The Sociological Imagination

The Sociological Imagination Diet is increasingly being viewed as a key component of health, and food and related topics have become of great interest to health professionals and sociologists. Sociological Imagination What C. Wright Mills called the sociological imagination is the recognition that what happens in an individuals life and may appear purely personal has social consequences that actually reflect much wider public issues. Human behaviour and biography shapes society, and vise-versa and one cannot be properly understood without the other. If a sociologist was trying to understand two friends having coffee for example then they would examine it as social interaction, as acceptable drug taking, and as part of a complex mix of social and economic processes. They might also assess the fact that coffee is produced by the poor but drunk mainly by the better off, they would examine the history of coffee drinking. (Giddens, 2001). This paper will examine why it may be the case that diet is increasingly being viewed as a key component of health, and food and related topics have become of great interest to health professionals and sociologists. It will begin with a brief explanation of sociologys interests and will then examine why diet, food and related topics have generated such interest. Finally, the paper will investigate this question through the use of the sociological imagination. The study of society became an important feature of academic life in the nineteenth century. It is generally acknowledged that the founding fathers of sociology are Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. Auguste Comte was also an important figure and actually coined the term sociology Sociologists study peoples lives and try to understand the nature of reality through people. One of the reasons that diet has become of increasing significance within social science discourse is due to the fact that sociologists regard the ways in which people eat, and also what they eat, as a social practice. Giddens (2001) argues that in all societies eating and drinking are most often accompanied by social interaction, celebrations and rituals and this makes them of interest to sociologists. Recognisable changes in eating habits are also of interest to sociologists because these changes signify other changes in the social structure. Choosing to eat a particular food can play a part in shaping the market for that kind of food. This then affects the lives of those who produce it, some of whom may live on the other side of the world. Sociologists have long argued that the medical establishment operates on a bio-medical model of health which holds that disease is located in the person and health can be restored through appropriate medical treatment. Sociologists, on the other hand, argue that health and illness are socially and culturally defined and they, along with many health professionals, believe that human beings make choices which affect their health and well-being. Improvements in health during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were the result of higher standards of public hygiene. Clean drinking water and the effective disposal of sewage helped reduce the number of deaths from infectious diseases, the infant mortality rate also dropped (Bilton et al, 1996). The gap between rich and poor, or the connections between social class and other factors such as health have been of sociological concern since Marx’s work on capitalism. Those people who belong to higher social classes tend to have better life chances, be more healthy, and live longer than those lower down the social scale. The better off people are, the more inclined they are to eat well and healthily (Giddens, 2001). In the Third World, vaccination programmes are not as effective as they should be because people do not have enough to eat. Being well fed is the best way of preventing disease that there is and this is one reason why diet is of concern to health professionals and sociologists. Increasingly it has also become a factor in government policy making. The Black Report of 1980 was commissioned by the Conservative Government to investigate class inequalities in health (Townsend et al 1988).. Margaret Thatcher was unhappy with the findings which carried an enormous cos t factor for the government (Giddens, 2001). Her Government introduced marketisation into the health service thus producing a model of providers and purchasers of care. During the past twenty years there have been significant changes in policy making because of concerns over the costs of public health. Governments have tended to focus on public health campaigns such as healthy eating programmes in an attempt to get people to take more responsibility for their health and to save public money. Thus some of the focus that health practitioners and sociologists place on diet and food is as a result of, or in response to, changing Government policies and the production of Government White Papers such as the 1992 Health of the Nation paper. In the nineteenth century a large number of deaths were a result of what has been called the disease of poverty (Browne, 1998:443) because most of those who died were poor and badly nourished. In the twentieth century the diseases of poverty have been replaced by what have been called the diseases of affluence, where people eat too much of the wrong things, for example foods that are high in fat and cholesterol, and smoke and drink too much (Browne, 1998). It is linked to over-consumption in other areas because as people earn more money they are able to afford more but these consumption patterns are not only detrimental to individuals but also to our environment. More than two thirds of the world are starving and have a shortfall in their crop supplies and an increasing population. Yet in the Western world where population growth is much slower there are often huge surpluses of grain (Giddens, 2001). Some large companies have seen a market here for genetically modified foods. They sa y that the introduction of gm foods could transform the world’s food supplies. Lifestyle choices like exercise and diet are regarded as a key factor in whether a person is ill or healthy. In modern industrialised societies the problem is not caused by too little food, but too much food that is not good for us. So we have new forms of illness such as obesity, stomach ulcers, diabetes and heart disease where more people suffer from chronic illness than they may have done in the past. These diseases are largely preventable but in recent years there has been increased public concern over the food supply. Scares such as CJD and BSE in beef along with a number of outbreaks of food poisoning have caused considerable concern and some health professionals have blamed asthma on poor diet. Cancer has also been linked in a government report (1997) to the type of food that people eat. The branding and marketing of junk food has been highly successful. Huge multi-national companies such as MacDonalds are not just selling fast food, they are selling a life-style that is attra ctive to many young people. Sociologically it’s interesting if only for the resulting standardisation, the recognisable brand. You can find a MacDonalds in almost every country in the world and know, at least to some extent, what you are going to get. In Britain we eat a much more processed diet where food often has colourings flavourings and preservatives that are harmful to health, and produce what has beome a medicalised condition of hyperactivity in children. Although some health professionals recommend a change in diet the medical establishment has tried to ‘cure’ it with a drug called Ritalin rather than drawing attention to the social causes (Giddens, 2001). Why do we eat unhealthy foods? The foods that are good for us, such as organic fruit and vegetables and wholemeal bread are more expensive than mass produced processed food. Multi-national firms control the food market and they are more concerned with making a profit than anything else. Healthy foods are also a money spinners and the health food industry makes a huge profit on vitamins and food supplements. As Browne (1998) argues health itself has become big business, companies sell it and at the same time they continue to produce the types of food that contribute to health problems, disease, and death. Conclusion Through the use of the sociological imagination this paper has investigated why sociologists and health professionals have taken such an interest in diet as a key component of health and in food and related subjects. There appear to be a number of explanations, not least the increasing inequalities in healthcare provision and the continuing differences in life chances between rich and poor. The marketisation of health has also generated a number of government policies that focus on personal responsibility, personal choice, and healthy eating programmes. Sociologists have always been interested in the power differentials at work in society. Bilton et al (1996) contend that the medical profession have had considerable power in controlling definitions of health and illness. Public concern with health, diet, and debates about food will continue to be of interest to sociologists because they argue that these things are socially and culturally produced and it is becoming increasingly more evident that these discourses are closely allied with major economic and political interests.

Person Centred Care MDT Essay

This essay will discuss the concept of person centred care, why ser-vice users are at the centre of any decisions made. The importance of this when developing a plan of care to an individual with dementia within a community care setting with limited mobility. What the structure of the mutli disciplinary is when involved in delivering a package of care and how the different roles involved contribute to the positive outcomes Principles of care as stated by the Royal College of Nursing (2013) outlines guidelines what service users should expect from the nurs-ing profession, whether you are a nurse, health care assistant, community nurse, a service user, family member. You are given the information of what to expect when you are in contact with any of the services or who actually are providing a service. Within the community sector this is important as it gives carers a guideline on how to deliver the best possible care and how they should conduct themselves when dealing with vulnerable people. The Royal College of nursing (2013) outlines 8 principles of care they consist of; that all health care assistants, nurses treat all service users with dignity, respect, show understanding of the service users needs. To be non judgemental in the care being provided, whilst showing compassion and sensitivity. Read more:  Person Centred Care Essay All nurses and health care assistants take responsibility for their actions in the care they are providing whilst also being answerable for any action and decision that they take. To manage and assess risk to ensure the safety of the service user and others. To promote the care that is being given putting the service user at the centre of that care, whilst also involving any family members. To ensure that the service user is fully informed of any treatment, to enable them to make an informed choice. All health care assistant and nurses are in the front line for communicating any changes of the service user, recording such things, communicating with other members on the care being provided, whilst maintaining confidentiality. Have up to date knowledge and skills in order to deliver the highest possible level of care to everyone. Work closely with other profes-sionals to ensure that continuity of care is followed to have the best possible outcome for the service user and the staff team . To develop themselves, to encourage and highlight to other professionals the importance of updating knowledge and skills. Many people have different definitions on what Person centred care approaches mean to each individual profession and what their  roles involve when implementing person centred care. The Health Foun-dation 2014 suggests that more person centered care is needed, so that people are supported to make informed decisions about manag-ing their own health and care. In order for this to happen changes in behavior and mindset from patients and clinicians supported by a service that has patients at the heart of it. Policies and practice guidelines need to support patients and clinicians to take on new roles and relationships. Ford 2012 wrote an article on what the value of patient care is this was described as the 6 C’s which stand for care, compassion, com-petence, communication, courage and commitment. Brooker (2007) states that by providing a supportive environment for interaction, whilst taking into account that all human life is mainly grounded by relationships. Within the community environment People suffering from dementia requires and need a fulfilling social environment which enables them to have opportunities for growth within the environment that compensa tes for their impairments. Brooker focuses on the actual diagnosis and how best to help service user to maintain a social connection within a safe environment with the help of staff who understands their condition. Whilst the article that Ford had written expands the key points on how professionals should take into consideration and act when looking after people and communicating with them also. Tuchman’s theory (1965) suggests that in order for a positive outcome to happen then 4 stages of process would need to be worked through within a group situation. These stages are forming, storming, norming and performing. Person centred care was first used in relation to people with demen-tia by a Professor called Tim Kitwood who founded the Bradford de-mentia Group in the 1980’s. His aim was to steer away from the medical diagnosis of dementia and to help those living with the ill-ness to live and be treated as an individual. To acknowledge that these people did have a voice even though in the medical eyes they were slowly losing their own mind. He wrote about the Enriched Model (1997) which detailed opportunities to maximise the well being of a person suffering from dementia whilst enha ncing their daily living of the other elements that affect the person. For example people suffering from dementia have many challenges to deal with. They have the gradual memory loss but also lose the interaction with others, communication becomes repetitive and in the past, how to eat, drink, co ordination, coping with mood changes, general daily  living skills become more difficult to complete along with depression. Buijssen 2005 suggests that depression is a main factor with dementia due to lots of feelings of helplessness and anxiety which can cause the service user to have challenging out bursts. To enable a person to remain in their home safely and independently other people will be involved. This depends on how advanced the dementia is, otherwise the service user would be placed within a residential or nursing home. Maureen Guirdham (1995) suggests that by practising empathy when communicating with a service user, seeing things from their point of view and not just by a medical point of view can build a positive professional relationship. Some professionals at times use their position to influence a service user to see things from the professional point of view; this can cause a barrier to communication because the service user feels that they are not being treated as an individual. That the professional is using a form of blanket suggestion and solution to their problem. Having a common ground of understanding of what it is to be achieved. Initially within the early stages social workers, mental health nurses, general practitioners, speech and language therapists, mobility spe-cialists, and the NHS. Within a community setting district nurses, general practitioners, and at times the emergency services such as the mobile paramedics and ambulance crew are the main sources of the multi disciplinary team that as carers we would normally work alongside with. Jefferies & Chan 2004 describes how multi disciplinary teams work â€Å"the main mechanism to ensure truly holistic care for patients and a seamless service for patie nts throughout their disease trajectory and across the boundaries of primary, secondary and tertiary care.† Carrier & Kendall 1995 also describes how inter disciplinary teams work â€Å"implying a willingness to share and indeed give up exclusive claims to specialist knowledge and authority, if the needs of the client can be met more effectively by other professional groups.† Not all of these will be involved but people with dementia require different specialists at different times of the diagnosis. Almost everyone is registered with a general practitioner. It is the job of the general practitioners to offer high standards of care to all their patients regardless of their health needs. To establish a continuing and long term relationship, with all their patients including those who are vulnerable (Pritchard 2001). More and more General Practitioners (GP’s) are working  within an extended team of professionals who they can refer to for advice and guidance. General Practitioner’s are the first people who are approached when a family member are feared to have the onset of dementia. GP’s will refer the person to the mental health team to have an assessment to see if there are any concerns to have (Mental Health Act 2005). Once the assessment has been done and the diagnosis had been confirmed then a social worker with the relevant experi ence of mental health issues will be assigned to implement further care decisions. A social worker works with people who have been socially isolated or who are experiencing crisis mentally or physically. Their role is to provide support to enable service users to help themselves. They maintain professional relationships with service users, acting as guides, advocates. Social workers work in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures, supporting individuals, families and groups within the community. Settings may include the service user’s home or schools, hospitals or the premises of other public sector and voluntary organizations. This could be introducing carers from an agency to help with daily living needs, preparing food (Roper et al 1996) Day centres can be arranged for the person to be able continue interactions with others, by still being around professionals who understands their needs and condition. Dementia tears layer away at a person at each stage of its progression, (Alzheimer’s Society 2014) The World Bank 2011 describes what empowerment means â€Å"Em-powerment is the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired outcomes. Central to this process is actions which both build individ-ual and collective assets, and improves the efficiency and fairness of the organisation and institutional context which govern the use of these assets.† Mental health nurses work with people suffering from various mental health conditions, they also work alongside their family and careers to offer help and support in dealing with their condition. There work involves helping the patient to recover from their illness or to come to terms with it in order to lead a positive and full life. The nurses may specialize in working with children or older people, or in a specific area such as eating disorders. Mental health nurses often work in multidisciplinary teams, liaising with psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, GPs, social workers and other health professionals.  As a registered mental health nurse (RMN), they may work with pa-tients in a variety of settings including their own homes, community healthcare centre’s, hospital outpatients departments or specialist units, or secure residential units. Even though each professional has a specific area or expertise communication is always a key factor to delivering the best support and care to a service user and their families. District nurses have a crucial role in the primary health care team by visiting people in their own homes. District nurses also delive r care and support for patients and their families. With the differences in roles bought together as one within meetings or communication the process of care is flawless but in the real world this does not always happen. The Health Foundation (2013) states that they â€Å"See patients as equal partners in planning, developing and assessing care, to make sure it is appropriate for their needs, putting families and patients at the heart of all decisions†. Egan’s (2010) three stage model the skilled helper explains how professionals can help service users to focus their situation. To be able to ask questions and step by step understand the process. The model helps to empower the person and help them to move toward managing their problems and living more effectively. The Egan’s model enables the user to map out what the issues are that require discussion. To explore all possible solutions and what would best benefit the service user. It enables the professionals to have respect, genuineness to the subject and empathy to the service user. If good active listening skills are re-membered then the outcome will be the best that can be given to the service user. Egan’s model however all stages do not always have to be considered they are adapted to the situation that requires re solving. Another element that is considered is the SMART aspect which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, the mutli disciplinary team this is where individual roles are separated in order to fulfil their part of the plan of care for a service user. The Department of health (2011) outlines specific guidelines when treating someone with Dementia. These guidelines just like the one that the Department of health released and updated in June 2011 are guidelines and are there to help protect vulnerable people. Working within the community I found I was working alongside more people suffering from early stages of dementia and having more insight into how dementia affects the person enabled me to have a better approach to deal with the care that  was being provided. 1000 lives plus 2012 that was written by Davies stated that â€Å"Seeing the patient’s illness as a continuum between treatment and rehabilitation leads naturally to partnership between organisations. Departments across health and social services co-operate to fulfil the patient’s needs, and the relevant providers need to be working together at all stages of care to properly anticipate the next step, particularly the return home after in-patient care† . This report emphasised that even though Esther arriving at a NHS hospital was ok and the staff where very polite and caring. The sys-tem still had failures especially when Esther had to wait five and a half hours to be seen and after being in contact with thirty six people professionals and repeatedly repeating information for someone who could not breath caused a lot of distressed. By establishing some of the professionals roles within the multi dis-ciplinary team and how government legislation and guidelines impact on how care is provided. In the community for someone who has dementia and other physical needs how efficient are the multi disciplinary team? Sometimes available equipment is based on budget from local councils, so as availability of professional bodies. A person I looked after in the community had a diagnosis of dementia. Visiting them daily sometimes four times a day assessing their needs and any changes daily was important to maintain their safety within their home. Any personal care, breakfast, dinner, tea and bed time all had to follow a strict routine. There came a time when this service user was falling a lot so with the reports given by carers to their head office it was decided the social worker should make a visit they managed to get some adaptations put in place. A wheel frame that could be used to carry things on as it had a tray at the top and at the bottom, the social worker also got a waist alarm, similar to the wrist or necklace type alarm that is linked to a call centre. So if this service user fell the belt would activate automatically because the sensor knew it had to be vertical not horizontal. Within the guidelines of the company policy and given the rights of the person to choose to stay at home, every safety measure to reduce risk was taken by all parties. The service user felt at ease with everyday tasks as before they where a problem. The simple things that we take for granted are the things that need to be taken into account for others. (Human rights Act 1998). Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society said: ‘Today’s announcement  shows that by entering your postcode you enter a lottery. Depending on where you live you may be more or less likely to get a timely diagnosis of dementia and access to the support you need. This is simply unacceptable. Wherever you live, you should be entitled to care and support when you have Alz-heimer’s disease or any form of dementia. It is a National Health Service. It is time to stop treating people with dementia as second class citizens.’ (2013) By introducing the appropriate training and having diagnosis’s being given earlier then people will this diagnosis may stop feeling that they are just being a pain to society and that they still have a function within society. The NHS Wales (2010) five year plan included guidelines to em-power the professionals on the front line for example clinical and non clinical staff to lead changes and deliver the highest possible care available. All these proposals of improving the NHS and the services attached to them is a positive sign for change but as we all know changes can only happen if the funding is available which predominantly involves the tax payers. Some changes that will happen will be making primary care trusts and strategic health authorities abolished and replacing them with one organisation such as the clinical commissioning groups. Who will over sea and involve local authorities in a bigger role to handle budgets. How effective these changes will be to improve the entire system will only be seen in a report that will be released sometime in 2015 as stated in the NHS (2010) five year plan. Main reasoning for continual reviews is to establish a better link to all professions to enable the protection of the vulnerable and to have the sufficient resources to enable action to be taken so that the negative cases that are reported do not happen again.

Add the Game Concentration to a Web Page with JavaScript

Manhunt Analysis Manhunt The Game - 1833 Words

Manhunt fascinates me, I find everything about it intriguing. It has so enraptured me, I simply can’t stop thinking about it whether I’m at home, at school, or at the mall. That makes me sound like some kind of homicidal sadist, and I am fascinated by it for precisely that reason. Before I say anything more incriminating, I should mention that I love Manhunt the cultural experiment and not Manhunt the videogame, because the former has fared much better over time than the latter. Manhunt the game is a clunky, awkward mix of pseudo-horror and stealth with repetitive mechanics and little player freedom. There aren’t any side activities or breaks in the monotony, and gameplay doesn’t progress or evolve so much as it drags on. I didn’t have fun with Manhunt, both when I first bought it and when I replayed some of the game to gather footage, it’s simply not something I find engaging. Manhunt the game is mediocre, not broken, not unplayable, just antiquated. For what it is, it’s okay, passable, adequate—but if it wasn’t so violent, so unrepentantly vicious it would not be notable and that makes it all the more impressive that it is still worth talking about. Granted, those conversations are usually about the controversy it created, but that’s a discussion that happens with nearly all of Rockstar’s titles. Outside of the gaming sub-culture, Rockstar North gets more flak than any other developer I know of. Normally, it has to do with Grand Theft Auto—mainly because that’sShow MoreRelated Government Regulation of Video Game Violence is Unconstitutional and Unnecessary.978 Words   |  4 Pagesrecently video games. The state of California decided to address the concern of video game violence by passing a law banning minors from purchasing games that are considered â€Å"violent†. However, the law is unconstitutional and unnecessary. The law is simple: any game that humanoid characters are maimed, killed, or tortured is considered violent. Labels that clearly state 18 must be placed on all games falling under this definition. The law requires that any individual purchasing a game in this categoryRead MoreNew Methods Of Financing, Marketing Strategy, And Resource Management919 Words   |  4 Pagesindustry analysis, and resource management. In the beginning of the course, I learned how to seek out an opportunity for new venture by exploring customers needs/ problems, window of opportunity, and identifying the stakeholders that will gain value from our company. My group and I thought long and hard about the business we wanted to create. We choose to provide customers a sport inspired environment where our customer can play variety of games such as paintball, laser tag, and manhunt, all whileRead MoreThe Effects Of Video Games On Children2592 Words   |  11 Pages12/11/14 Debate about Violent Video-Games Video games are fun, they create a sense of happiness for people of all ages, races, and preferences. Some might say that creating video games is an art form, because of the ability of developers creating a game suited to the specific preferences of individuals. However, because developers create a wide range of video game genres, violent games may be created. It is often debated that the animations created within these video games that allow you to emulate actsRead MoreA Fragile Civilization in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding1531 Words   |  7 Pagessaved. After discovery of a kind of Monster (in reality a paratrooper failed) sows terror on the island, terror fuelled by Jack. Stitches in time, the violence moved and perpetuation of human crimes. A real Manhunt begins when a naval officer appears on the beach, as a deus ex machine. The analysis of the novel reveals that the plot revolves around major sociological philosophical themes: authority, submission, freedom and violence. It also shows us of the stereotyped characters and erects any of itsRead More Video Game Violence Essay examples2549 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"Video Game Violence Does Not Cause Violent Tendencies† An In-Depth Look at Video Game Violence and its Positives Effects â€Å"On Tuesday, November 2, while the rest of the country was voting, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Schwarzenegger v. EMA, the landmark case in which the state of California is petitioning for the re-instatement of a California law banning the sale of deviant or morbid violent video games to minors† (Macris). This case is a current example of theRead MoreChange in Human Development and the Minds Birth of Creativity1999 Words   |  8 Pageswhether we would like to accept it or not. No such thing as race an ive also learned that fossils over time, which are Organic living, turned into rock. Archaeologist study peoples cultures, from the deepest prehistory to the most current. Through the analysis of material remains I noted artifacts, and evidence of past environments that we see to this day due to architecture and landscapes changes. Material evidence, such as pottery is seen all over the word as well as scribing and old status that onceRea d MoreEssay on Honky Book Report3136 Words   |  13 PagesMinority Autobiography Analysis (Book Report) Title: Honky Author: Dalton Conley Summary Honky is the true story of Dalton Conley, a white kid, growing up in a minority community. The story takes place beginning at the end of the 1960s and concluding in the early 1980s and takes us from the authors early childhood to college. Dalton Conley was white, with a Jewish mother and an Irish/English father. Both of Daltons patents were artists. His mother, Ellen, grew up in northern PennsylvaniaRead MoreCrime Rate And Its Effect On Our Public Health System4607 Words   |  19 Pageskeep themselves from being hurt. Some pimps are a source of potential danger for the women if you’re working with a pimp it can be quite difficult to break free from them because they think that you owe the something, so even if you chose to leave the game you still belong to them and you and your family will be in danger. So if you truly want to get away theirs the brothel industry they can and will help you get away from your pimp must women feel safe going into that place they know and trust thatRead MoreMedia Law: Defamation, Copyright, Etc23627 Words   |  95 Pagesthe article are accurate - consider any ulterior motive the source may have had eg interest groups - are you confident you can persuade a court that you were thorough in checking the facts and allegations - will the article stand u p to objective analysis as being balanced, impartial and fair? 2. Sources †¢ It is unlikely to be held reasonable to publish the allegations, based on only one source. †¢ Were you comfortable with the accuracy of the allegationsRead MoreMedia Law: Defamation, Copyright, Etc23639 Words   |  95 Pagesthe article are accurate - consider any ulterior motive the source may have had eg interest groups - are you confident you can persuade a court that you were thorough in checking the facts and allegations - will the article stand up to objective analysis as being balanced, impartial and fair? 2. Sources †¢ It is unlikely to be held reasonable to publish the allegations, based on only one source. †¢ Were you comfortable with the accuracy of the allegations being