Health Care Services in Inside Im Dancing - Essay Example

Health Care Services in Inside I’m Dancing Introduction Persons with disabilities are considered one of the marginalized groups of people in the society. This is because the existing cultural view and mass media presentation about disability does not provide enough information to people allowing them to understand the disability (French & Swain, 2008, p.26). However, the rise of films about people with disabilities provides sources of information about their life. Relatively, although films serve as entertainment, analyzing the underlying concepts and values projected in films about disabled persons may help people understand the condition of disabled persons in asylums. For instance, Safran (2000, p.44) states that, for health care students and teachers, movies focusing on mental disabilities help students understand the condition of people in mental asylums, particularly the nature and values shown in those movies. In relation to Safran’s statement, this paper aims to analyses the health care service models shown in the movie Inside I’m Dancing. This paper also aims to study the differences between the life of the mainstream society and the life of the disabled persons in asylums. At the end of this paper, the discussions also hope to examine the values that certain health care models show in the movie. Health Care Service Model Health care for people with disabilities and illness is considered a human right; it includes support for physical and social development, medication, and basic commodities (Crooks & Andrews, 2009, p.2). As a human right, health care services aim to address the physical and emotional needs of patients, which include the appropriate medication and leisure activities. In reviewing the literatures about health care models in Australia, Wakerman, et al. (2008, p.282) mention that there are three determinants in designing health care models; namely, “accessibility, appropriateness, and sustainability.” Further, these aspects determine the quality of services. However, although medical professionals aim to address these factors, Wakerman, et al. (2008) explain that the quality of health care service will decrease when the area is far, and there are many beneficiaries to the service. In this case, health care models depend on availability of funds, location, and number of patients, who will receive the service. Thus, this results to the difference in the availability of health care services among urban and rural areas. Relatively, it is likely that urban and rural areas will have different health care service packages. This is shown in the film Inside I’m Dancing, wherein the main characters were transferred into a more urbanized area wherein they will have access to urban activities; this allows them to live independently, away from nursing homes. In analyzing the movie, it is clear that Michael and Rory, the main characters, use Shared Care and Home Health Care from an independent health aide. Specifically, Rory and Michael were admitted to a residential home for people with disabilities, and were later transferred to the care of Siobhan, an inexperience girl they met in one of the parties. Shared/Collaborative Care At the start of the film, we can see that Michael and Rory were brought to a residential home for disabled persons wherein they receive shared care from medical professionals. Shared care refers to a health service model that combines the services of expert medical practitioners and nurses; this type of health care service model aims to develop “positive working relationships” among health service providers (Kelly, et al., 2011, p.2). Further, shared care health service is often done in residential homes wherein patients will have access to special care from both resident nurses and expert medical professionals, who will look at specific aspects of their condition. According to Schols, et al. (2004, p.208), the primary aim of residential homes is to provide patients with an environment that provides them develop social, emotional, and physical support. For instance, residential homes provide interaction with fellow patients, as well as direct communication with medical practitioners. In this case, collaborative care in residential homes for disabled patients influences the fast recovery of patients because it gives patients the complete health care programs that will help them recover from their illness. In the movie, it is evident that both Michael and Rory benefit from the health care program given by the residential homes. For instance, they receive daily care, medication, social support, and financial subsidies. However, although it is noticeable that Michael and Rory have a sustainable treatment in the residential home, the strict guidelines and intolerant behavior of nurses in the residential homes do not give patients the necessary emotional support. Further, in the movie, it is evident that patients who are admitted in residential homes do not have family support. For instance, Michael does not have frequent visits from his family; this creates a gap between Michael and his father in the middle part of the movie. In the movie, although the residential home is good enough for Michael and Rory, Rory managed to convince Michael that living independently is better than having nurses and doctors attending to you every day, every minute. This results to the change in Rory’s and Michael’s health care service provider. Home Health Care Home health care refers to the formal health care service offered to outbound patients, particularly those who prefer to stay in their own homes (Montauk, 1998, pp.1608-09). Specifically, home health care services are offered to patients who are in need of special technical needs from medical professionals due to their chronic illness. Special care includes documentation of the patient’s vital signs, medication intake, and health recovery progress. In her study on home health care, Montauk (1998) mentions that home care services from Medicare are available to the people should they complete the suggested legal paperwork. Montauk (1998) added that the growing number of home health care patients in America is the result of the emergence and preference of Medicare wherein people benefits from subsidized medications and services from medical professionals. Providing health care services to home-based patients requires service providers to know their responsibilities and roles; this idea relates to ethical medical practice wherein medical professionals should be accountable for their patient’s condition. According to Kenagy, et al. (1999, p.664), the factors affecting the quality of home health care service include understanding of the patient’s condition, effective communication, commitment, effective health improvement plan, and reasonable cost. Additionally, Kenagy, et al. (1999) added that, with those factors, home health care may become highly effective in helping patients recover from their condition. This is because those factors also serve as a guide for health service providers in responding to the needs of their patients, particularly in monitoring their daily activities. In studying the home health care service in the movie, it is evident that Siobhan fails to follow the set rules and standards in providing health care services. For instance, in relation to the factors for quality health service, Siobhan fails to communicate effectively with Michael. She also fails to provide appropriate emotional support to her patients, particularly in motivating them to cooperate in the health recovery program. In the first place, Siobhan is not a qualified home health care service provider; she does not have any health care program that will guide her in addressing the needs of Rory and Michael. Values Underpinning the Types of Service Professionalism The most evident issue of ethical issue in the movie is Siobhan’s lack of professionalism. Professionalism refers to the obedience of professionals to the set standards of their profession; this includes the faithfulness in obeying the code of ethics, which includes the values of accountability, service, morality, and integrity (S. Cruess, et al., 2002, p.209). In explaining those aspects, S. Cruess, Johnston, and R. Cruess (2002) mention that following the professional code of ethics and abiding by the rules of professionalism helps develop and strengthen the status and image of the profession; this is because people may associate the traits of practitioners with their profession. For medical practitioners, professionalism is a determinant of the health outcomes of patients, particularly in helping patients recover from their illnesses. Specifically, the code of ethics for medical professionals emphasizes the values of theoretical and practical proficiency wherein medical practitioners are fully knowledgeable in giving the appropriate care to their patients. Aside from proficiency, the code of ethics for medical professionals also requires practitioners to maintain the value of service and accountability to their patients; this is because the medical profession involves direct contact with patients (S. Cruess, et al., 2002). Further, failing to take responsibility of patients may lead to unexpected physical and emotional outcomes such as accidents, which could delay the patient’s recovery. In the movie, it is clear that there are issues of professionalism. In the first place, Siobhan is not a licensed medical professional, who is familiar with giving appropriate services to patients. In fact, Siobhan is even hesitant to accept the job as she is aware of her lack of knowledge. Siobhan’s lack of knowledge on the job, particularly in maintaining a professional distance between her patients results to Michael’s attachment to Siobhan. The movie also shows that Siobhan fails to provide Michael and Rory the necessary leisure activities that will help them develop emotional wellness; Siobhan left Michael and Rory roaming in the streets and doing unlawful acts. In studying the movie through Siobhan’s character, it is evident that professionalism is necessary in maintaining a healthy and constructive relationship between the healthcare provider and his/her patient. Effective Communication between Patient and Provider Effective communication strategies are one of the most important values that healthcare providers should show when dealing with their patients. According to DiMatteo (1997, p.13), it is necessary that health care providers should talk with their patients as this will give them ideas about the patient’s food preferences. Additionally, talking with one’s patients also allows healthcare providers to find the specific interests of the patients, which is also useful in giving them appropriate recreational activities. Further, this process inspires patients to cooperate during the medication process, particularly in taking in the recommended medicines and foods. In going deeper to the value of effective communication, Stewart (1995, p.1429) studies the effects of effective patient-provider communication on the health outcomes of patients, and found out that effective communication may help lessen the pain of patients, as well as build trust to their health care providers. In this case, effective communication helps build emotional wellness, which is helpful for patients in their recovery process. In the movie, one of the most noticeable barriers between Michael and Siobhan is Michael’s inability to communicate effectively, and this is because of Michael’s illness, which is cerebral palsy. Consequently, Michael relies on Rory when talking to other people as Rory is the only one who can understand his speech. Although Rory and Siobhan get along at first, Michael was unable to express his feelings for Siobhan through usual conversation; this led Michael to display his feelings inappropriately by hugging Siobhan in the middle of a party. This scene escalates the conflict of the story wherein Siobhan decided to quit her job with Michael and Rory. The Disabled and the Mainstream Society Disabilities are often seen by the mainstream society as a physical disadvantage and tragedy wherein disabled persons are considered far from attaining a normal life because of their abnormalities and limitations (Barnes & Mercer, 2010, p.1). This also leads to hostility and indifference, which leads to the worsening of their condition. In the entertainment industry, films have been effective enough in illustrating the condition of disabled persons, particularly those with mental illness, as they interact with the mainstream society. Specifically, Smith (2010, p.41) states that films such as Rain Man and Forrest Gump show how the mainstream society treats people with disabilities; those films also enjoyed commercial success as those have been informative. In the same way, the film Inside I’m Dancing also shows how Rory and Michael interact with other people, particularly when they try to participate in parties. As they live outside the residential home, Michael and Rory face the indifferent treatment of the society wherein they experience ridicule from the children in the streets. In fact, even Michael experiences the same indifference from his father when they asked for a place to live in the area. Further, in the residential home, it is evident that disabled persons are dependent on the nurses, and incapable of taking care of themselves independently. For instance, the nurses often treat Michael as a child, considering that the nurses were not able to understand Michael’s speech. Taken together, the movie shows the gap between the disabled persons and the mainstream society, particularly in relation to functional limitations. This idea also relates to the marginalization of disabled persons, considering that the cultural representation of their condition relates to physical limitations and disabilities. Conclusion In relation to health care models, the movie Inside I’m Dancing may be divided into two parts. Specifically, the first part of the movie shows the Collaborative Model wherein Rory and Michael receive attention from qualified medical practitioners in the residential home. In the Collaborative Model, it is evident that patients receive the necessary medical attention, although not necessarily the advised social and emotional support from their parents and medical professionals. The second half of the movie shows the Home Health Care Model wherein Michael and Rory receive attention from Siobhan. In this part, we can see and evaluate the quality of Siobhan’s service in relation to the prescribed requirements and standards of home health care service. In the two models, we can see that the most common values shown in the models are the necessity of effective communication and professionalism in providing health care service. Aside from this, the movie also allows viewers to evaluate the existing understanding of the society about disabled persons. Conclusively, analyzing the movie gives us insights on the aspects and underlying values concerning the two most common health care service models, Collaborative Model and Home Health Care. 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