Disempowered Individuals With Learning Disabilities Social Work Essay

Disempowered Individuals With Learning Disabilities Social Work Essay Being in the institution was bad. I got tied up and locked up. I didnt have any clothes of my own, and no privacy. We got beat up at times but that wasnt the worst. The real pain came from being a group. I was never a person. I was part of a group to eat, sleep and everything it was sad. (As cited on Mencap.org) Historically people with learning disabilities have suffered disempowerment by being excluded from mainstream society through segregation in large institutions. ( Wolfensberger, 1972) people were dismpowered by having little control over how they lived their lives. Although the Community Care Act 1990 has resulted in the closure and the resettlement of people with learning disabilities, people are still suffering disempowerment through exclusion by not being able to choose how to live their lives (Ramcharan,et al 1997). Empowerment is: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦concerned with how people may gain collective control over their lives, so as to achieve their interests as a group, and a method by which social workers [and other care providers] seek to enhance the power of people who lack it (Thomas and Pierson 1996, p.134). The Same As You? review is the Scottish Governments strategy for learning disability services in Scotland.   The review sets out the Scottish Governments wider policies of social inclusion, equality and fairness to enable changes to happen for the better in the lives of people with learning disabilities. A key area identified within The Same As You? is Person Centred Planning. Person-centred planning means starting with the individual and putting the supports around them that will enable them to have the life that they want. Person centred planning is a tool that can be used to plan with a person. This can be to help the person think about what is important in their life now and also to think about what what they would like in the future. Planning should include the persons circle of support and involve all the people who are important in the persons life. (Stalker and Campbell, 1998). The idea behind person central planning was to respond to problems of social exclusion, disempowerment and de-evalution. Person centred planning was developed in the 1980s by a small number of people including John O Brian and Michael Smull. As a way of enabling people with learning disabilities to move out segregated institutions and back into the main community. Person-centred planning is designed specifically to empower people, to directly support their social inclusion, and to directly challenge devaluation. By looking at what support is needed to allow the person included and involved in the community. (Magito-Mclaughlin et al., 2002). Person centred approaches offer a different alternative to the traditional model of planning used for service provision. The traditional methods of service provision operated around the individual receiving the service, with health and social care professionals making all the decisions on the type of support the individual received. The traditional model was disempowering to people with learning disabilities as it focused on the persons medical problems, ignoring the qualities of the person as human being. (Sanderson, 2003) Person centered planning places the individual at the center of the decision making process, allowing family members to become involved in the planning as Joynab, Mohammeds mother states: Person-centred planning has given us hope and a vision for a better future for Mohammed. We feel now we can have a say in how and what service support he receives. We no longer believe that only professionals know best for our son. Mohammeds faith and cultural needs are recognised and responded to.(DoH, 2010) Person centred planning looks at the persons qualities and is a way of listening to what is important in the persons life. People can direct their own services and supports, in a personalised way rather than attempting to fit within pre-existing service systems. An area where person planning has helped the person by listening to what they want enabling them to direct their services and support is through training and employment. People with learning disabilities have been marginalised from gaining employement, through the employers lack of understanding about learning disabilities and stereotypical beliefs that they are incapable of working. As a mother states I have a son who has Down syndrome..I go to the supermarkets and ask if they could try my son outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I explain that he has Down syndrome, then they change the subject and say they will give me an application form.I explain my son cannot write, and they tell me he cannot get an interview without an application form.Is this a way of eliminating the disabled? (Anonymous contribution as cited by Williams,2009) People with learning disabilities benefit from working as it helps them to gain fiancial independence and security, increases their self confidence and skills and allows them to socialise. Todd (2002) demonstrates this in his report planning a new future where an agency worked with a young man with autism whose goal in life was to be an airline pilot, even though this goal was unrealistic. The support worker involved in his person-centered plan, suggested and arranged a visit to Heathrow airport once a week. The idea was to find out what interested the young man about being a pilot, was it the flying, planes or uniform? After visiting the airport for a couple of months it became apparent that the baggage carousels captivated him. The young man was then supported to get a part time job as a baggage handler. (Todd, 2002) enabling the person to become part of the community. In a way that values their human rights, gives them independence and choice. Person centred planning has a particular approach that can be used for different individuals in different situations. The four main tools that can implemented include: McGill Action Planning System (MAPS), this process is a useful tool for gathering information in the early stages of planning, helping to identify the person talents and needs. ELP (Essential Lifestyle Planning) is more commonly used to plan for people who are moving out of instititionalised care. Personal Futures Planning is less service based, tending to be used for building relationships with family, friends and fitting into the wider community. PATHS (Planning Alternative Tomorrows and Hope) is used to develop an action plan for the individual. (Stalker and Campbell, 1998, Sanderson, 2000) People with learning disabilities can have communication problems and should not be disregarded from having person centred planning for that reason. There are various techniques that can be used allow a person with a learning disability to communicate in their ideas for the plan, such as Makaton, talking mats, sign language and picture banks. (Grove, 2005) the plan can be done any format that is accessible to the person such as a written document, a drawing or mind map with images or an oral plan recorded on to a compact disc. Plans are the updated when the person wishes to make a change or when they have achieved their goal. Person centred planning is for eveyone, not just for people who can communicate. As it can engage participants personally by allowing them to hear of deeply felt hopes and dreams and fears, even if the person feels they are silly. As the planning process allows the person to break free from the misconceptions and conventions that can harness their future. Some examples of peoples dreams were a young man wanted a trip to Mexico as part of his vision. Another is taking guitar lessons as a way to achieve his goal of being a country and western singer. An older woman, in her plan, decided to retire. Another is taking art classes and learning to paint watercolours. Starting a business, going to college or university, buying a house, these are all things that are possible through person centered planning. (ne-pdd.org) Person centered planning has helped people achieve empowerment is their choice to form relationships, get married or have children. People with learning disabilities have the same need for love and relationships as do all human beings. However this need is not being met for people with a learning disability. Literature on the subject provides information about sexuality in regards to learning disabilities, however it seems to focus on disability and sexuality from the perspective of it being a problem. (Parritt, 2005.) This negative view of people with learning disabilities and sexuality stems from the historical perspective of learning disabilities, where people with disabilities were placed in institutions and segregated (Potts and Fido,1991) This level of control can still be seen today with professionals and families trying to discourage intimacy and relationships, viewing the person with a disability as vulnerable, seen as the eternal child (McCarthy, 1999) Mrs Susan Hurst and Mr Frank Hurst tell their story of Our Wedding, Our Dream where person centred planning enabled them to get married. Mrs Hurst states, some people felt there wasnt a need for us to get married but we wanted what every one else hadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Getting married had always been our dreamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (csrpcp.net) Mr. and Mrs. Hurst describe how the tools of person centered planning enabled them to identify both their hopes, goals and dreams for the future this enabled them both too make all the decisions in planning for their wedding. Mr and Mrs Hurst explain that they even planned their honeymoon and travelled to their honeymoon destination without the aide of support workers, as person centered planning had enabled them to plan ahead of the difficulties that might occur and how the couple would resolve them when on holiday. Without Person centered planning Mr and Mrs Hurst would never have been able to get married or go on honeymoon. Mr and Mrs Hurst felt that person centered planning helped them to achieve their goals enabling them to feel in control of their lives, allowing them to choose their human right to get married and respect for private and family life. (csrpcp.net) There is legislation that supports the rights of people with learning disabilities to have fulfilling relationships and sex lives if that is their choice. (Article 8) states that every human being has a right to respect for private and family life. The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) gives people the right to access family planning clinics and advice centers. People with learning disabilities should be accepted as people who have the same capacity for loving as others in society.(Lesselliers, 1999) Loneliness and isolation may occur through the lack of opportunity to have loving relationships. Therefore person centred planning can enable people with learning disabilities to be empowered by allowing them to make these decisions and choosing how they want to live their lives. person centred planning improves the person quality of life. Increasing the persons right to empowerment through the right to work where they want, where they would like to live and increasing their social network by letting them choose how they would to socialise. (Whitney-Thomas et al., 1998). Relationships improve for the person at the centre of the planning, as they became more motivated and goal oriented. As the participation process allows friends and family to join in the planning and help the person achieve their goals. Parents also reported that person centred planning had such an impact on their familys lives, that they choose to become involved in training other families in the importance of person centered planning. As person centred planning is designed to focus on one person at a time, it increases the potential to broaden opportunities for people with learning disabilities in gaining the life they choose. As Person centred planning allows the person to choose how, when and where they want support or services delivered rather than the standard one size fits all approach. (OBrien Lovett, 1993). However there are limitations to person centered planning for people with learning disabilities. Insufficient funding and resources can hinder the planning process persons and their opportunity to achieve their goals, leaving people disillusioned with the process. Person centered planning requires trained and well equipped staff who are knowledgeable about inclusion, rights of people with learning disabilities and how to help empower people by directing them. As people can lose trust in centered planning if these values are not upheld. (Kinsella 2000), Person centered planning can take time to achieve targets, it is not suitable for people who require emergency planning where action needs to take place in a few days. The process is not a quick fix (OBrien Lovett, 1993). In conclusion people with learning disabilities have suffered from disempowerment in the past as a result of institutionalised care. However person centered planning has enabled people with disabilities to become empowered by allowing them to make their own choices and be fully supported about how they would like to live their life. By allowing people with learning disabilities to choose their right to employment through what job they would like to work, this in turn empowers them by gaining fiancial independence and increased self confidence, as well as learning skills and getting to meet new people. Person centred planning has allowed people to gain their right to family life and marriage, by allowing people to plan their own wedding and honeymoon giving them independence to start married life. Therefore person centered planning creates positive effects that go beyond effective planning. In that it allows people to be listened to and what is important to them. However this is only effective if what is recorded on the plan is acted on, as people will lose faith in person centered planning if no action comes from their choices.

Humorous Wedding Speech to a Groom with Long Hair :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Humorous Wedding Speech to a Groom with Long Hair Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I must admit, I am more nervous about being best man than I was at my own wedding. Maybe it’s because I have been married a year and I know what Jonathan’s letting himself in for! And on that happy occasion, as some of you know, Jonathan was my best man and he did a wonderful job. However Jonathan, there are many reasons why you should get married and I’m not sure if revenge is one of them. But, it is a great thrill and an honor, and Jonathan’s already agreed that I can do it again next time! First of all, Pamela, you look radiant – absolutely stunning in that dress. Jonathan, you need a haircut! As I was walking behind him leaving the church this morning a funny thought occurred to me. From the back, it is very difficult to tell if Jonathan is a man who needs a haircut or a woman who just had one. When Jonathan was best man at my wedding he made a great deal of me having a mullet. Jonathan, I don’t think I have to say anything more about your present hairstyle other than at least mine had a name. But he hasn’t always looked this way as you’re about to find out. When I first met him, at the age of fifteen, he was in the process of developing a 'Human League' style flick, which his sister Sally enhanced with a little coloring. The words 'Babe Magnet' do spring to mind – but not on this occasion. We soon became close and it was great to have someone to hang out with because being a teenager is never easy. Rejection is the worst thing. I know all about the humiliation of being turned away; from football teams for not being good enough, from pubs for not looking old enough and from women for not looking male enough. Yep, I’ve seen Jonathan do all those things, and he carried himself with dignity throughout. After leaving school and between getting a job, Jonathan smartened himself up. But he suffered terribly from headaches during this period, he was going for the wet hair look and the toilet seat kept falling down. However, this new image seemed to completely contradict his emerging obsession with the electric guitar that was to keep him banging away in his bedroom until the small hours – or at least that’s what he told his mum.

American History Research Paper

Barbados – Barbados is an important part of the American history since it was an area where many sugar cane plantations where located. We all know that way back in the 17th century, large plantations like these were required a lot of workers. The manual labor came from the slaves from different tribes in Africa. Another concern was the displacement of farmers when British settlers developed the area into a commercial enterprise of large plantation estates. These displaced farmers relocated to British colonies in North America, most notable of which is South Carolina.West Africa – West Africa played an important role in the American history because this is the place where slave trades began, following the establishment of settlements by Portuguese traders. The slave trades had great negative effects on the region’s economy and population. Because of these slave trades, the population of West Africans poured in the New World. This increased the number of people liv ing in European and American regions during the 16th and the 17th century.Despite the efforts of the European and American governments to stop the slave trades, it continued until the late 19th century where the last country to abolish it was Brazil. Virginia Company – The Virginia Company is an important part of the American history because it was chartered to establish settlements on the coasts of North America. This is divided into two companies, the Virginia Company of London and the Virginia Company of Plymouth. These two companies are both given differing territories, wherein an area of overlapping territory was created.They were not permitted to establish colonies within a hundred mile separation, but the Plymouth Company wasn’t able to fulfill its charter. Its territory, now known as New England was also contested by France as theirs. Thomas Jefferson – Thomas Jefferson is famous because he’s the third President of the United States of America and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He also promoted the ideals of Republicanism in the country, making him one of the most influential founding fathers of the United States.But his achievements weren’t limited to his contribution to American Independence. He is the President which gave a go to the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. These events were very important since it expanded the nation’s territories by acquiring more land through expeditions and sales. The Louisiana Purchase encompassed parts of 15 current U. S. states as well as two provinces of Canada. The Church of England – The Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church and the Protestant Episcopal Church of today, was one of the major churches during the early years of America.It has a great number of followings, yet it wasn’t given relative treatment from many historians. The attention was given to the Puritans, those who rejected the Refor mation of the Church of England. Many of these Puritans migrated to North America between 1620s and 1640s because of their belief that the Church of England can never be reformed from the state it was in during that time. These Puritans settled in the New England area and established settlements there. Iroquois – The Iroquois is a group of originally five nations, including the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.The sixth member is the Tuscarora, who joined after the original five were formed. During the American Revolution, there has been the first major split of the Iroquois, when the Tuscarora and the Oneida sided with the Americans. On the other hand, the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga and Cayuga remained loyal to the side of Great Britain. Massachusetts Bay Company – The Massachusetts Bay Company is an English chartered company which established the Massachusetts Bay colony in New England. They became the only English chartered colony which is not under the di rect control of those in England.Despite all efforts by the Council for New England to annul the colony’s land claim, the colony remained in tact and the council was left unsuccessful. Pocahontas – Pocahontas was a Native American woman who is formally named Matoaka and Amonute. She was the daughter of Wahunsunacock or the Chief Powhatan, the ruler of almost all the neighboring tribes found in the Tidewater region of Virginia. She played an important role in American history because she was married to John Rolfe, an Englishman.Their marriage is one of the first unions of a Native American and a settler just like Rolfe. She was baptized Rebecca Rolfe on her marriage. Powhatan – The Powhatan is the Native American tribe and confederacy of tribes living in what is now the east area of Virginia during the time of the first European-Native encounters there. This confederacy of neighboring tribes became established in the late 16th and 17th century, through the creati on of a mighty empire by conquering or affiliating with around 30 other tribes. This was spearheaded by a tribal chief name Wahunsunacock.When the English settlers came, there were a lot of conflicts between these Natives and the settlers. When the tribal head died and was succeeded by his brother, more conflicts emerged resulting to the Indian Massacre of 1622 and 1636, nearly exterminating the members of the tribes. Slave codes – The slave codes were laws made by each state which defines the status of slaves and the rights of their owners or masters. This is usually for the benefit of the masters, giving them near-absolute power over the right of these slaves or human properties.This is an important part of the American history since it showed how the early people were into owning other humans as tools, which also awakened others to fight for the freedom and rights of these â€Å"human properties†. Reformation – The Reformation is the religious movements that arise in the Western Europe in the 16th Century. This movement calls for the internal renewal of the Catholic Church. These led to great revolts and the abandonment of the principal Christian beliefs during that time.This was the result of Martin Luther’s activities in 1517. Indentured servant – The indentured servant is a term pertaining to a laborer which is under contract of an employer for a period of time, usually four to seven years. This is in exchange for a ship’s passage, food, land as well as accommodations. This is a way to increase the number of colonists living in a settlement. In the case of America, most indentured servants were recruited from the increasing number of poor people without work in the urban areas of England.English Reformation-Henry VIII – One of the reasons for the reformation of the English church was because of King Henry VIII. This resulted from his desire for annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so that he wi ll be able to marry Anne Boleyn. When the Pope Clement VII refused to annul the marriage, Henry took the position of Supreme Head of the Church of England in order to annul his marriage. He was excommunicated but maintained a strong preference for the traditional Catholic practices.John Calvin and Martin Luther – John Calvin and Martin Luther are both church reformers, who sought change in the Catholic Church during their times. John Calvin developed his own system of Christian theology which was called Calvinism or the Reformed Theology. On the other hand, Martin Luther laid out his ideologies which challenged the authority of the pope. He pointed that salvation can be attained through Jesus, without the mediation from the Church. His ideas became the inspiration of what transpired to be the Protestant Reformation, thus changing the course of the Western civilization.

The Association Of Psychosocial Aspect - 1279 Words

Abstract Diabetes has been addressed by the medical community in terms of biological interventions and treatments. Fewer studies have been conducted about psychological and social determinants that may be related with this disease. This study aims to analyze the association of psychosocial aspect specifically stress, which is caused due to financial burdens for paying rent or mortgage and diabetes prevalence. How strongly can this form of stress be correlated with diabetes prevalence? To evaluate this association, the study will use the BRFSS data. Keywords: diabetes prevalence, stress, money, rent/ mortgage. Introduction Diabetes is one of the serious diseases in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and†¦show more content†¦The risk factors for type 2 diabetes include weight, inactivity, family history, race, age, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (Diabetes Risk factors - Mayo Clinic, n.d.) A research study was conducted to understand patient psychological insulin resistance (PIR), in other words, to discern psychological opposition towards insulin use in both people with diabetes and their prescribers and its overall impact on diabetes management (Brod, Kongsà ¸, Lessard, Christensen, 2009). Another research study was conducted to estimate the risk of co-morbid depression on all-cause mortality over time among individuals with diabetes. The study concluded that depression significantly increased the risk of mortality among individuals with diabetes and discussed that early dete ction and treatment of depression may improve health outcomes in this population (Park, Katon, Wolf, 2013). In both the studies to obtain data of the subjects for the study, the researchers used a literature search for journal articles via databases such as the MEDLINE, PubMed, Google searches, Cochrane Library, Embase and Science Direct databases. Although the search was extensive and thorough, there could have been a few biases such as selection biases already made in the earlier articles which the researchers referred and actively employed in their