives a fairer view of the financial performance of an entity. It also complies with the accrual and matching concepts under US GAAP. The difference between the two methods is on timing of recording transactions. Cash basis traces all cash flows but fails to match revenues with expenses incurred. Accrual basis matches revenues with expenses incurred but fails to trace cash flows. (Stickney, C. and R. Weil, 2005) To overcome this deficiency, the entity has to prepare a cash flow statement. Current assets and liabilities vs. non-current items Current assets are cash and assets that can be converted in to cash within a short period probably within a year. They include accounts receivable, inventory and prepaid expenses. Non –current assets are not convertible to cash in a short period and if convertible, there are still non-current as they are used in the entity’s operation. Non-current assets are either tangible or intangible. Tangible assets include property and plant and machinery while intangibles include goodwill’s and patents. Current liabilities are those liabilities that fall due and are paid up within a year include accounts payable accruals, and tax liability. Non-current liabilities fall due in the long term and include such items long-term debt and deferred income tax. This classification is useful in determining the financial position of an entity. A business entity should pay its current liabilities with current assets and non-current liabilities with non-current assets and equity. A firm financing its current liabilities with non-current assets is not in a healthy financial position. Part 2 Wal-Mart stores Inc The consolidated balance sheet is arranged in the order of liquidity while the cash flow is prepared under the indirect methods.  Ã‚   All the statements are prepared in compliance with the US GAAP. Accrual basis accounting is applied and revenues are matched with the expenses incurred to generate them. Assets are recorded at the actual cost of acquisition and not at the market value. The balance sheet items are classified as current and non- current items. (Wal-Mart, 2008)   Wal-Mart Stores cash flow from operating activities is higher than the net income. The company is in a position to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. The cash flow from operating activities is more useful to Wal-Mart since it is harder to manipulate than net income. This is especially so for a retailer where the management can engage in sales boosting activities such as channel stuffing. (Williams J. and J. Carcello, 2006). Google Inc The corporation’s income statement is prepared under the common sized format is thus easier to analyze. The balance sheet and cash flow statement have been combined in to a single statement devoid of much detail. The corporation’s cash flow from operating activities is higher than the net income, which is an indication of enough liquidity to meet obligations as they become due. The net income for Google is however more useful than the net cash flow from operating as more details of its calculation is provided in the company’s annual report while the cash flow is given as a final figure. (Google, 2008) Honda worldwide The financial statements are prepared using the accrual basis accounting and historical cost concept. The revenues and expenses are matched and balance sheet items recorded at the actual cost rather than in fair market value. The balance sheet items are classified as current and non-current and are in order of liquidity. The statements are in compliance with the Japanese financial accounting standards, and are in conformity with the US GAAP. The positive net cash flow from operations indicates that company has enough liquidity to meet its financial obligations. The operating cash flow is more useful since net income does not reflect the firms true financial performance. The cash dividends are paid out cash from operating activities and it was therefore prudent to issue them. (Honda, 2006) Predictions Wal-Mart Stores The company is likely to be more profitable and have higher cash flows in 2007. This is because its investment budget both domestically and internationally has grown consistently over time. From the annual report it is clear that while the firm will expand its operations internationally, the growth in revenues and cash flow may be hampered by interest rate fluctuations and exchange rate fluctuations. The effect of these fluctuations is however mitigated through hedges. (Wal-Mart, 2008) Google The company future financial out look is healthy and income and cash flow from operating activities are likely to grow in 2007. Constant growth in both measures of performance has been also increased absolutely and also relative to reverse. It has also achieved greater efficiency as the proportion of net income in revenue has growth consistently. The trend is likely to continue in 2007. (Google, 2008) Honda worldwide While the net income has been growing over time the net cash flow from operating activities have declined in 2006. This is an indication that the company may experience cash flow problems in 2007. This company projects that revenues will grow in 2007 in spite of risks posed by interest rate and foreign exchange fluctuations. It however projects the growth to be moderate. (Honda, 2006)

Middle Woodland

The communities in the Middle Woodland Period possess creative beginnings, essential factors of which are native people, a history of domination and existing and widened transferring of the population from various places and societies. This has led in one of the most varied and differentiated communities in the globe, with almost a thousand ethnic societies (Applegate, 2005). Every one of these ethnic communities has its own definitive traits and characteristics and as a consequence of history, territorial variances and inner and outer migration of people, including differences associated to essential elements such as status, sex and territorial setting. The concept of settlement and subsistence based on the Middle Woodland Period includes diversity, involving the emergence of a powerful existence of aborigines and profiles. This illustrates meaningful topics for the Middle Woodland Period communities: the implications of being a member of a community; the interaction between local and individual profiles; establishing and employing in both the connecting and dividing elements in a community with various ethnicities; and the type and scenario of an incoming leadership and governance system (Fortier, 2001). Under the Middle Woodland Period, community is connected to human ecology with regard to the organizations, mechanisms for survival, and the way of thinking of the people, motives and quality of life. It tops the complicated box of concepts which portrays daily happenings in life and attitudes–the comprehensions and assumptions which leads the people’s initiatives and communications with other members of the community. The Swift Creek community existed during the periods of 1-400 CE, while the Santa Rosa society in Western Florida existed during the periods from 150-500 CE. The start of the Middle Woodland indicated a change of settlement to the Interior. As the Middle Woodland era went on, domestic and foreign exchange of exotic products tremendously improved to the point where a trade mechanism became existent on the Chesapeake Bay. Amongst the Southern and northern parts of the Chesapeake Bay, burial areas of significant people were very evident and possessed various presents, most of which were not recognizable to the people (Ritzenthaler, 1991). The most evident archaeological site in the place of burial sites during this period was in the Chesapeake Bay, and is now pertained to as the Hopewell culture. Due to the likeness of works and burial gifts, experts predict a traditional norm of religious beliefs and customs and cultural communication that was present throughout the entire territory (also pertained to as a Hopewell Communication Sphere). However, this could also be seen as the consequence of the fair exchange of goods and/or responsibilities between local families that managed particular regions. Access to food or other basic needs external to a family's region would be done through special agreements with other people. Family leaders would then be laid to rest along with presents obtained from their business partners to represent the interactions they had formed. Under this situation, permanent communities would obviously be established, leading to improved agricultural gains and an increase in the density of people as well (Wittry, 1994). Although majority of the Middle Woodland customs and beliefs are pertained to as â€Å"Hopewellian,† and in spite of the shared ceremonial customs and beliefs, independent beliefs and customs have been established during the Middle Woodland era. These involve the Swift Creek and the Copena beliefs and customs. References Applegate, D, 2005. Woodland Period Systematics in the Middle Ohio Valley.   University Alabama Press Fortier, A, 2001. The Dash Reeves Site: A Middle Woodland Village and Lithic Production Center in the American Bottom.   Illinois Transportation Ritzenthaler, R, 1991. The Woodland Indians of the Western Great Lakes. Waveland Press Wittry, W, 1994. The Holdener Site: Late Woodland, Emergent Mississippian, and Mississippian Occupations in the American Bottom Uplands (11-S-685). Illinois Transportation

Protective Factors for Adolescents from Dysfunctional Family Dynamics Essay

The family is the major social unit for emotional development in adolescents. The family is an integral social system, held together by strong bonds of affection and caring; at the same time, family members exercise control, approval, and dissent for each other’s actions (Husain & Catwell 1992). As part of this interaction, every family has a structure, whether dysfunctional or functional, chaotic or rigid. This family organization helps it to achieve goals within a developmental time frame and to survive as a unit. Of all the changes in family life during the 20th century, perhaps the most dramatic and the most far-reaching in its implications-was the increase in the rate of divorce. The increase in marital dissolution has had major implications for the settings in which children are nurtured and socialized. The definition of dysfunctional family, however, differs widely among the studies, comprising more general definitions of negative rearing practices and altered family dynamics and specific and narrow criteria of family transition, socio-economic status and unhappy marriage. II. There are children growing up in situations where the interactions between family members are far from healthy. The dynamics of a dysfunctional family can range from the very bizarre to the sublimely subtle. Children who are developing both physically and psychologically are misfits. The sad part of this syndrome is that the children have very little say as to what goes into the formation of their own personalities. They have to play with the hand that is dealt. Too often society waits `until children have many years of physical or psychological abuse before trying to intervene. Once these children begin to manifest their dysfunctional behaviors, it is often too late or extremely difficult to turn them around. The key players in a dysfunctional family are, of course, the parents or parent. Dysfunctional parents come in all sizes and shapes, with the most obvious being the alcoholic, the abuser, and the mentally disturbed. There is, however, a more subtle level of dysfunction in families (Husain & Catwell 1992). Overprotective parents not only stifle the decision-making process with this kind of behavior, they are constantly making their children feel less than whole. Parents who always make decisions for their children-from deciding when they get up in the morning or when it is time for the bath-are creating individuals who rely on other to make their decisions-creating followers instead of leaders. In families where dysfunctional rules are rigidly adhered to, individual development and expression is discouraged. Children in these families may reach young adulthood less prepared to function in intimate relationships such as close friendships, dating and marriage. The quality of these premarital relationships contributes to one’s decision to marry, and strongly predict marital satisfaction (Amato & Sobolewski 2001). In families where highly dysfunctional rules have promoted unhealthy family process, future relationships may be negatively influenced. A considerable amount of money is being spent on the drug problem, but most of the money is going into law enforcement, incarceration, and rehabilitation programs. These are important areas that need funding; however, there seems to be little emphasis on prevention. If we could raise a generation of children who were psychologically healthy, who respected themselves, and had high self-esteem, they would have no desire to engage in self-destructive behavior. It is simple economics-supply and demand-if we do not demand or desire drugs and alcohol, then the profit motive erodes and suppliers will disappear. Even if we took drugs and alcohol off the streets, we would still have that segment of our population that is dysfunctional. These children are simply the products of their environment. If we are to change the way they view themselves and life, we must provide them with a healthy environment in which to grow and learn. Its’ time parents and guardians are held accountable for the behaviors of children (Amato 2000). Parents, who do not show a reasonable amount of love, respect, and discipline toward their children should be identified and be made to assume some of the consequences of their children’s behaviors. III. It is estimated that over seven million American adolescents-one in four-are extremely vulnerable to multiple high-risk behaviors and school failure while another seven million are at moderate risk (Amato 2000). In today’s society, adolescents are apt to become involved with damaging behaviors, particularly those associated with alcohol, drugs, sexual activity, sexually transmitted disease, and pregnancy. An authoritarian power structure is one in which parents impose their values upon their adolescent children. These children see the adults in the family as demanding and restrictive. Adolescents frequently have no alternative but to break the rules. Even as the adolescent grows older, authoritarian parents have difficulty renegotiating outdated rules. Individuals with divorced parents are at increase risk of experiencing psychological problems in adulthood. Although good reasons exit for assuming that the quality of parent-child ties mediates some of the long-term negative effects of parental divorce (Jekielek 1998). Unfortunately, along with these pressures, many young people lack guidance and support. The path to adulthood has been described as one of isolation. During adolescence, exploratory behavior patterns emerge. Many of these behaviors carry high risks and have resulted in an unprecedented number of alcohol-related accidents and school dropouts. The need to develop self-esteem and inquiring minds among our youth has never been more necessary. It is our belief that every youth in our nation, poor or rich, advantaged or disadvantaged, should have the opportunity to achieve success, not just minimum competence. This is the challenge to our society as a whole-our educational, community and social-support systems. However, it also is direct challenges to individuals to keep families maximize their potential. Unfortunately, many families are unable to cope with the problems faced by adolescents. Many adolescents are growing into adulthood alienated from others, and with low expectations of themselves. There is greater likelihood that they will become unhealthy, addicted, violent, and chronically poor (Amato & Sobolewski 2001). Equally disturbing is that adolescents from the more affluent communities are displaying similar problems. On the other hand, less advantaged families, in struggling to make a living, do not have the time to build family relationships. In a time of great change, many parents are confused about their roles and relationships and are less aware of the new temptations faced by their adolescents (Jekielek 1998). IV. Marital dissolution is a process that begins before physical separation and continues after the marriage is legally ended. These stressful circumstances are likely to impact negatively on children’s psychological adjustment. Consequently, the relatively high level of psychological distress among adult children who grew up in divorced families may represent a simple continuation of emotional problems that began in childhood. Parental divorce negatively affects the quality and stability of children’s intimate relationships in adulthood. The risk of marital disruption is higher for those who experienced parental divorce as children. Our culture presently provides largely negative role models for the divorcing family. Language for divorced families lacks the capacity to derail a present relational system except in terms of a past relationship. The dramatic role transactions and systematic reorganization necessitated by divorce puts stress on the whole family. This can bring on critical family dysfunction in all the major transitions. A dysfunctional family is defined as one in which the emotional needs of its members are not meet (Husain & Catwell 1992). It is assumed that this emotional abandonment has a deleterious effect on a child’s development. The explication of the various losses experienced by children from these families is common. These losses include, but are not limited to, the loss of one’s childhood, the loss of a relationship with oneself, the loss of security, and the loss of freedom. The loss of one’s childhood, however, is simply indicative of a second and more significant loss, that of a nurturant parental figure (Amato 2000). Rather than missing something they didn’t have, this loss is a longing for; and missing, an idealized and fantasy parent. Although parents in dysfunctional homes are physically present, they are emotionally absent, and therefore they are unavailable to function as nurturant parents. Unlike a child who experiences the actual death of a parent, who eventually finds a substitute parental figure, a child in dysfunctional home has no such substitutes. To compensate for this parentless home, children in dysfunctional homes may adaptively develop a fantasy parent, a good and nurturant parent, much like the invisible fantasy companion that so many young children create and enjoy. This fantasy parent is perhaps based on television characters or on characteristics of the parents of their peers. V. During the children’s adolescence, parent’s decision-making becomes even more difficult due to the complexity of such issues as discipline, schooling, and intimacy. The adolescents are constantly very vesting changes in the rules and in the process parents may disagree with each other. Adolescents are adept at recognizing this ambivalence and may play one parent against the other. Most of the problems seen in dysfunctional families with adolescents also occur in normal families; however the rate of dysfunction is much higher in families that have maladaptive methods of solving problems. In fact, in many dysfunctional families adolescence related issues are a continuation of prior parental difficulties. However, an implicit goal for every family, even a very unhealthy one, is the growth and preservation of its members. The family’s parameters undergo continuous evaluation as the adolescent goes through a period of change-physiological, cognitive, emotional or behavioral. This period of change necessitates a series of psychosocial adjustments within the family, the major one focusing on the adolescent’s primary developmental task of becoming independent from parents. References: Amato, P. (2000). Consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and the Family. Vol. 62 No. 4 Nov. 2000 pp. 1269-1287. Amato, P. & Sobolewski, J. (2001). The effects of divorce and marital discord on adult children’s psychological well-being. American Sociological Review. Vol. 66 No. 6 Dec 2001, pp. 900-921. Husain, S. & Catwell, D. (1992). Fundamentals of child and adolescent psychopathology. Washignton, DC: American Psychiatric Press. Jekielek, S. (1998). Parental conflict, marital disruption and children’s emotional well-being. Social Forces. Vol. 76 No. 3 Marc

Communication with individuals who have dementia Essay

Alzheimer’s disease Short-term memory loss is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Individuals affected with this disease may be unable to remember things that have just happened or ask the same questions repeatedly. Individuals suffering with it can also forget people this could be just forgetting their names and eventually just forgetting who they are. This itself can cause communication issues and the individual may not know who they are talking with and on top of that may repeat the same parts of the conversation over and over as they have forgotten what has already been said. Individuals may also struggle in finding the right words or can’t remember the right word for what they want to say so it can be hard to hold a conversation. If they can’t explain what they mean properly an individual with dementia may become frustrated and this can often be dismissed as agitation or aggression. Vascular Dementia With Vascular Dementia although the causes are different to Alzheimer’s a lot of the symptoms are similar. For instance they may suffer memory loss, lose things and be disorientated. All these things can cause difficulties when communicating. There can be different symptoms of vascular dementia as different areas of the brain can be affected but most include slower thinking processes. Communication often becomes slow and the individual may find it hard to find the right word or forget what they were trying to say in the first place. This is very frustrating for them. People are often tempted to finish their sentences off for them which can lead to further frustration as its usually finished wrongly and not what they wanted to say. Read more:  Understand the Role of Communication and Interactions With Individuals Who Have Dementia Dementa with Lewy Bodies (DLB) Again this does have some common symptoms with Alzheimer’s and Vascular dementia. For example memory loss and disorientation but it also has other symptoms that aren’t always found in other forms of dementia. Someone with DLB may experience visual hallucinations. This means they see things that aren’t really there. An individual experiencing hallucinations may be  extremely frightened by them and be very afraid. They are very real to the individual and should be taken seriously. It can be difficult to comfort someone with hallucinations as it can cause them a lot of distress. When the person is experiencing hallucinating it can cause communication difficulties as the person isn’t in touch with what is real and what is not as the hallucinations are very real to them. Non-verbal comfort and lots of reassurance are the best way to communicate with someone during hallucinations. Vivid dreams can also be experienced with this kind of dementia. Individuals with DLB may show different levels of alertness. There moods can change quickly from being chatty one minute to not knowing who you are the next. It is important to have flexible communication so you can respond to the individuals’ mood appropriately. An individual experiencing this form of dementia are also susceptible to falls and trips as there balance can be affected. Fronto-temporal dementia This form of dementia can be found in older people but is often found in younger people between 30 to 60. Early stage symptoms are similar to other forms of dementia. For instance communication issues such as forgetting or not understanding words or peoples’ names. There isn’t memory loss in the early stages but it seems like there is because of the communication problems. Personality changes are often common in this form of dementia. The may become extrovert when they weren’t before or vice versa, they may behaving inappropriately or lack empathy. They can behave inappropriately, for instance removing clothing in public or shouting loudly. It can seem like they are being selfish as they can lack warmth for others. The personality changes can make communication difficult. Especially for people that have known the person before they suffered with dementia. They may feel that they don’t know the person anymore and find it hard to interact with them. 1.2 Physical and mental health factors should always be considered when communicating with an individual that suffer with dementia. For instance they may have eye sight problems or not be able to hear well which can affect their ability to communicate. Hearing and vision problems should not  be over looked. Regular eye and hearing tests should be performed as an individual with dementia may not be able to communicate that there is a problem. Glasses and hearing aid batteries should be checked regularly. Someone suffering with dementia may also have problems with pain. They may find it hard to communicate what the problem is or where the pain is coming from. They may not be able to express or explain that they are in pain. Pain can cause other problems such as lack of concentration, increased memory loss, aggressive behaviour, sleeping problems and mood swings or a short temper. These are often mistaken for the persons dementia because of their lack of communication skills. It is important that people working with individuals that suffer from dementia are aware that pain could be a factor. Physical disability or illness needs to be taken into consideration. Someone who has had a stroke or has an illness like cerebral palsy may have difficulty with speech but not with memory problems. An individual with early stage dementia may understand perfectly what you are saying to them but may have difficulty communicating back. They may not be able to find the words are put the wrong words in the sentence. This can be very frustrating for them. You have to patient and let them speak without trying to finish the sentence off for them. When dealing with an individual regularly you can become familiar with the way they communicate which can make it easy for both of you. An individual suffering with dementia may experience depression or anxiety. This too can cause communication problems as it can affect how they respond to others. They may not be interested in being involved in having a conversation which can make it hard for others trying to talk to them. It can also cause reduced concentration and problems with sleeping which then can lead to more confusion. This can make communication and other forms of interactions extremely difficult. 1.3 When communicating with an individual who has sensory impairment it is important to use hand gestures, body language, facial expressions and touch. Various aids or equipment can also be used such as flash cards, pictures or sign language to help understanding. If an individual suffers from hearing loss it is important to ensure that hearing aids are fitted correctly, working properly and batteries are changed regularly. When speaking to  someone with hearing loss you need to be not too far away from them, speak clearly and don’t shout. Some individuals with hearing problems can lip read and some may be able to do sign language. Gestures and pointing to things can help and the use of flash cards could also be of use. As dementia progresses though, an individual may find it more difficult to use sign language or lip read as it becomes harder for them to remember how to do it. Glasses or contact lenses are the most common way of assisting someone who is visually impaired. You should ensure that the lenses are clean and that the individual has regular eye tests to ensure that they are wearing the right prescription glasses. An individual suffering with dementia may forge to put there glasses on so it is important to remind them to put them on. If someone has severe visual impairment you should not just suddenly begin speaking as they may not have realised you were there. Make sure that you introduce yourself when speaking so they know who it is and you don’t shock them. You may need to use touch more than what you would when speaking to someone fully sighted as they will not see facial expressions, body language and gestures. It is important to maintain good communication and interaction as some with visuals impairment suffering with dementia can find the progression of the illness very frightening. 1.4 Individuals with dementia often demonstrate problem behaviour. There are many things that may contribute to such behaviours even something as simple as an uncomfortable, loud, or stressful environment. They could be experiencing pain, or be finding it hard to communicate or carry out simple tasks or perhaps there in unfamiliar surroundings. As a carer it is important that you pick up on these kinds of situations so you can ease the discomfort of the individual quickly so as little distress is caused as possible. It is important that you remain calm yourself. Offer reassurance to the individual and be patient and relaxed. Use body language and the tone of your voice to try and calm the situation. Sometimes distraction can help, perhaps try and engage them in a different topic of conversation so they then forget that they were angry or unhappy. Sometimes carers can become stressed out or find it hard to cope with a particular individual, at these times it is best to take time out or get someone else to help you. Getting anxious or upset yourself can make their behaviour worse and it is  important not to take aggressive or problem behaviour personally. If you do find yourself becoming stressed with a situation take time out to relax. Often other individuals need to be involved when supporting an individual with dementia. These could be family and friends, carers or other professionals. For example: GP – For medical advice and health problems, help with medications and side effects Speech Therapist – To help with communication issues Social Worker – Can often provide useful background information, family history or situation Dementia Care Adviser – Offer advice and technique on ways to improve interactions Advocates – Provide information about the persons capacity and what is considered to be in there best interests and will be able to offer a view of the persons perspectives Family and friends – Can offer information about the person and tell you background information. Also may be able to offer advice about communication methods as they know the individual better 2.4 Dementia is a progressive illness and effects people suffering with it in different ways. A persons communication and interactions are most likely effected but with different levels of difficulty. People with dementia suffer different symptoms but most experience isolation due to increasing difficulty with communication. Often people assume that an individual with dementia cannot communicate and write them off if they do not get a response from them the first time instead of trying a different approach. The symptoms of dementia do often have a big impact on how a person communicates and they can often find it difficult to find the right word or repeat the same things several times. They may be confused about where they are or what time period there in which also can contribute to making communication difficult but there are different approaches that can be used. Picture cards or flash cards are a good way of finding out what an individual wants when they are unable to find the words. Also its important to watch their body language and gestures to pick up on things that they are trying to communicate. Although dementia does cause huge problems with communication it is important for care staff to support and develop new ways to get around  it. Carers and other peoples’ attitudes play a big part in the well-being of people with dementia. The best way to respond to the behaviour of an individual with dementia is by using creativity, flexibility, patience and compassion. Don’t take their behaviour personal, they have an illness that affects the way they behave. It is important to try and establish what is causing the behaviour to reduce the stress for everyone concerned. One of the following could be a factor: Medical problem, such as experiencing pain or side effects from medications – this needs to be resolved by a GP or a CPN Wandering around a lot – this is often caused by boredom or they may be trying to find something or someone. Offering regular exercise and activities can help with this Repetitive behaviour – this can be caused because they need to or like to feel busy. Give them something to do ask if they would like to help with jobs around the home make them feel important and independent. Behaviour trigger – often it can be hard to find the trigger but sometimes a more calming environment can help and distraction techniques can be used. Repetition – People with dementia often repeat the same things over and over. This can be very frustrating for carers. They may ask the same questions or do the same activity over and over again. This can be triggered by boredom or environmental factors. Try and comfort them or distract them and look out for similar behaviours or signs. Certain behaviours could indicate that they need the bathroom or that they are hungry. Incontinence – this is a common problem in people with dementia. They may not be able to find the bathroom in time and have an accident. An individual with dementia may find this very embarrassing and be upset with themselves. Be understanding and offer reassurance. This can be avoided by prompting regular trips to the toilet. Insomnia – Restlessness, agitation, disorientation and other troubling behavior in people with dementia often get worse at the end of the day and sometimes continue throughout the night. A day full of activities and discouraging daytime napping can help. With dementia trouble behaviour can simply just be part of the illness.  Carers need to be flexible with how they act to try and address any issues. 4.1  Reality orientation is about trying to keep the person suffering with dementia in the here and now by making sure the person knows who and where they are. If they become confused about things then they are corrected about anything that isn’t reality. Individuals are constantly reminded of the day, place, time and situation they are in. This approach is used as much today. Validation is part of a person centred approach. A persons confusion is accepted and carers do not tell them that their feelings are wrong or try to correct them. The approach focuses on the individuals feelings rather than what they are saying. Their expressed feelings are accepted as being valid and accepted. The idea of this approach is to build trust and increase well-being and is much more commonly used than the reality orientation approach.

Bilingualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bilingualism - Essay Example eaching and measuring tools for bilingualism have not yet been sufficiently developed, evidences that bilingualism is good and productive for individuals point to the direction that more work be conducted in refining both teaching and measuring tools. A bilingual person is someone who speaks two languages. A person who speaks more than two languages is called multilingual (Birner n.d.). According to Chan (1998) the definition of bilingualism can be arbitrary due to different connotations for different people. Bloomfield, an American linguist defines bilingualism as a native like control of two languages. Thià ©ry, a French linguist defines a true bilingual as one who can at all times be taken for a native speaker by native speakers of either language. Haugen, a Norwegian-American linguist says that bilingualism starts when a speaker of one language can produce complete and meaningful utterances in another language. Diebold states its compliment that a type of bilingualism commences when a person begins to understand utterances in a second language. Bilingualism or multilingualism is no longer a rarity in today’s world. With the promotion of English as the global language most societies today know English as well as a native language and sometimes even a regional language. A lot of people, too, especially those who function in international circles have become multilingual in order to accomplish their everyday tasks. People become bilingual by acquiring two languages at the same time in childhood as in the case of most countries where the medium of instruction is different from the native language or in cases where the educational system provides for learning more than one language. Bilingualism can also be achieved by deliberately learning a second language, like in the case of migrants who have to learn a second language if they have migrated to a place where a different language is used. In order to develop bilingualism, the individual must be exposed to both