Psychological Effects That Could Arise Due to Ellas Sickness - Assignment Example

Miller Family Amy Michelle Cruz Social Implications of Medical Issues (SOC 313) Jennifer Spitzer October 26, Miller Family Introduction Ella’s chronical medical condition causes various sociological and psychological issues that affect herself, her family members, friends and the whole community. This paper analyses the various socio-cultural and psychological effects that could arise due to Ella’s sickness. Conflict and issues caused by her sickness There are various cultural and traditional issues that could arise. Her husband of American Indian descent insists that there are family traditions that are supposed to be adhered to since he is also the father to their children. He believes that since she has been hospitalized for a long time and it appears that her life is coming to an end, she has to undergo some American Indian ritual. This might cause conflict between Ella and her husband because she wishes to stick with the alternative and complementary practices (Bury, 2011). She is against the husband’s idea and wants to have things done her way. She feels that it is her life and her decision to make. She is tired of being in the hospital where she is exposed to the stress caused by the discord and discomfort of her family members. She prefers dying at home where she finds peace. At the same time, the family members are coercing her to follow mainstream medical advice. This is another major source of conflict because neither Ella nor the husband is for the idea. If Ella decides to stay at home, it will have a great influence on herself and the people around her. The son, Sam, an alcoholic would drink even more. The daughter, Lila, who has diabetes, would develop blood pressure or even heart failure due to too much worry and stress about the mother. The grandson, Josh, whose starting to have drug problems could even turn to a real addict because of the stress caused by the sight of her sick grandmother lying in bed waiting for her death. The daughter in-law, Sarah, who faces constant stress because of her family’s medical issues and complications would experience more stress and even develop deeper depression. Sarah’s nephew suffers from leukemia and her brother is infected with the HIV virus. On the other side, her father has the perspective that all the family members are mentally ill. Seeing her mother in law every day at home would constantly remind her of the disturbing medical conditions and issues and thus resulting to more stress. For Ella herself, staying at home would be more satisfying as she is tired of staying in the hospital and she has accepted her fate and she is ready to die (Pless & Roghmann, 2011). At home, she would not live for long as compared to the hospital. Given the condition of her family members, she is better off in the hospital where the nurses can at least take care of her. In fact staying at home will have more adverse health effects on the family members. At the same time her conditions are still deteriorating even if she decides to get hospitalized. Micro, mezzo and macro effect of Ella’s medical condition Ella’s medical condition and prognosis would have various micro conflicts, concern and differences to herself and the family members. First, the family members are so concerned about her and they insist that she stays in hospital so that she can live longer. They think that at her home there is no one to give her the care she requires. Given the condition of her family members, she is better off in the hospital. She is also tired of the hospital environment and wishes to spend her last days at home with family. They are stressed due to the fact that she is going to lose her life soon. Her medical condition and prognosis has also caused conflicts between Ella and other family members like the husband who wants some ritual to be performed on her, which she is against idea (Bury, 2011). It has also caused her to conflict with other close family members who want her to stay in hospital and receive better medical care and attention. The neighborhood and the extended family, mezzo, are all concerned and stressed about Ella’s situation. They care for her, they feel stressed, and they are sorry for Ella knowing that she is going to lose her life. This is why they are all concerned and insists that she should stay in the hospital and not at home. If Ella is discharged from hospital, there are various considerations to be made basing on the community resources- macro (Lynch et al, 2007). While at home, she has to get the required moral support from the entire community. Her family, neighbors and the whole community should be ready to take care of her and give her encouragement even though she is facing the last days in her life. Unfortunately, the community resources cannot be able to meet the diverse family circumstances because they do not have direct control over Ella or her family members. The community resources cannot offer quality care to Ella because her cancer is in advanced stages and it is impossible to be treated with any amount of resources.. Advantages and disadvantages of hospital versus home There are also medical issues and the advantages and disadvantages of being in the hospital versus home. When in hospital there is better medical care in terms of drug dosage, right or recommended food in relation to the medical conditions. In hospitals, there is also effective response to emergency if any. Hospitals have the right facilities and equipment to deal with emergencies as specialized equipment and medical care are immediately available. There are also sufficient trained personnel on standby in hospitals who are ready handle emergency situations. The hospital routine in some cases offers structure and situation suitable for the patient. In the hospitals, patients get time to rest and have a piece of mind. There is less distraction from the family members and visitors because of the regulated visiting hours. At the same time, staying in hospitals has its disadvantages; it is very expensive as the services are charged per hour, there is a lot of pressure from family members and less of their participation. The hospital is sometimes seen as impersonal and imposing. The nurses are sometimes very hard on the patients with the strict routines. There is also little privacy in the hospitals. It is difficult for the patient to have some personal time. Hospitals deny the family members a chance to participate actively in care giving. The hospital schedules make the hospitals not easily accessible for the family members. On the other hand, when at home, the patient finds peace and independence (Eiser, 2010). Being in the comfort of a person’s own house, around his family members and friends, gives people peace because of the love and security that they are offered by the family members. The family care givers usually feel most confident and relaxed while at home. Being at home also offers the family and the patient the convenience as it allows for daily routine flexibility. It is also easier for members of the family to have more time with the patient unlike in the hospitals where visiting hours is limited. The disadvantage of home care is that the medical attention and care is not as professional as the one in hospitals. In case of an emergency or complication, one can easily die because of inadequate facilities. A patient being at home may be stressful to some family members who are afraid of the patient dyeing in the house. It leads to conflicts between the family members as not all of them can support the idea. Psychological and social issues The fact that the illness has been chronic has affected the family in various ways. Psychologically it has caused a lot of stress and tension in the family and among close friends. The family has been left hopeless because of the fact that she has been in hospital for a long time yet she is still headed for the worse (Pless & Roghmann, 2011). It has made the family members and friends worried and sad, as they know Ella is going to die. It has also caused conflicts within the family members due to conflicts of interests. There is more worry and pressure among the family members as they are now desperate. The fact that her situation is getting worse by day leaves them helpless. There are more conflicts in the family because some members are against the idea of her being at home. The husband also wants to have some rituals performed to her which she’s against. Impact of lifespan development on the perspectives Lifespan development has various impacts on the perspective of various family members. it has affected the cognitive abilities, judgment insight and intellect of the people. Because of the situation, the family members and friends have developed better cognitive abilities and understanding (Krantz & McCeney, 2002). They are now exposed to the realities of life and they have a better understanding and exposure to the challenges of life. Because of the situation, the family members and friends had to accept Ella’s fate and leave with it positively. They have to face the situation with a happy perspective although it is very sad. They are forced to look on the positive aspects of Ella’s life and allow her make her own decision of staying at home. The family members and friends have to come to terms with the situation understanding that there is nothing they can do to change or make the situation better. References Pless, I. B., & Roghmann, K. J. (2011). Chronic illness and its consequences: Observations based on three epidemiologic surveys. The journal of pediatrics,79(3), 351-359. Pless and Roghmann in their article explain the importance of receiving treatment from the hospital. He points out that hospital have the right personnel and equipment to handle emergencies in case any arises. He says people only prefer home treatment because of convenience and in some cases because of financial reasons. Krantz, D. S., & McCeney, M. K. (2002). Effects of psychological and social factors on organic disease: A Critical Assessment of Research on Coronary Heart Disease*. Annual review of psychology, 53(1), 341-369. Krantz and McCeney mention the social and psychological issues that arise when a sick person is aware that he or she is going to die. He says it is important sometimes for a person to accept fate that waits. He says as much as its stressful people must understand that nature has to take its course. Eiser, C. (2010). Psychological effects of chronic disease. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31(1), 85-98. Eiser states the psychological effects of chronic diseases to the patients and people who care for them. He also explains the conflicts the illness cause in a family setting. He explains the severe psychological depression that patients pass through when they constantly seek medical care and services, which barely improve their situation. Bury, M. (2011). The sociology of chronic illness: a review of research and prospects. Sociology of Health & Illness, 13(4), 451-468. In this article, Bury provides general features of sociological issues and experiences that people with chronic illness under go. He uses empirical s research and study of some chronic illnesses to show the main stages involved. He also explains the impact of treatment and the advancement of adaptive responses to the patient and people close to them. Lynch, J. W., Kaplan, G. A., & Shema, S. J. (2007). Cumulative impact of sustained economic hardship on physical, cognitive, psychological, and social functioning. New England Journal of Medicine, 337(26), 1889-1895. Lynch et al (2007), state the cognitive, psychological and social aspects related to patients with chronic illness. He insists that in some cases it is up to the patient to decide what he wants for himself and not the family members or people concerned. Read More