Mental/Behavioral Case Study Essay

I am doing a case study for Jenny Stanson, who is a 20-year-old college student who that is currently living with her grandmother. Lately, she has been noticing that her grandmother seems to be confused at times, and often forgets things she has told her. She also informed me that her grandmother is often rather short-tempered. From what jenny says, this does not seem to be her usual manner and happens only infrequently, but Jenny is concerned. She stated that someone told her that her grandmother might be suffering from early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Upon doing research on the disease I learned that Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps the most common form of dementia, although several others exist. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain. In the early stages, people experience some memory loss which progresses to marked memory loss, then to a decrease in thinking ability such as decision making. Later the disease leads to the loss in the ability to perform activities of daily living or recognize loved ones. The changes in the brain that often mirror the decline in thinking are the development of plaques and tangles in the brain. These changes may begin in areas of the brain associated with memory, but later spread more widely throughout the brain. The plaques and tangles can lead to a gradual loss of connections between brain cells and eventually cell death. Based upon the information she shared with me, I’m placing her grandmother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s due to her age and the symptoms she’s currently presenting. Especially after learning that starting at age 65, the risk of developing the disease doubles every five years, and that by age 85 years and older, between 25 and 50 percent of people will exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s disease. I did inform Jenny though, that there are things she could do and practice and speak to her grandmother about as far as  prolonging the onset of Alzheimer’s. There are a number of studies that suggest behaviors that might lessen the risk of developing the disease. Among these are increasing physical activity, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, maintaining social engagement, and participating in intellectually stimulating activities. I informed her that the approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are designed to enhance the communication between nerve cells. In some individuals, this will lessen the symptoms. However, these treatments will not prevent the progression of the disease. When it comes to cultural issues pertaining to this issue, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affect all racial and ethnic peoples. Communities of color and other historically underserved groups often encounter problems when accessing services or information about Alzheimer’s disease. Because of this, the local chapter is working to increase awareness of the disease and understanding about the obstacles to service for rural communities, ethnic groups, and communities of color. This though should not be a reason people do not step out on their own and seek help In conclusion, I informed Jenny that there is a lot of information on the Alzheimer’s disease on the internet, libraries, hospitals and other places one can go to seek treatment. I told her that she and her grandmother are not alone. If she wants some really good information and help, she should turn to The Alzheimer’s Association, which is the most trusted resource for reliable information, education, referral and support to millions of people affected by the disease. She can Call their 24/7 Helpline number at: 800.272.3900 or she can locate a chapter in her community, she can use their virtual library or even simply just go to the Alzheimer’s Navigator within the associations website to create customized action plans and connect with local support services. References http://www.alz.org/alzwa/in_my_community http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics/mental-illness/dementia.htm

Critical Analysis on the Use of Supernatural in Richard Iii

CONCERNING THE USE OF THE SUPERNATURAL IN FURTHERING THE PLOT OF RICHARD III On a technical level, Richard III is considered a historical play; it relates the events, if dramatized and romanticized, following the War of the Roses and the birth of the Tudor dynasty. However, Shakespeare’s use of supernatural themes and motifs in furthering the plot is somewhat out of character in its use in such a type of play; usually such themes and motifs form an unconscious backdrop from which the author creates depth and is not portrayed as an active force in the play.This makes the play lean more toward the style of one of his tragedy plays. The use of the supernatural, be it in traditional fairy tales such as Snow White or Jack and the Beanstalk or in the more recent works such as Harry Potter, the Chronicles or Narnia or the Lord of the Rings, is a delicate thing. Magic is the term most would apply to it. Fantasy works are full of it – magic wands, magic shoes, magic rings and ev en magic lands. It can be defined as a mechanism within a story to bypass the natural laws. Essentially, it is the means of moving from the ordinary to the extraordinary.Magic must therefore be treated as a natural law as well – because in a fantasy story, it is real and tangible. This requires therefore a framework within which magic (or the supernatural) can be defined and quantified. Take Harry Potter for example; magic is shown to be something like a science – it can be learnt and studied and practiced. In Jack and the Beanstalk and in Snow White as well as in almost all folklore stories, magic is something that is considered inherent to the world; it appears seldom and usually only to those who look for it or want to master it.C. S. Lewis and J. R. R Tolkien took a different approach; in Narnia and the Lord of the Rings magic is rationalized from a Christian point of view by implying that it stems from an omnipotent being (Aslan and Eru Illuvatar) who is comparabl e to Judeo-Christian God. My point is that, in any story (excluding material primarily gear on buffoonery), supernatural elements are put in a box that we can open and understand, then close and be sure its behaving like it is supposed to.Moving away from those examples, let us consider in what framework the supernatural is presented in Richard III. The story is shaped inside the same framework held in common belief in Shakespeare’s time. The world is therefore Christian, and â€Å"overt† magic and superstition is not considered moral or real. Therefore the primary expression of the supernatural in the play is in prophetic dreams, curses called down from heaven, and if magic is addressed at all, it is termed witchcraft to which a stigma of horror and evil is attached.However, this worldview is slightly stretched – mostly for poetic reasons – in that it includes elements from Greek mythology (the underworld and the Furies) and from non-religious Christian mythology – demonstrated in the use of ghosts that visit people, hellhounds and such – as well as an element from Celtic and Scandinavian mythos in the form of elves (which were commonly blamed for major and minor mischief, see â€Å"elvish-marked†).Chronologically the first use of the supernatural in furthering the plot and the characterizations is Margaret’s curses. This is done to gently introduce the reader (or viewer) to the type of supernatural themes in Richard III. (Compare this with Macbeth or other plays that immediately begin with heightened supernatural events. ) Margaret’s curses function as a sort of irony to the events of the play. Essentially, her curses foreshadow the fate of the characters later in the play.Margaret says to Elizabeth, â€Å" Outlives thy glory like my wretched self; long mayest thou live to wail their children’s loss and see another as I see thee now, decked in thy rights as thou art stalled in mine. Die t hou neither wife, nor mother nor England’s queen. † Elizabeth is cursed to lose everything as Margaret lost everything. By the end of the play, the curse fell, and Elizabeth is without husband, child or crown. Hastings, Rivers and Dorset are cursed to die bloodily for their part in Margaret’s sorrow; but the most interesting to the reader is her curse on Richard himself.Margaret’s curse foreshadows exactly the events of his demise. Observe: â€Å"On thee, the troubler of the poor world’s peace. The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul. Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou livest, and take deep traitors for thy dearest friends. No sleep shall close up that deadly eye, unless it be whilst some tormenting dream affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils. † Her words mirror Richard’s gnawing conscience and his removal of Buckingham and subsequent betrayal by Stanley.The most impressive of all is the foreshadowing of his dream bef ore the battle – where all the ghosts of his victims â€Å"affrights thee (him) with a hell of ugly devils†. In two cases, a prophetic dream foreshadows the demise of certain characters. The first (and most beautifully and vividly described) is Clarence’s dream of drowning. In the dream, Clarence and Richard are aboard a ship when Richard â€Å"stumbles† and knocks Clarence overboard. The drowning is intensely described; Clarence sees â€Å"ugly sights of death† and hears â€Å"dreadful noise of waters†.Once underwater (and presumably drowned), Clarence sees in piercing detail â€Å"a thousand fearful wrecks, ten thousand men that fishes gnawed upon, wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl†¦Some lay in dead men’s skulls, and in those holes where eyes did once inhabit there were crept, as ‘twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then the scene changes; Clarence is in the underworld (aptly described as th e land of eternal night) and is confronted with those he had a hand in killing. The murdered ghosts call the Furies upon him who drag him down to depths of hell.While we did not actually observed the fate of his soul past his actual murder (by Richard’s henchmen) Clarence is effectively forewarned about his impending death. Stanley had a similar dream of doom when he was killed by a boar, considered a symbol of ferocity and also Richard’s emblem. Fearful and comprehending what the dream meant, he tries to flee from Richard’s grasp and in doing so warns Hastings. Hastings dismisses it as the cobwebs of troubled sleep. Shakespeare alludes to the supernatural again when Hastings’s horse stumbles three times (a number associated with divinity) on his way to the Tower of London and his execution.Just like black cats and ravens were considered ill omens, when a horse stumbled en route to a certain destination, it was taken as an ill omen. Chronologically after these events, Richard blatantly accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft. Now what must be remembered is that in Shakespeare’s time, being accused of witchcraft was a very real and very serious matter. England was not far past the time of the witch hunts. Thus the perceived threat of black magic was real. This is actually is very interesting plot device. See, in the framework of the story previously discussed, witchcraft and such superstitions were called just that – superstitions.Bringing in that claim and hammering at it past all reasonability, I think, Richard is actually foreshadowing his own fall from reason to paranoia. The world Richard constructed around him was beginning to fall apart. His own sense of reality was leaving him. Thus it is an excellent way to begin to break the reader’s sense of reality and replace it with a feeling of dread as the play moved more and more away from history to a dark, surreal underworld. Overall, Shakespeare’s use of the su pernatural is clear and undisguised, but it represents a subtle force.The events of the play are moved along, not by spells or incantations, but by the conflict of politics, ambition and morality. Shakespeare utilized it like this because fundamentally he was making a historical piece. Perhaps due to his own taste and perhaps to place the emphasis on storytelling and character development, Shakespeare stayed away from using supernatural elements to affect the natural elements of his story. Supernatural elements are there, but they foreshadow rather than determine. They hint rather than compel. Ultimately, this is a play about the eternal duel between morality and vice.

Evaluating the Research Process Essay

This paper will be used to evaluate the research process. The chosen article is Pregnancy Risk among Black, White, and Hispanic Teen Girls in the New York City Public Schools. The research process is inclusive of several initial parts which are the selection of a problem, formulation of a hypothesis, a description of the subject, and the review of any literature as well as to construct a design plan, analyze data and write a conclusion. The paper will be used to discuss the literature and how it is used in the research. What are the considerations for data collection and what is the data telling us in terms of statistical analysis? In the article Pregnancy Risk among Black, White, and Hispanic Teen Girls in New York City Schools, the data was collected form the use of the (YRBS) New York City Youth Risk Behavior surveys. The survey was implemented by the (DOHMH) New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the (DOE) Department of Education. The surveys have been conducted since 1997 on a biennial basis. The data that is used was collected from surveys that were taken in 2005 and 2007. A total of 17,220 students from 87 public high schools were surveyed. Since this information was collected from individuals that were not of legal age, the researchers were extra careful to protect the confidentially of the students. This was done by having the students to complete a survey that requires that no personal information is given. The survey consists of 99 questions and it is self-administered. The data that has been collected has concluded that there is definitely a difference in the sexual activity of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 years old that attended public schools in the New York City area. The differences include more than just age, it also include race, ethnicity, schools, neighborhoods and economic backgrounds as well. Based on the findings of the surveys there is an unmistakable difference in the statistics for each group that participated. Therefore there is a definitely a correlation between the findings and the figures that were used. The numerical data that was retrieved from the survey proves that the data is significant and provides enough evidence to support the significance of the study. In the article the results concluded that (32.6%) of high school girls reported that they were sexually active in the 3 months prior to the survey. Out of all of the girls that participated in the survey, black students were more likely to be sexually active followed by Hispanics the whites. There were variations in the sexual activity which increased or decreased with age, race and ethnicity. The results also assessed the differences in each group access to and the use of contraceptive. The conclusion states that the use of hormonal contraceptive such as the pill was low among all racial and ethnic groups. Differences also occurred within the different neighborhoods. The conclusion noted that Hispanic girls in New York City were less likely when compared to white to use any type of contraceptive methods which put them at a greater risk of becoming pregnant. It also state that if there is any hope of preventing teen pregnancies, the proper information must be made available to educate these girls about long acting methods of contraception. Upon careful review of the conclusion it is evident that the conclusion does answer the research question as it is stated in the definition of the problem. The conclusion is appropriate because it re states the obvious facts from the date that had been collected from the surveys. It also summarizes the finding and breaks down the data so that suggestions can be made as a way to help to prevent teen age pregnancy within the area that was deemed to be high risk. Although the article has significant statistics and data, it is my opinion that there is not enough information to make a decision on the effectiveness of the study. There were several limitation within the study that allows one to question the effectiveness of the study overall. First, the YRBS only included limited questions pertaining to sexual activity and contraception which means it is possible that there are unmeasured differences in the frequency of sexual activity and the consistency in the use of Contraceptives which could make the collected data on each group incorrect. There are also limitations related to data that is collected by neighborhood schools. In some cases students choose to attend magnet or other specialized schools that are located outside of their home school. Another limitation is that the finding for the study was generalized to teens that attended New York City public schools. Therefore, many students that lived in the city but attended private schools or were in a special education program were not surveyed. The article lacked significant information on any other studies that the data could be compared to as a way to test for accuracy of the information. The literature review for the article was used to analyze the variation in the components that plays a major role in assessing the pregnancy risk among students attending New York City public high schools. The discussion portion of this article breaks down all of the difference and compares all of the similarities that exist between black, whites, and Hispanics which contribute to the high pregnancy rate within each group. The discussion also touches on the evidence that schools and neighborhoods can be a major influence in the risk of pregnancy for teen aged girls. Racial and ethnic differences have had an effect on the motivation and the expectation of girls to become sexually active in the early teen years. Fortunately the diverse nature of the study will help to provide the information needed to initiate programs that will give girls the knowledge to delay pregnancy until later in life.

Business and Corporate Level Strategies for Honda Motors Company Assignment - 4

Business and Corporate Level Strategies for Honda Motors Company - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that Honda started looking for new markets outside of Japan only a few years after it was founded. The founder believed that the company should always maintain an international viewpoint, looking at the rest of the world as the potential market base and factory footprint. As such, Honda, unlike its competitors, looks to localize rather than globalizing. This means that it allows its subsidiaries all over the globe to function as autonomous companies that design and produce vehicles and motorcycles according to local conditions and consumer needs. Honda is not a top-down organization that is controlled by the headquarters. Honda combines engineering, design, and manufacturing in each large company in the countries with its subsidiaries whereas other companies tend to keep research and design close to home where they are managed by executives who do not understand local circumstances and preferences. Honda has embraced the idea of paradox as a means of promoting critical thinking and re-assessing common wisdom and to shape new responses to ingrained expectations. The company prides itself on a knowledge-rich organization and putting the demand on its workers at all levels to engage in strategic thinking which is crucial towards its success. Honda holds the daily meeting with the employees, Waigaya, as the meetings are referred as to where decisions either large or small are re-evaluated and re-assessed to find the best tactical solutions to challenges both present and imminent. Honda, unlike other companies, does not rely on using robots and alternative automation as a means of retaining productivity and minimizing costs. The company only engages robots in areas that are considered dangerous and unsafe for human beings. The presence of machines de-motivates the workers and therefore disengages their enthusiasm for the job. Innovation according to Honda also is reduced when robots and machines are engaged rather than human involvement. That level of technology is set to a limit that the machines can achieve as compared to human creativity that is not limited like that of the machines. This is a good enough reason to appreciate that the capability of the mind of humans supersedes that of the machines, especially in creativity and improvement.

The Italian Feminist Movement in the 1970s Research Paper

The Italian Feminist Movement in the 1970s - Research Paper Example An Italian Feminist Movement took place during the 1970s and this movement led to women being considered not only equal to men but also provided them with their right of choice (Torre 2010). The Italian Feminist movement did not just begin in the 1970s but it transpired through a series of events which had started years ago. One of the pioneers of this movement is considered to be Anna Maria Mozzoni, the founder of the League for the Advancement of Women’s Rights in 1881. She urged the women of Italy to fight for their own rights and not rely on the system. During her time, women did not come out of their homes due to discrimination and advancements and modernization had not laid their effects on Italy (Sarti 2004). At that time women still were speechless and did not have their own voice, and had to rely on the patriarchal symbolic framework, an underlined aspect of Italian culture. This was the aspect which was fought by numerous activists later to come such as Anna Kuliscio ff. She was a famous political activist who through her rebellion nature fought long and hard against the system. Becoming the first woman lecturer at Milan University, she argued against the male dominance in the Italian society. For Kuliscioff, Italian women needed to achieve freedom and equality by challenging the family system which led to an oppressive culture against women. She also fought against the Italian rules which did not allow the females to cast a vote. The entire movement against women oppression faced a setback with the rise of Fascism in Italy. The National Fascist Party was led by Benito Mussolini. Their ideology was led by the notion that considered women as mothers and wives. To fulfill the Fascist dream of creating a new Italy, it was a must that women perform their roles as child bearers. Females were sidelined in the political sector and they were not granted proper rights in their working organizations, as according to them the role of women was to concentra te on performing their duties as mothers. That is why in this era abortion and divorce were criminalized (Ancora et al2006). Union Donne Italiana (UDI) was formed in September 1944 by a coalition of women from the southern province which was at that time liberated by the Allies and from the women of anti-Fascist resistance movement. UDI struggled for the rights of women in the postwar period. After the war, women were enfranchised which was one of the most notable political gain for women. Women exercised their right to vote first time in 1946 elections. UDI started their weekly publication by the name of Noi Donne (We women). Although Noi Donne was influenced by Italian communist party, PCI,it did not lay emphasis on political issues and emphasized primarily on women’s work rights and their needs at home. In the 1970’s, a different and more aggressive group of feminists arose with a strong political orientation and set of beliefs. This was owing to the formation of Ne w Left, the student revolts in 1968-69, the changing values of personal freedom and gaining equal status in society, and the motivation of self-fulfillment. The new issues to be addressed now were family rights, divorce, birth control, abortion and sexual violence. The new feminist group which was profoundly focused on women autonomy in all its social relations appealed only to the radical feminists and left the traditional feminists and their political allies with

The Necessity of Coed Classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Necessity of Coed Classes - Essay Example That assumption is not backed by research or study but only on the notion that the opposite sex is a distraction to study. The perceived advantage is even overshadowed by its numerous drawbacks. By making a class exclusive for boys or girls, the students become socially inadequate to relate to the other gender because of their lack of exposure and training on how to deal with the opposite sex. Students will become less confident and they could even become insensitive because their social vocabulary and competence about the opposite sex are inadequate. Social competence is also important because students will have to deal with other people including the opposite sex when they are already in the workplace when they become professionals someday. Education is not only limited to academics. It also includes how to deal with people appropriately. A good education will become useless if the person cannot work or deal with other people. Dealing with other people is particularly important if a person will become professional someday. A businessperson has to deal with clients, suppliers, employees, a doctor to his or her patient, an employee to his or her teammates and so on and so forth. It only meant that it is inevitable that we will be dealing with other people someday and it would be better if the students are trained early by integrating boys and girls in a class. Making a class exclusive to boys or girls makes a student socially inadequate. The structure of gender exclusivity does not inspire confidence among students because of the lack of exposure towards the other gender making their emotional and social vocabulary limited. This will result in a lower self-esteem among students which could be disastrous when they become professionals.

Consultants Report Telecommuting at IBM Indiana Essay

Consultants Report Telecommuting at IBM Indiana - Essay Example Half of the company’s business volume was spread out worldwide. It was in the mid-1980s, however, that the company started to have problems. The profits of the company had started to plunge down. Analysts concluded that the reasons behind the downfall were not many but were strong enough to shake an established company. They were: the bureaucratic and slow-moving setup of the company, maintenance of old business strategies and reluctance to replace them with newer ones, incorrect assessment of business risks. As said by Ducker (1993), it is a business sin to sacrifice tomorrow’s opportunity on the altar of yesterday. This was precisely the reason why IBM got off-track its road to success. Though IBM did try to cope up with the growing trends of the market by introducing a PC in the market almost overnight after Apple introduced the first PC in the mid-1970s but they could actually never get out of the MAINFRAME mask that they had put on themselves. Then the time came wh en IBM was being administered by JOHN AKERS who was a career IBMer in the ear 1985. Since the downfall of the company had already begun several steps were being taken by the administered in order to downsize the company. A summary of the downsizing of the company can be viewed in the attached table. The administered however resigned in the year when despite all his efforts the company continued to lose stocks and suffered major losses in the year 1992.Louis V. Gerstner then replaced the former head of the company. Further downsizing of employees was then consented upon by the management of the company. The establishment of the company’s office in the state of Indiana was an evident example of the problem the company was facing overall. The Indiana office reduced its number of employees to about 30% in the year 1992. The General Manager Operation s for the State of Indiana was foreseeing another cut in the number of employees.