Objective: Explain how at least two of the life events in the case study could potentially effect the development and care needs of the following; Joe, Cathy, Jane, Sarah and Michael. Every individual experiences different events throughout their life that either has a positive or negative effect on their physical, intellectual, social and emotional well being. The following piece of work will be based on a life event case study, showcasing the different events that happen to individual and how this affects them and their needs. Out of Joe’s life, the most influencing life event that occurred to him was his wife’s death at first.
Losing a loved one may cause great emotional problems, although it was slightly expected due to old age, a death of a close and loved one effects this person negatively rather than positively. Joe would now have to adjust to a new life without the existence of his partner, coming to terms with living alone; dealing with children alone; facing an empty bed; brief anger towards ‘God’ and partner on why she left him to cope alone; guilt for not being able to fulfill things he wished to do with her; and managing finances independently.
This realization could emotionally lead to sadness, and constant depression when faced with something that reminds them of their loss, affecting them negatively and socially. However, the positive effect of this could be managing to cope, even if achieved after a long while; he would learn new ways of how to deal with problems, and have a more optimistic angle to look at life. Secondly, Joe had an unexpected stroke after his wife’s death, causing him to become physically unable.
His physical illness could be linked to his depression of his wife’s death, causing his emotional withdrawal to be expressed physically. His physical illness of being paralyzed may cause many different issues, such as losing awareness of what he’s doing, for example dressing up one part of their body and thinking he’s fully dressed. His struggle in being able to look after himself leads to a low self-esteem and embarrassment of having to be dependant on others, and depression of not being able to make himself clear when speaking, which effects his well being very negatively.
Joe would need extra emotional support, maybe advice from a friend or family who has experienced death of a loved one, and guides him on how to cope and have a positive look towards life. Joe could talk about his loss, and expressing how he feels to make him feel better, being in other people’s company wouldn’t make him feel the sense of loss as much, and may help to take his mind of things for a while.
However he may chose to have a more spiritual support of his religious leader, or maybe even counseling to improve his mood and self esteem on having to be dependant on others. His care needs would have to include physical hygiene, nutrition, moving and handling the patient with care and patience, other needs such as his intellectual and emotional state should be considered, and help make communicating easier for the patient with various methods such as writing, or sign language if the stroke has damaged him severely.
Cathy has experienced many negative life events, but the most obvious and unexpected would be her miserable marriage. After her husband being redundant from his job and moving out to live with the woman whom he was having an affair with, due to the separation, Cathy could be emotionally devastated, with having to be upset by someone whom she was married for a very long amount of time, and having to come to terms with him being unfaithful to her.
Although divorce has not been considered, Cathy may emotionally sense loss, and deceit of why she married him in the first place. A loss like this is a negative influence which is distressing, especially with her daughter gone to study, she may feel her family has been ripped apart, that she’s lonely and also angry but confused on who to blame and she may even feel self pity and self guilt.
Also, that Cathy’s husbands plan to sell the house she is currently living in would cause Cathy to experience low self-esteem, financial worries, fear of having to start a different lifestyle, however she could experience positive factors, such as the sense of relief of having not to argue with someone anymore, independence, freedom to do what she wants, and maybe even excitement of starting a brand new life, with her own rules and fulfill what she always wanted to achieve.
On the other hand, an expected life event would be starting menopause which weigh up on to the negative effects, she would be more concerned with ageing – may even link it to a reason why she was abandoned by husband; much more vulnerable to depression; more mood swings due to hormonal levels; drop in self-esteem; the intellectual effect of thoughts about what she failed to achieve rather than what she’s accomplished.
Also physically, she would have hot flushes and night sweats, excessive falling of hair, risk of getting a stroke/heart disease all which could affect Cathy negatively. However there are a few positive factors that may influence Cathy. However her menopause would give her a pregnancy-free sex life, no more menstrual pains, and the permanent end of the period hassle every month.
To overcome the problems, related support she could find in female groups based on menopause and also marriage, or experience of another female friend or family who can give her advice on how to cope with all the stress she’s experiencing in her life, she may also decide to take counseling to discuss whether she wants a divorce, to overcome the stressful situation in long term. Her physical health care needs may consist of having to avoid stress, plenty of rest and sleep.