Movie Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Movie Analyses - Essay Example This reality shall be divulged upon, in light of movies such as Volver, A Separation, The White Ribbon, Tsotsi, Departures, Animal Kingdom and The Secret in their Eyes. Thesis All movies are derived from prevailing socioeconomic realities with the main intention of fostering emancipation, justice and equity, in lieu of comic relief, catharsis and entertainment. Question 4 Of the seven movies, Tsotsi has the most interesting setting. This is by virtue of the manner in which the author and the film crew have labored to use various elements of filmmaking to make the movie more persuasive. For instance, although South Africa’s Johannesburg is more urbane than any other city in Africa, yet the featuring of the neighboring sprawling and (in)famous Soweto slum makes the plot of the movie more plausible. Another instance which reinstates this sense of authenticity is the presentation of large construction pipes which serve as Tsotsi and his gang’s domicile. Otherwise, it would be out of order to speak of Tsotsi’s crime as taking place within Johannesburg (Hood, 2005). The author also uses special effect filmmaking strategies to make the setting very plausible and congruent with the plot. Specifically, lightning techniques have been used to this effect. In instances where Tsotsi and his gang carry night raids, weak light is used, thereby making the audience believe that such criminal undertakings are nocturnal. Through the use of silhouettes, Tsotsi and his proteges are also densely shadowed, so that they are easily identified as malefactors. The failure to use proper lighting could have portrayed Tsotsi’s criminal exploits as taking place during daytime, and thereby painting Johannesburg as an insecure, crime-riddled city where crimes happen even during broad daylight. Lance Gewer and Gavin Hood as the director and cinematographer respectively showcase their dexterity and ingenuity in filmmaking by making the movie polyglot. The movie consists of languages such as English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu, and thereby rightly painting Johan nesburg not only as a polyglot but also a cultural melting pot. Question 5: The concept of family In all the seven movies, the concept of family is not only ubiquitous, but also given a central thematic value. In the 2009 German film titled The White Ribbon, a family is depicted in Eichwald, northern Germany as the world is on the verge of World War I. Authored by Michael Haneke, the film portrays the family as morally hypocritical. On the facade, the society appears chaste by the virtue of a puritanical pastor’s emphasis on sexual asceticism. However, a thorough look at the society peels back this facade. The village doctor treats other children kindly but has a penchant for humiliating his housekeeper and is found in a compromising situation with his teenage daughter. The family is also presented as morally unstable, even in the person of the baroness who confesses to her husband of being in love with another man. The larger family of human society is painted as unjust and giving way to moral decay. Particularly, this is seen in the instance where the baron whimsically dismisses Eva from work, but retains and recommends a farmer whose son had rummaged the baron’s cabbage farm (Haneke, 2009). In Volver, the family is also depicted as one that is replete with sexual scandals and unresolved matters. Particularly, there is an instance where Paco tries to rape Paula, despite being Paula’s father figure (Almadovar, 2006). In Tsotsi, the family is depicted as being characterized with a degree of inequality and

Do studies of genetic variations in osteoporosis tell us anything Essay

Do studies of genetic variations in osteoporosis tell us anything useful - Essay Example Through the use of various genetic methods, the genes contributing to or responsible in the development of osteoporosis are now identified. It is estimated that the genetic components and variations account for 50 to 90 % of the total BMD variations in the osteoporosis patients (Ferrari and Rizzoli, 2005). Findings in researches show that there are five key regions that are significantly associated with bone mineral density (Styrkarsdottir et al, 2008). These include receptor activator of nuclear factor -B ligand gene or RANKL, the osteoprotegrin gene or OPG, the estrogen receptor 1 gene or the ESR 1, the BTB domain containing 40 gene or ZBTB40 and the major histocompatibility complex region 6p21 respectively (Styrkarsdottir et al, 2008). Polymorphism has been suggested in the areas of VDR or vitamin D receptor, ESR1 or estrogen receptor alpha, type I collagen genes or the COL1A1 etc. (Zmuda, Sheu and Moffet, 2006). VDR gene variants are associated with differences in body height as well as bone size determination (Fang et al, 2007). However, VDR gene mutations have been implicated in many bone disorders including 1,25- dihydroxyvitamin D-resistant rickets, osteoporosis etc. (Uitterlinden et al, 2002). Other genes identified include alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein or AHSG, parathyroid hormones, bone G1a protein (BGP), transforming growth factor beta, PTHR1 and IL-6. the difference in the allele frequencies among Chinese and Caucasian populations were at VDR-ApaI and PTH-BstBI loci respectively. In the case of osteoporosis, IL-6 becomes more active as the key substance that limits its activity, that is the estrogen is reduced in the post menopausal women, which leads to increased breakdown of the bone structure. The genetic loci identified in bone metabolism include COL1A1, TGF beta 1, SOST, VDR, ER alpha,LRBP5, BMP2 and IL-6 respectively. First deciding on the topic of research carried out the research. Currently there are many researches that are

Poverty in the UK Essay Example for Free

Poverty in the UK Essay In 1886, Charles Booth investigated the extent of poverty in London. His was the first systematic sociological study of poverty in the UK. The results, presented in 1902-3, documented the living and working condition of the London poor. Adopting a relative approach to poverty — which was defined as the inability to meet the usual standard of life — Booth estimated that the level at which poverty set in for a family of two adults and three children was 21 shillings per week (? 1. 05 today). Booth estimated that 30. 7 per cent of Londons total population were in poverty. Around the same time, adopting an absolute perspective on poverty, Seebohm Rowntree investigated the state of the poor in the city of York in 1899. He highlighted the minimum standard of living which fulfilled peoples biological needs for food, water, clothing and shelter. This is also referred to as the subsistence level. Rowntree subsequently drew up a list of those minimum personal and household necessities required for survival and established two categories of poverty. Primary poverty is when the person is unable to acquire the minimum necessitates, secondary poverty is when a portion of the persons total earnings is absorbed by other useful or wasteful expenditure such that it is not possible to maintain the minimum standard. Poverty can be defined in several ways, Booth took a relative approach and Rowntree took an absolute approach. In the post-war era, there has been a more pronounced shift from viewing poverty as predominantly a monetary and economic phenomenon to regarding and acknowledging its more qualitative and subjective aspects. By the end of the 1950s, the period of rationing and shortages was over and, with almost full employment, the UK seemed ‘never to have had it so good’. Yet, by the 1960s, a number of social policy academics close to the Labour Party (such as Tawney and Townsend) raised the issue of the continuing existence of poverty in a period of greater prosperity. Townsend questioned absolute definitions of poverty (such as those of Rowntree) which were outdated and failed to take account of the problems some people had in fully participating in society. Townsends definitive work on poverty in the UK in 1979 (Townsend 1992) went beyond an absolute definition based on physical needs, to view poverty in relation to a generally accepted standard of living, in a specific society, at a particular time. Individuals can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or at least widely encouraged and approved, in the societies which they belong. (p. 31) Townsend suggested a definition that was closer in tune to the concept of citizenship — poverty constituted a lack of resources that would enable a person to able to participate in the normal expectations and customs of a society. This kind of definition also would imply that the indicators of poverty can change over time in order to embrace changes in society. In the 1960s, Townsend used the example of not being able to afford a proper Sunday lunch as an indicator of poverty. The idea of a Sunday roast meal might not be so relevant today because of changes in family life and the way people gather together, and therefore is not so much an integral aspect of what people can be expected to do normally. On the other hand, Townsends indicator of giving presents to near members of the family for birthdays or Christmas still holds. In his 1979 work, Townsend identified twelve items he believed were be relevant to the whole population, and gave each household surveyed a score on a deprivation index. The higher the score, the more deprived was the household. Townsend calculated that 22. 9 per cent of the population fell under the threshold of deprivation (Giddens 2006). When talking about poverty, researchers usually base their work on measures of deprivation rather than the identification of poverty by itself. The existence of deprivation is taken as a surrogate for the existence of poverty. People are said to be deprived materially and socially if they lack the material standards (diet, housing ad clothing) and the services and amenities (recreational, educational, environmental, social) which would allow them to participate in commonly accepted roles and relationship within society. The compass of poverty is complex, embracing the unemployed, those on low pay or in insecure work, the sick, the elderly, and the unskilled. Some minority ethnic groups also come into the picture, for example, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in the UK have, in general, high rates of poverty compared to other groups (Giddens 2006). Absolute poverty assumes that it is possible to define a minimum standard of living based on a persons biological needs for food, water, clothing and shelter. The emphasis is on basic physical needs and not on broader social and cultural needs. Rowntrees studies of poverty in York in 1901, 1936, and 1951 used such an approach to poverty. But another way of viewing poverty is of relative poverty, which goes beyond biological needs, and is not simply about a lack of money but also about exclusion form the customs of society. Relative poverty is about social exclusion imposed by an inadequate income. Social exclusion is a broader concept than poverty encompassing not only low material means but the inability to participate effectively in economic, social, political and cultural life, implying alienation and distance from the mainstream society (Giddens 2006). Social exclusion may both be a precursor to poverty and an important consequence of it. In 1984, Mack and Lansley study established that the poverty threshold covered not only the basic essentials for survival (such as food and shelter) but also the ability to participate in society and play a social role: for the first time ever, a majority of people see the necessities of life in Britain in the 1980s as covering a wide range of goods and activities, and people judge a minimum standard of living on socially established criteria and not just the criteria of survival or subsistence. (Mack Lansley 1985 : 55) In the 1980s, the discussion of poverty turned increasingly to the notion of polarisation and to the shrinking portion of the UK cake held by the poorest. Poverty and wealth are not simply the bottom and top of the income distribution, they are polarised social conditions (Scott 1994). Income polarisation was also compounded by a number of policy measure introduced in the 1980s, such as a reduction in the level of income tax for high earners and increasing use of indirect taxes. Academics showed that polarisation and social disparities were growing between those who had benefited from the measures of the successive Thatcher administrations and those who had lost out, while the Thatcher government as the time tried to deny the excesses of Thatcherism. According to an analysis of the Child Poverty Action Group, in the regime of Margaret Thatcher, more than 63 billion has been transferred in subsidies from the poor to the rich (Oppenheim and Harker 1996) Research in the 1990s on the distribution of wealth and poverty in the UK has been produced under a Joseph Rowntree Foundation research initiative. This research highlighted that the number of people living in households with under half the national average income fell between the early 1960s and 1970s from five million to three million, but then rose to eleven million in 1991, to a point where one in five households were living on under half the national average income. The number of individuals under 60 living in households without paid work has more than doubled from 4.1. million, or 8 per cent, in 1979, to 9. 4 million, or 19 per cent by the mid 1990s. This has been accompanied by a widening gap in the incomes of households in paid work and those out of paid work. In 1997, 12 million people in the UK (almost 25% of the population) lived below the poverty line, defined as under half the average wage, and two out of five children were born poor. Today, according to OECD (Organisation for Economic cooperation and Development), Britain has one of the worst poverty records in the developed world (Giddens 2006). According to the latest available statistics, nearly 1 in 4 people in the UK – amounting to 13 million people – live in poverty. This includes nearly 4 million children – signifying a shocking 1 in 3 ratio (Oxfam GB 2003). The explanations that have been offered as causes of poverty fall under two categories, individualistic theories and structural theories. Here we will focus on the former. Individualistic theories identify the main causes of poverty within individuals themselves. Social and cultural factors are not entirely discounted, but more emphasis is place on inappropirated individual behaviours. There are three main types of individualistic theories. Orthodox economic theory: This theory proposes that poverty can be explained by the economic deficiency of the individual . Harold Lydall argues that the general abilities of men in the labour force determine the distribution of incomes. These abilities are assumed to be created by genetic, environmental and educational factors. To reduce poverty, policies need to target individuals own value systems, to develop their own personal qualities in a manner that makes them more capable and efficient. The individual is poor because he has not maximised his true potential in the labour market. Minority group theory: Minority group theory originate from the earliest studies of poverty based on the findings of Booth and Rowntree. These pioneering social scientists did not attempt to discover the causes of poverty, merely the characteristics of certain groups of poor people. Minority group theory has largely constructed its explanation for poverty through examining the characteristics of the poor for example, being old, being married with dependent children. Going beyond such demographic indicators, the theory implicates alleged faulty’ characteristics. The classification of ar-risk groups has prompted policy makers to implement a benefit system to ensure that the most basic of needs are met, without encouraging idleness or apathy. The poverty policies of successive governments have often informed by minority group theory. Subculture of poverty theory: Subculture of poverty theory is derived form a number of anthropological and sociological studies, particularly, the work of Oscar Lewis. It was Lewis who in 1959 introduced the term the culture of poverty in an effort to draw an analogy between the Mexican lower class families and those in other parts of the world. He attempted to explain the phenomenon of the persistence of poverty in different countries. The basic idea has its roots in the Chicago School of Sociology and the work of Robert E. Park. According to Park the patterns of the neighbourhood, and the slum in particular, once they come into being, take on a life of their own and are to a great extent self-generating and self-perpetuating. A sociological process known as labeling also underpins this phenomenon. Labelling somebody negatively may also lead to increased surveillance or segregation from the wider community which further increases (and even creates) the predicted behaviour (Fulcher and Scott 2001). These processes, whereby people tend to live up to the expectation of others are known to be self-fulfilling. Oscar Lewis implies a similar understanding in his formulation of the notion of the culture of poverty. Lewis claimed that poverty affected the very personality of slum dwellers. The poor tend to be at once apathetic yet alienated, happy-go-lucky yet miserable. Other negative characteristics that mark the psychological orientation of poor people include laziness, being unambitious, being disorganised, and fatalistic. To fight poverty at its roots, such psychological tendencies need to be gradually eroded, with more positive attitudes taking their place. Much work also needs to be done on making the destitute people more attractive to their potential employers, in terms of skills and educational qualifications. Substantial and sustained reductions in poverty depend on raising the level of qualifications among older teenagers and young adults in the bottom quarter of educational achievement. Lack of progress here is a major concern for longer term progress on reducing poverty. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2006) References: Giddens, A. (2006). Sociology. Cambridge : Polity Press Fulcher, J. Scott J. (2001). Sociology. Oxford : Oxford University Press Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2006). Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in the UK 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2007 from http://www.poverty. org. uk/reports/mpse%202006%20findings. pdf Mack, J. Lansley, S. (1985). Poor Britain. London : Unwin Hyman Oppenheim,C. Harker, L. (1996). Poverty: the Facts, 3rd ed. London : Child Poverty Action Oxfam GB. (2003). The facts about poverty in the UK. Retrieved 20 March 2007 from http://www. oxfamgb. org/ukpp/poverty/thefacts. htm Scott, J. (1994). Poverty and Wealth: Citizenship, Deprivation and Privilege (Longman Sociology Series). London : Longman Group United Kingdom Townsend, P. (1992). Poverty in the UK. Berkeley : University of California Press

Managing Quality In Health And Social Care Social Work Essay

Managing Quality In Health And Social Care Social Work Essay 1.0 Introduction to the Case In this assignment I am going to use a nursing home for elderly residents, both male and female with both dementia and different medical conditions like diabetes, Parkinsons disease and hypertension. Some of the service users in this nursing home are bed bound while others are mobile or self dependant. It has two floors with 42 bed capacity. 1.1 What quality means to the following stakeholders Service users These are residents or clients in our Nursing home. Quality to our service users means any service that is offered to their satisfaction for example: Respect: Most of our residents prefer to be addressed by the names while some prefer to be addressed as Mr. or Mrs. We respect their wishes and this makes them happy. Also when we are offering personal care like washing or bathing we ensure that doors are shut for privacy and dignity purposes we also respect their age as adults and treat them as adults according to their wishes Choice: Residents choices in our nursing home are usually observed as this makes them to have their freedom of choice in whatever they want to have for example we have different menu choices for foods and drinks and before we serve them we ask them what they prefer to have. The same applies to the way they prefer to dress and so we offer them a choice on their own clothes and activities that they would like to participate in and at the end of it all they are happy and the quality of service offered is satisfactory to them and everybody else. Confidentiality: Anything concerning a resident in our Nursing home is private and confidential unless for medical reasons like consultation and to those who are concerned like family and relatives. Friends and family: They usually appreciate when they are involved in care plans of their relatives and they are satisfied when what they have agreed on is followed through. Safety they are always appreciative and supportive when they know that their parents and friends (residents) are free from harm by the care they are provided with for example safe from falls, abuse and infections within the nursing home. They like their relatives to be treated equally like other residents without discrimination because of either their conditions, disabilities or ethnicity. Carers: These are the major service providers in our nursing home and quality to them means: Equity- all service providers should be treated equally regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender and knowledge and skills they have on their job when this is put into consideration they are motivated and tend to offer the best quality of care to residents which in turn leads to customer satisfaction. Safety all service providers in our Nursing home ensure they are safe on the environment they work on for their sake, residents, relatives and friends and anyone concerned. We ensure proper procedures are followed such as moving and handling by using proper equipment on residents like hoists and slings to avoid accidents to ourselves and to residents. Carers are always happy when they are not abused either by residents, relatives and friends or their fellow carers. We have four different models of quality Total quality management: a way of managing people and business processes to ensure complete customer satisfaction at every stage internally and externally (Department of Trade and Industry, DTI 2010). Although different quality experts emphasize different experts of this methodology, its major components can be summarised as follows: processes, people, management systems and performance measurement. According to Ross and Perry (1999), in addition to creating delighted customers through empowered employees, total quality management processes also lead to higher revenue and lower cost. In our Nursing home, every department is involved in implementing quality management to offer the best quality of service; we always work as a team and ensure we have offered the best quality of care that our residents need. Continuous quality improvement: is a system that seeks to improve the provision of services with an emphasis on future results (Marshall, 2003). In our nursing home, the manager ensures that every service provider receives training, implements what they have learnt and they are supervised if there is need for retraining again we are retrained this ensures that we receive updated information to offer the best quality of service. Quality standards: The Care Quality Commission for England has produced a guidance to help providers of health and adult social care to comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 (CQC, 2010b). This guide contains the regulations and the outcomes that the CQC expects people using a service will experience if the provider complies. This forms the basis for the quality standards in care homes. There are 16 core ones range from respecting people receiving the services to safety and suitability of premises and staffing levels just to mention a few. In my care setting, we get an annual inspection from UKAF over and above inspections from CQC and have been given a star rating of three. All activities this year are geared towards a rating of four. Quality cycles: According to QCC (2010b) quality cycles represent periods within which care homes should be reviewed to determine compliance in its service provision. This may be annually. However private organisations like the United Kingdom Accreditation service also offers a quality cycle inspection called the Residential and Domiciliary care Benchmarking (RDB). The RDB annual quality cycle supports strategic planning by providing comparative feedback on a homes care provision and enables the identification of performance gaps and cost/benefit assessments to be made (UKAF, 2010). In this model we have four major aspects to be looked into namely: planning, doing, checking and acting. Quality and principles of care Legislation -these are laws and rules set by the government on how the provision of care should be for example protection of vulnerable adults. In our nursing home, every service provider should be ready to protect all residents from any form of abuse we attend mandatory trainings such as safeguarding vulnerable adults according to regulations by the CQC (2010b). Safety- in our nursing home we always do risk assessment on every service user and put measures in place like using bed rails to prevent falls by doing this we have protected residents from accidents and this ensures quality service to our residents. Independence-service users should be made in control of their lives by allowing them to do some of the things like arranging their wardrobes, making and tidying their rooms by themselves because some of the residents are very active and would like to do what they used to do before and we always encourage them to do while we supervise them and this makes them happy hence promoting the quality of service as they are satisfied. Rights- service users should continue to enjoy the same rights when in nursing homes like they used to when they were living independently. Every service user supported in nursing homes has the right to say NO, right to have a relationship and the right to have a say in their care plan. Service providers always tend to balance service users rights against their responsibilities whether both are at risk or not. 1.4) External agencies: These are bodies that regulate quality of care including: The Care Quality Commission an independent regulator for health and social care in England (CQC 2010a; 2010b). They regulate care provided by NHS, local authority, private company and voluntary organisations. Their aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone. In our nursing home Care Quality Commission makes a minimum of three inspections annually (two announced and one unannounced) on such things as how we provide care in terms of cleanliness of the home and to service users.. It has a wide range of enforcement powers to take action on behalf of service users  if services are unacceptably low. The  CQC makes sure that the voices of service users are heard by asking people to share their experiences of care services. It makes sure that users views are at the heart of its reports and reviews. The CQC takes action if providers do not meet essential quality standards, or if there is reason to think that peoples basic rights or safety are at risk (CQC, 2010) through a wide range of enforcement powers, such as fines and public warnings, and can be flexible about how and when to use them. It can apply specific conditions in response to serious risks. For example, it can demand that a hospital ward or service is closed until the provider meets safety requirements or is suspended. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)- this is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health preventing and treating ill health (NICE, 2010). In our Nursing home, residents who have anxiety, panic attacks request for sedatives in order for them to sleep they are usually reassured and instead a government practitioner is consulted to review and advice them accordingly. Service providers take NICE guidelines trainings on different medical conditions for example diabetic foot (identification and care of the foot). 2.1) Quality Standards Benchmarks: According to Philip B. Crosby (1999) benchmarks are indicators of best practice including access to care environment and the culture of a home. The Benchmarks is one of the most comprehensive sets of social and environmental criteria and business performance indicators available (Daniels et al 2000). Our nursing home is accessible publically, to wheel chairs, a spacious car park and a section for activities for residents and relatives. We also have a signing in visitors book stating whom they are visiting. Code of practice for social care workers and employers for social care workers This document is developed by General Social Council and it contains agreed codes of practice for social care workers and employers of social care workers describing the standards of conduct and practice within which they should work ( GSCC, 2002). Employers use this set of code of practice to make decisions about the conduct of staff and support social care workers to meet their code of practice. Service users and members of the public use the codes to help them understand the behaviour of social workers (how they should behave towards them) and also how employers should support social care workers to do their job well. It is the responsibility of social care workers to make sure that their conduct does not fall below the standards set in the code of practice and no action or omission harms service users (NCSC, 2010). Social care workers must protect the interests of service users, maintain confidence, respect rights, promote independence, be accountable for the quality of their wor k and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills. The general social council expect social care workers to meet the codes and may take actions (deregistering) if registered workers fail. 2.2) Different approaches to implementing quality Communication is a means of passing information from one person to another. In our nursing home we have different ways of communication like when doing care plans we always document what we have done for a resident so that whoever takes over knows what to do next to ensure continuity of care. Also when handing over is done during change of shifts information about residents is shared and everyone is aware of any changes in care plans in accordance to CQC guidelines (CQC, 2010). We also have staff meetings where certain information is passed on and in cases where staffs have a problem it is addressed and solutions are given out. For effective communication systems there should be a language that everyone understands. Policies and procedures These are guidelines set on how to do things often informed through regulations as outlined in various government documents (GSCC, 2002; NICE, 2010; CQC, 2010a. 2010b). In our Nursing home we have different policies and procedures for example in cases of accidents to residents we are required to fill a resident incident report and pass it on to the supervisor families, friends and relatives are informed about the accident then precautions are put into place walking frames, to avoid future occurrences of similar accidents. Infection control policy helps to prevent spread of infections within our nursing home. We always use personal protective equipment when offering personal care to residents, handling of any infectious wastes. We also use the proper technique for hand washing. There are also hand gels in each residents room, in public toilets and at the entrance of the building for sanitation purposes and all wastes like clinical and kitchen wastes are usually put in the bins ready for collection. In cases of disease outbreaks like diarrhoea and vomiting residents are isolated and managed separately and proper hand washing techniques are used to prevent further spread of the infection. Whistle blowing policy is designed to deal with issues that do not directly affect the employee and their employment but are a cause for concern in relation to the harm that may be done to other employees, residents or the wider community. Any employee who is concerned about their personal situation should raise their concern with their line supervisor or manager. This policy is for reporting issues like elderly abuse, misuse of drugs, faulty machinery that may cause accidents, illegal dumping of waste. The policy protects not only employees but the wide community. Confidentiality- all residents or service users information is private and confidential. It is not a proper practice to discuss residents information in public like their conditions and behaviours by doing that is breaching the policy and legal action should be taken. In nursing homes all information is kept safely and only accessible to relevant persons. This promotes quality of service 2.3) Quality systems ISO 9001 involves a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business, monitoring processes to ensure they are effective, keeping adequate records and facilitating continual improvement. They have certain requirements like internal regulations, claims and procedures for residents, suggestion box and contract with uses. It also covers the importance of understanding and meeting customer requirements, communication, resource requirements, training and products, Leadership, Involvement of people, Process approach, and System approach to management and Continual improvement (Tricker and Sherring- Lucas, 2001). In our nursing home for the provision of all these elements and reporting them on day to day basis for example there is a clear procedure for residents complains. Carers, residents and relatives are informed and logged in a special complaints book and complains are followed up. When all this are put into practice, there is employee and customer satisfaction, resulting from better defined and implemented business processes. As a result of this we have motivated staffs, who understands their roles and how their work affects quality, improved product and service quality, happier customers, and improved management and operational processes, resulting in less waste (both time and materials) Business excellence is a widely used framework that helps companies to review their performance and practices in a number of areas and identify targets and actions for improvement based on principles of customer service stakeholder value and process management ( British Quality Foundation, BQF 2010). Managers develop the mission, vision and values and are role models of a culture of Excellence. Studies in Taiwan have shown that in care homes where this model is applied, managers are personally involved in ensuring the organisations management system is developed, implemented and continuously improved are involved with customers, partners and representatives of society and also motivate, support and recognise the organisations people (Cheng B, Chang, C and Sheng L. 2005). In our nursing home we use a balanced score card to keep track of activities by staff and measure consequences arising based on the British Quality Foundation model ( BQF, 2010).Service users families and relatives m easure in a scale of 1-5 where one is poor and five is excellent. We work hard in poorly rated areas to improve the quality of service. At the same time managers set a number of targets on key areas of each staff members roles which are then assessed on monthly review and awards are given to the best. This motivates other team members to work hard and best to attain the best and by doing so they provide best quality and we excel. 2.4) Trainings this refers to a learning process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, sharpening of skills and concepts (Stevens, 2004. In our nursing there are mandatory trainings offered to service providers before commencing to work like basic food hygiene, manual handling Healthy and safety is ensuring that the environment where we are working is safe for service users, other staff and others in general by our actions and omissions. It is a responsibility to all staff to ensure that the environment is safe to work on. For safety purposes in our nursing home we do not use equipment unless it has been checked and serviced. Also default equipments are labelled DO NOT USE to prevent and avoid accidents. We also have controlled cupboards where substances that are hazardous to health are stored and locked away. When there is a defect on the environment like chipped floors, loose hanging electricity wires we report to the maintenance coordinator and they are rectified immediately to avoid accidents. Again when housekeeping team are doing cleaning they always display cleaning boards and everybody is aware that cleaning is on progress or the floor is wet and they avoid using it until it is dry by doing this they minimise chances of accidents like falls 2.5) According to Marshall (2003) and Stevens (2004), external and internal barriers to delivering quality are any obstacle which prevents a given policy instrument being implemented or limits the way in which it can be implemented. They include: Resources: lack of adequate resources hinders quality of service for example inadequate or shortage of staff affects the quality of services offered and this leads to unsatisfaction of service users as they get services that are not adequate and for service providers because they are overworked. In nursing homes when there are staffs shortages they arrange cover shifts earlier by either bank staff or some agencies registered with the home. Financial barriers include budget restrictions like food supplies and other supplies like incontinent products limits the overall expenditure and this leads to inadequate provision of quality services to residents Personal Appearance: Hygiene and grooming, eating habits and attire can vary from country to country and culture to culture. For example, some people may wear attire such as a headdress as part of their custom and beliefs. To remain true to their beliefs, some workers may want to continue to wear this dress at their workplace. Employers may view this as inappropriate or unsafe. It is particularly problematic in workplaces where workers wear uniforms. Religion: In many cultures, religion dominates life in a way that is often difficult for employers to understand. For example, workers from some cultures may want to pray while at work times in accordance with their values and beliefs. There may also be religious holidays on which people of certain religions are forbidden to work. These differences need to be respected, where possible, and not ignored and they affect the quality of service. Language barriers often go hand-in hand with cultural differences, posing additional problems and misunderstandings in the workplace. When people cannot communicate properly they are frustrated when communicating with supervisors, co-workers and residents this can be dangerous because people may end up performing poorly in their work thus affecting quality of service offered. Legal and institutional barriers -these include lack of legal powers to implement a particular instrument and responsibilities which are split between agencies limiting the ability of an institution. Like the law states that students should work for twenty hours only which creates shortages at work affecting quality of services. 3.1) According to Business Dictionary.com (2010), policies are principles, rules and guidelines formulated or adopted by an organization to reach its long term goals. They are designed to influence and determine all major decisions, actions and activities take place within the boundaries set by them and procedures are specific methods employed to express policies in action in day to day operations of the organization. For example, in nursing homes the National Care Standards Commission for England, NCSC (2010) has outlined requirements that these homes must meet which in effect guide their policies and principles. These policies include, but not limited to: manual handling procedures, Risk assessment and Infection control. Manual handling These are techniques used to handle or move service users like hoisting, using belts and sliding sheets to move residents these are safe procedures for both residents and service providers as they minimise accidents to both cases and this promotes quality of service (CQC, 2010). On the other hand, they have disadvantages like time consuming when doing procedures like hoisting which requires two or three persons and also residents may not like the experiences of hoisting and thirdly it needs trainings to be carried out. Risk assessments According to healthy and safety at work act (1974) the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation (1999) states that it is the responsibilities of managers to do risk assessment to employers and employees. to reduce and prevent risks to them in future and they are included in their care plan so that quality of care can be improved for example residents with risks of falling have walking frames, falling mats and bed rails put in place to avoid falls but again things like bed rails have caused accidents in that residents are trapped and some sustain fractures which affect quality of service 3.2) factors that influence the achievement of quality of personal care Quality is a difficult concept to capture directly. However, resident or organisational outcomes are often used as a proxy for quality (Marshall, 2003). There is considerable debate about the relationship between quality of care and quality of life as joint, but not necessarily competing, measures of quality. A study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicates that residents perceptions of nursing staff are a good indicator of quality of care (JRF, 2008).The importance of measures of social care and of homeliness epitomise the divide between health and social care provision in care homes. Factors influencing residents satisfaction with care are discussed below: Team working Heath care workers working in teams has been recognised as an improving the quality of care (Stevens, 2004; Borill et al 1999). According to Stevens, the intention is for carers to share tasks and learn from each other and possibly improve based on their experiences. This can be illustrated by the quotation below: The best and most cost-effective outcomes for patients and clients are achieved when professionals work together, learn together, engage in clinical audit of outcomes together, and generate innovation to ensure progress in practice and service. (Borill et al 1999 p.6). Stevens has for example reported from a number of surveys from UK nursing homes to suggest that there is a reduction in carer burden and significant reduction in stress when staff work in teams resulting in better coping and satisfaction. Both these studies (Stevens, 2004; Borill et al 1999) found that service users surveyed showed more satisfaction when carers and health workers worked in teams Healthy and safety at work The responsibilities of care home proprietors are subject to a range of health and safety legislation among them the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which require employers to assess the risks to employees and other who may be affected by their undertaking, (residents) and the control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations ( Care Quality Commission, 2010). These regulations have led to dramatic improvements in the safety of residents and people working in care homes according to the care quality commission. For instance, guidelines requiring minimalist manual handling has significantly reduced the numbers of health workers staying off work due to illness which has a positive effect on the level of personal care of residents ( CQC, 2010a). However, a report for the Joseph Rawtree Foundation (JRF, 2008) showed that the percentage of medication errors and adverse events in nursing homes have increased despite regular inspections by the CQC. Stevens (2004) has also reported survey results from 27 residential homes with dementia patients where 19% cases of medication errors were reported. In my care setting, clear improvements can be seen from less harm to residents when using the hoist but not many service users like to use the hoist. Some risk assessments in care homes have made it very difficult to take residents outdoors or even for activities outside the home for fear of not meeting the Health and safety requirements and this ends up reducing the quality of care. 3.3 The following recommendation can improve the quality of care in Nursing homes Training /education This means acquiring knowledge and skills or new information on how to do things according to the recommended regulations and standards ( Stevens 2004). This is a very important aspect in nursing homes all trainings as it provides ongoing trainings to update service providers and equip them with relevant and current information that enables them to provide the best quality of care that will be satisfactory to service users. In our nursing home trainings are offered and need to be implemented then supervision is done and in cases where need for retraining arises, arrangements are done and they are offered for the benefits of service users, service providers and the community at large as it reduces or minimises preventable accidents and this promotes the quality of service Review This means going through the set of targets or planned activities to see the progress whether it is improving or getting worse. This alerts and actions or precautions are put in place to make the situation improve for better quality of service ( Stevens, 2004). For example in our nursing home there are always monthly reviews of care plans of service users this includes individual or family interviews to determine whether residents are improving or need some improved care plans like in moving and handling procedures (use of hoist or belts) and then action is taken accordingly. Also for staff there is quarterly staff meetings or when need arises and previous discussed or current issues are raised and a way forward on how to carry on is agreed. There are always individual supervisions done by allocated persons and each employee identifies areas that need improvement and good performing areas by doing this there is improvement of quality of service Conclusion It has been shown that in order to improve services to users in the social care sector, it is important to follow principles, guidelines and procedures set by government, industry bodies or even individual homes. There is also need for planning, doing and checking and then reviewing to assess shortcomings in order to design improvement regimes. Similarly, it has been shown that although there is legislation and care industry standards, it will require long term commitments in developing methods, instruments and communication procedures involving all stakeholders at care or residential home level.

Parents Taking Control Of Their Childrens Education :: essays research papers

Never before in the United States have parents been so disgruntled about their children's education. The main reason behind this massive disruption is that public schools are not living up to parent's standards. Therefore, parents are taking their children's educations and futures into their own hands, and doing so quite efficiently. Many parents are turning to ["an alternative"] means of educating known as home schooling. Home schooling is simply ["education of school- aged children at home rather than at school."] Parents are choosing home schooling over public because public schools are not meeting their children's academic, individual, and handicap needs. First, parents are choosing home schooling over public schooling because public schools are not meeting student's academic needs. [Parents expect their children will learn to read, write, and acquire basic math skills by the time they graduate.] However, public schools throughout the United States are failing to teach these basic achedemic skills. Recent studies show that [" Of the 2.4 million who graduate, as many as 25% cannot read or write at the eighth grade level or "functionally literate," level, according to some estimates."] This is a tragic statistic for a nation claiming to be so developed. There are more opportunities to education in the United States than any other country in the world, yet evidence shows that the United States ranks [" at the bottom of 19 industrial nations in reading, writing, and arithmetic."] In addition, students are ranking lower than ever on Academic Achievement Tests (ACT). Children who attend public schools rank in the [" 50th percentile."] whereas, home schooled children [" typically score at the 65th to 80th percentile...."] To add to these statistics, [" in December 1989, the education press reported the amazing news that children schooled at home seemed to be five or even ten years ahead of their formally trained peers in their ability to think."] These statistics prove that home schooled children are doing better in math, science, reading and writing, compared to children attending public schools. Secondly, parents are choosing home schooling over public schooling because public schools are no longer taking student's individual needs into consideration. Since students are taught lessons based on an academic calendar year, they are expected to be able to complete specific tasks by the end of that year. When students fail to meet these expectations they are required to repeat the same grade the following school year.

Southern Cyprus :: history

Southern Cyprus Southern Cyprus as Terrorist State The most insidious and nefarious partner of terrorism against Turkey is â€Å"Southern Cyprus.† I will not deal in this work with the EOKA murders directed at the British and the Turkish Cypriots perpetrated by the "Southern Cypriots" striving for the union of the island with Greece, how the Southern Cypriots accommodated the Armenian ASALA organization, and got them to kill the Turkish diplomats. Here I will only disclose the relations of the "Southern Cypriot" administration with the Marxist-Leninist Maoist terrorist organization PKK. The reason why the rulers of "Southern Cyprus" embraced the ASALA and the PKK for 20 years is the hatred of Makarios for the Turkish State and the nation. The fact that same feelings are carried by Karamanlis; Papandreou and similar Greek politicians has seriously endangered the security of the region. In the years following 1974, while the then Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis thoughtlessly and promptly withdrawing. Greece from the military wing of the NATO, Makarios, following a parallel path, was turning Cyprus into a "communist base". The policy followed by Karamanlis and Papandreou was the intimidation of the West. Moscow, striving to penetrate into the Eastern Mediterranean and to cause a collapse in the Western Alliance, had sent the agents of all the communist bloc to "Southern Cyprus". What made "Southern Cyprus" an international terrorism base is that policy. The number of so called Soviet, Polish, Czech, and Bulgarian "technicians" based in "Southern Cyprus" in 1976 was more than 1000. When 250 Cubans traveling between Syria and "Southern Cyprus" were added, that number was approaching to 1500. The militants of the extreme Middle Eastern Terrorist organizations was not ixicluded in that calculation. The one who prepared the ground for the operation of ending the influence of NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean was Vassos Lissarides, the Marxist advisor of Makarios. Lissarides, the founder of the socialist EDEK Party, is the person the ASALA before 1985, and the PKK today, on to the island, who brought to attack Turkish targets. Lissarides, in speeches he made in the anti-Turkey meetings held in Athens and Paris in 1976 had explicitly said that they were preparing "a new VietNam style War" in order to expel the Turks from the island. Lissarides played his own game for 40 years on the island and continues to do so. In this period, his connection with certain people has aroused the attention of intelligence organizations.

Employee of the Month

â€Å"EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH† – from a HRM perspective THE PLOT: Vince Downey is the head cashier and winner of 17 consecutive Employee of the Month awards at Super Club. If he wins one more Employee of the Month, he will be put in the Super Club's Hall of Fame and win a new car. Zack Bradley, who is the ultimate slacker, has been working at the Super Club for 10 years, and is still at the bottom job, working as a box boy. Then Amy enters the picture; she is a new cashier transferring in from another Super Club store. Amy has a reputation of dating men who have won Employee of the Month at the other store, so Vince and Zack want to date Amy. Situation at the Company: Other employees are jealous of Vince's success, possibly as a result of his aggressive behavior. An autocratic and fear-based style of leadership prevails in the company, with the corporate manager, Glenn Ross, being a bully to his younger brother, the bureaucratic store manager. Vince Downey’s character portrait goal-oriented even at the cost of ethics and office relationships aggressive towards co-workers disliked by most other employees of Superclub very motivated towards promotions and incentives. Zach Bradley’s character portrait well-liked by colleagues doesn't mind breaking office rules for benefit of customers and colleagues uses office property after office hours for personal purposes low motivation towards structured goals rebellious towards establishment (possibly due to past failure). His friends are work-shirkers like himself, although they portray surly attitudes towards customers, while Zach doesn't. HRM CONCEPTS FOUND IN THE MOVIE: Maslow's need hierarchy theory Source: http://www. abraham-maslow. com The company aims to improve employee performance through need for self esteem. Zach initially aims for the award in order to win the affections of his female co-worker, Amy (physiological needs). Zach's friend Iqbal advises him to aim for the employee of the month award not just for physiological motives, but for self actualization. This advice is what motivates Zach and helps him overcome his rebelliousness towards the establishment in the end. Employee Initiative During the course of the month, a sea change is visible in Zach’s attitude towards his job. He shows initiative by volunteering for the vacant post of cashier at short notice. He also volunteers to solve management problems by finding storage space for mistakenly received goods. However, these activities, as well as his new perks, estrange him from his old colleagues. Leadership Skills He also shows leadership at the softball game at the end of the month, by motivating his team to win the game. But he breaks a promise to his colleague in doing so, which results in a loss of friendship with his old colleagues. Ethical Conduct In the end of the story, Zach wins the Employee of the Month award through ethical means, and Vince is fired for his unethical behavior in course of aiming for the award. CONCLUSION: The movie portrays the work relationships and attitudes of Theory X motivated workers in a company, in a funny and entertaining way. However, a lot of crude humor and language, as well as sub-plots that demean women, are included in generous quantities, so feminists better find other alternatives to identify their HRM concepts in real life situations! Employee of the Month â€Å"EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH† – from a HRM perspective THE PLOT: Vince Downey is the head cashier and winner of 17 consecutive Employee of the Month awards at Super Club. If he wins one more Employee of the Month, he will be put in the Super Club's Hall of Fame and win a new car. Zack Bradley, who is the ultimate slacker, has been working at the Super Club for 10 years, and is still at the bottom job, working as a box boy. Then Amy enters the picture; she is a new cashier transferring in from another Super Club store. Amy has a reputation of dating men who have won Employee of the Month at the other store, so Vince and Zack want to date Amy. Situation at the Company: Other employees are jealous of Vince's success, possibly as a result of his aggressive behavior. An autocratic and fear-based style of leadership prevails in the company, with the corporate manager, Glenn Ross, being a bully to his younger brother, the bureaucratic store manager. Vince Downey’s character portrait goal-oriented even at the cost of ethics and office relationships aggressive towards co-workers disliked by most other employees of Superclub very motivated towards promotions and incentives. Zach Bradley’s character portrait well-liked by colleagues doesn't mind breaking office rules for benefit of customers and colleagues uses office property after office hours for personal purposes low motivation towards structured goals rebellious towards establishment (possibly due to past failure). His friends are work-shirkers like himself, although they portray surly attitudes towards customers, while Zach doesn't. HRM CONCEPTS FOUND IN THE MOVIE: Maslow's need hierarchy theory Source: http://www. abraham-maslow. com The company aims to improve employee performance through need for self esteem. Zach initially aims for the award in order to win the affections of his female co-worker, Amy (physiological needs). Zach's friend Iqbal advises him to aim for the employee of the month award not just for physiological motives, but for self actualization. This advice is what motivates Zach and helps him overcome his rebelliousness towards the establishment in the end. Employee Initiative During the course of the month, a sea change is visible in Zach’s attitude towards his job. He shows initiative by volunteering for the vacant post of cashier at short notice. He also volunteers to solve management problems by finding storage space for mistakenly received goods. However, these activities, as well as his new perks, estrange him from his old colleagues. Leadership Skills He also shows leadership at the softball game at the end of the month, by motivating his team to win the game. But he breaks a promise to his colleague in doing so, which results in a loss of friendship with his old colleagues. Ethical Conduct In the end of the story, Zach wins the Employee of the Month award through ethical means, and Vince is fired for his unethical behavior in course of aiming for the award. CONCLUSION: The movie portrays the work relationships and attitudes of Theory X motivated workers in a company, in a funny and entertaining way. However, a lot of crude humor and language, as well as sub-plots that demean women, are included in generous quantities, so feminists better find other alternatives to identify their HRM concepts in real life situations!