Identifying Developmental Issues - Essay Example

? Assessment Three – Identifying Developmental Issues Case Study One Question no Elsie seems to have undergone tremendous amount of change in recent times with respect to physical, cognitive, social as well as emotional aspects. Physical Changes The physical changes that have taken place in Elsie are primarily due to her growing age. She is currently seventy three years old and her eyesight has become feeble. She had fallen while being alone, which resulted in bruises on her face and upper arms; implying that her body mechanisms along with organs have become more prone to internal and external injuries. There seems to be a contraction of nerve cells which has slowed down the activity of brain and other critical parts of the body leading to drastic physical changes. Cognitive Changes Cognitive changes are visible in the form of Elsie’s altered reasoning processes as she is unable to handle the banking related activities any more, with Joan doing that on her behalf. In addition, she is no longer capable of performing the household chores and other tasks which require basic levels of intelligence, memory and information processing. In this manner, her cognitive abilities have sharply declined with time. Social Changes The social changes in Elsie have been quite discerning as she has ceased contact with the outside world, with Joan handling all the shopping, bill paying and laundry activities for her. This suggests that Elsie’s communication with the society has shrivelled rapidly over the last few years. She has become an introvert as her interaction and relations with the social world have died down considerably. Emotional Changes As far as the emotional changes are concerned, it can be inferred from the case study that her general feelings and sentiments have changed with the emotions of fear and sadness assuming a more prominent role, as exhibited during the situation when Elsie cries on the notion of being transferred to an aged care facility. She tends to be more grief and depressed, thereby becoming susceptible to panic and fright. The emotional changes have played a major role in altering her personality and decreasing her self confidence. Question no. 2 Elsie’s developmental status can be assessed by adopting a variety of research methods and techniques such as interviews, observations, self reports, evaluation by others and assessments on the basis of performance and psycho-physiology (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2006). Elsie can be asked to write a report describing her personality and recent experiences, which can help in getting to know about her. With the help of observations, Elsie’s behaviour and conduct can be monitored for a certain period of time, which will assist in knowing about her demeanour and attitude. Another method to evaluate her behaviour and mannerisms is by inquiring the views of the people who live close to her. Likewise, the assessment of her developmental status can be carried out by allocating certain controlled tasks to her and then monitoring her performance. In my opinion, the most relevant method to weigh up her developmental status would be conducting a clinical interview with her. Such an interview would help in learning about her life, personality and behaviour, through verbal and non verbal cues. It will also be useful in establishing an understanding with her which could prove to be valuable in extracting pertinent information about her past too. However, considering Elsie’s age, the interview will have to be conducted in a cautious manner, keeping in mind her cognitive and physical deficiencies. Other techniques mentioned above can also be employed in conjunction with the interview, though, care should be taken to employ them in a delicate and thoughtful manner. Question no. 3 In order to examine this situation completely, I would need more information about Elsie. Firstly, it would be very difficult to proceed ahead with the case without learning about Elsie’s recent behaviour in a detailed manner. For this purpose, Joan would be the ideal person to contact as she has been taking care of Elsie in recent times and therefore, she must be aware of the different behaviours, attitudes and emotions displayed by Elsie in different situations. Hence, there is a need to conduct a thorough interview with Joan at the earliest. She can help in providing details which could be quite critical in the case of Elsie. The house cleaner can also offer useful information in this regard as she has also been visiting the house regularly and is well aware of the recent happenings in Elsie’s life. Along with that, information about Elsie’s past is also of great significance in assessing her current situation, as it will help in determining the changes in her personality traits over the course of time. These details can be obtained from Doris, Elsie’s daughter and her son, Allen, who know her better than anyone else. Question no.4 Developmental Issues Elsie seems to be suffering from physical, mental as well as emotional developmental issues. Firstly, her physical health has declined sharply as indicative from her weak eyesight and the injury sustained while falling over. Then, her decreasing ability of thinking and reasoning is a major mental developmental issue affecting her which has also negatively influenced her memory. Likewise, her emotional development has also inhibited, with fear and depression gaining prominence. Furthermore, her social development has also ceased as she has cut off relations with the outside world. On the basis of these developmental issues and with respect to the discussion between Allen and Joan, there appear to be symptoms of Dementia in Elsie. Causes of Issues Though developmental issues are not uncommon at such period of an age, yet Elsie’s shrinking cognitive ability and potential signs of Dementia have causes other than aging. In my view, a potent cause can be the loss of her husband, who died two years ago. This might have had a strong internal negative impact on Elsie as she lost someone with whom she lived for years and shared feelings. This incident has led to her becoming socially isolated as she finds herself alone for most of the time, with Joan only visiting for two days a week. Similarly, this incident has also negatively affected her emotional development, giving rise to the emotions of fear, sadness and anxiety. Risks associated with the issues The risks associated with the issues faced by Elsie are quite threatening as Dementia can occur in more than one form at the same time, with Alzheimer’s disease, being the most common form. People affected with dementia suffer from decreased mental ability, which leads to the hampering of their thinking processes. This can result in reduced ability to solve problems or manage emotions. If Elsie’s developmental issues continue to worsen and if she falls under the trap of dementia, then she can become danger to herself as well as to those living close to her. This is because people with dementia lose the ability of insight and judgement. It has the potential to seriously impact higher mental processes, which can lead to death as well (Cayton, 2007). Question no.5 Since the death of her husband, Elsie has been living a dreadful secluded life. She has been going through a very difficult phase which has affected her in more than one way. There exist clear indicators which suggest that Elsie’s life has serious issues. These indicators include Elsie’s physical injuries, inability to deal with social affairs and worsening emotions. Elsie has been suffering physically with eyesight issues and injuries as well. She is no longer capable of carrying out the activities of shopping, laundry, paying bills. She is not able to manage her bank transactions and is almost unaware of the happenings with her bank account. Elsie’s cognitive functions of memory, problem solving and attention seem to have been affected the most. Her frustration with life is evident as she cries when asked about going to aged care facility. However, she trusts Allen and Joan in a blindfold manner, despite the fact that there have been signs of carelessness on the part of Joan as she has not taken Elsie to the general practitioner for over six months. Question no.6 The major issue faced by Elsie is of Dementia, around which all other problems seem to revolve. Diagnosis of Dementia is possible only when the symptoms have been observable for six months (Sadock, Kaplan & Sadock, 2007). Hence, in this case, the diagnosis can be initiated by developing a systematic remedy strategy based on cognitive and mental testing. The scores will help in evaluating the present condition of Elsie’s mental and cognitive processes. Then laboratory tests comprising blood test and various other tests can be employed to inquire the existing health situation. Subsequently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or CT scan can be used to find out normal pressure hydrocephalus, a potent cause of dementia; and also to suggest information regarding the presence of other types of dementias. Finally, if medication analysis suggests that Elsie has any vascular disease, then aggressive management and control can possibly delay the progression of dementia. For further assessment of these issues, I would refer to a specialist particularly a neuropsychologist or a geriatric internist who would be able to judge the situation in a more methodical manner and carry out a comprehensive treatment plan (Rabins, Lyketsos & Steele, 2006). Case Study Two Question no. 1 In order to obtain more information about Shane, I would like to personally observe him for a day. I plan to observe him while he communicates his needs through symbol boards so that I can assess his facial expressions in addition to his emotions, attitude and behaviour at that time. I would also like to monitor his fine motor skills by providing him different objects to handle. Furthermore, observing his behaviour in a moderately crowded place, under controlled settings can also provide valuable insights into his personality. All these observations will help in developing an overview of Shane’s developmental status with reference to physical, cognitive, social and emotional aspects. Then, I would also like to conduct a meeting with the previous support worker of Shane in order to gain further understanding of his developmental issues and also to learn about the past incidents in Shane’s life. Furthermore, I would like to have a general meeting with Shane in which I would be interacting with him on a very basic level. Though he cannot talk, yet this brief initial meeting in which I will be conveying only simple information to him can be quite helpful for me in understanding Shane. Question no. 2 According to the Piaget theory of Cognitive Development, children acquire the ability to understand and interpret knowledge through practical experience (Steinberg, Bornstein, Vandell & Rook, 2010). In the case of Shane, he is currently in the late adolescence stage where individuals generally become autonomous in most aspects. However, Shane, being disabled on several fronts exhibits dependant behaviour and is going through a very precarious development state. Cognitive Theory In terms of the cognitive theory, it is evident that the thinking and reasoning processes of Shane have not developed. His mental processes, observable from his activities, reflect that he suffers from serious cognitive issues. His cognitive and mental ability is highly undeveloped, which affects his behaviour and mannerisms in a negative mode. Social Theory Applying the social theory, it can be seen that Shane’s interaction with the society is minimum. He remains aloof and ignorant of the outside world. He is highly introvert and prefers detachment from social affairs. In fact, he can demonstrate aggressive behaviour on occasions, and this factor keeps others away from him. Consequently, these aspects have contributed to his socially inept behaviour. Moral Theory Moral theory which explains the development of morality in individuals suggests that morality never emerged and grew in Shane, primarily due to cognitive discrepancies. The emotions of shame, guilt, consideration and compassion which constitute a vital element of moral development never existed in Shane. Hence, his moral levels are not up to the standards of the society. Psychological Theory Psychological Theory, which examines mind through the study of behaviour, also provides inferences no different to other theories in this case. Psychologically, Shane never developed and hence his mental development processes never grew. The discomfited demeanour of Shane is evocative of the psychological health crisis which he is bearing. Question no. 3 (a) At the moment, Shane requires personal support to accomplish even the most basic of tasks. Hence, personal support should be provided to him; however, at the same time, the support provided should gradually decline with time in a systematic manner, so that Shane learns to become independent with the passage of time. However, all this needs to be done in a very steady manner. (b) It is suitable enough to take Shane to a movie (cartoon or comedy), however, under the supervision personal care support. Such a measure can help in reducing Shane’s social ineptness, thereby taking the first step to make him adapt to the societal environment. Yet, proper arrangements such as the booking of a special seat should be made for the trip considering the problem of incontinence associated with Shane. This can be a crucial step in transforming Shane’s personality and even further arrangements should be made to take Shane to public places, under proper supervision. (c) Under supervision, it will be a great step to indulge Shane in such an activity as it will challenge his thinking and reasoning abilities, enabling him to imagine differently and use his cognitive ability. While constructing the model plane, he will employ his fine motor skills as well. Hence, it should be ensured that there is no sharp tool or object provided to him. Thus, if the activity is conducted in a safe and controlled environment with respect to Shane’s deficiencies, then it can positively influence his cognitive ability, thereby enhancing his mental developmental processes. Question no. 4 I have always been passionate with regard to humanity service. If given an opportunity, I would readily like to work with Shane, regardless of his disability. I have always viewed human beings as equal and as the Creation of God. I relish serving humanity with fervour and compassion and it would be an honour for me to become a support worker of Shane. Determination has been one of the key principles in my life and I certainly have the ability to interact and coordinate with people such as Shane. I have experience in the past of intermingling with disabled people and I am confident of playing a substantial role in making Shane normal through my dedication, perseverance and honesty. Question no. 5 Though this would be a really precarious situation, however, in such a case, the first step that I would take is to inform the security staff at the residential care home so that they can control Shane’s behaviour. Subsequently, it would be my duty to inform the senior authorities of the residential care home about the matter so that they can take the appropriate actions to deal with it. In my view, I can never blame Shane for such an act. In fact, it is the duty of the support staff to take precautionary measures whenever he is taken outside. However, as far as the legal actions are concerned, I will have to inform the security personnel as well as the local law enforcement authorities in order to bring the situation under control as law enforcement agencies can better tackle such a situation than anyone else. Question no. 6 The three risk factors associated with Shane’s developmental issues are: High susceptibility to abuse and mistreatment, mental infirmity and physical health concerns. People with disabilities especially under eighteen such as Shane are highly exposed to abuses of all types: physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, legal, financial, etc (Lau, Krase & Morse, 2008). There is a high possibility of such people being maltreated by others for various reasons. Another risk factor in Shane’s case is his mental health, which if aggravates further, can prove to be quite dangerous not only for him but people around him as well. Currently, Shane suffers from intellectual disability, which is a milder term used for people whose mental processes are hindered (Mitterer & Coon, 2008). It can badly impair his already weak insight and judgement abilities. This could lead to him becoming even more aggressive and violent in the presence of others. In fact, more mental stress can result in Shane becoming completely intellectually disabled. In the end, the third risk factor entails physical health issues. Shane’s poor fine motor skills can lead to a serious injury or accident. If Shane comes across, a sharp object or tool such as razor or knife, he can hurt himself and others quite lethally. Moreover, the problem of incontinence can exacerbate in future, which can negatively affect his physical development and personality even further. Question no. 7 According to organizational policies and procedures, the reporting and documenting should de bone in a professional and prudent manner. It should be carried out in the appropriate format, logical sequence, based on valid and credible information. The sources from where the information is extracted should be clearly documented. It should be ensured that the sources are reliable and trustworthy. Mediocre and undependable sources of information should be strictly avoided. Relevance and timeliness of information should also be guaranteed. The information should be presented in such a manner that it facilitates the task of the reader or the viewer. Furthermore, obsolete, inaccurate and unreliable information should be avoided (Hightower, 2008). Bibliography Cavanaugh, J.C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. (2006). Adult Development and Aging. Belmont: Cengage learning. Cayton, H. (2007). Alzheimer and Other Dementias. London: Class Publishing Limited Hightower, R. (2008). Internal Controls Policies and Procedures. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Lau, K.J., Krase, K., & Morse, R.H. (2008). Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect: A Practical Guide for Social Workers. New York: Springer Publishing Company. Mitterer, J.O. & Coon, D. (2008). Introduction To Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior . Belmont: Cengage Learning Sadock, B.J., Kaplan, H.I., & Sadock, V.A. (2007). Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Steinberg, L., Bornstein, M.H., Vandell, D.L. & Rook, K.S. (2010). LifeSpan Development: Infancy Through Adulthood. Belmont: Cengage Learning Rabins, P.V., Lyketsos, C.G. & Steele, C. (2006). Practical Dementia Care. New York: Oxford University Press Read More