Psychological Impacts of Nostalgia for People With Dementia

Psychological Impacts of Nostalgia for People With Dementia THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF NOSTALGIA FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA: STUDY PROTOCOL 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1.2 Existential realities Four basic concerns that have been proposed to have great impact on the lives of all people are: death, freedom, existential isolation and meaninglessness (Yalom, 1980). Yalom (1980) argues that although people tend to neglect these four realities, they are still pervasive and influential on our lives. He offers the following explanations to these realities which he refers to as ultimate concerns. He explains that the inevitability of death is a fact of life which we are all aware of; irrespective of the fundamental human desire of existence. The central existential conflict is the strain between the realisation of the inevitability of death and the desire to continue to live. From an existential perspective, freedom refers to the lack of external structure. Paradoxical to an individual’s everyday experience, human beings do not reside in a universe that has ingrained design and is well-structured. Instead, the individual is totally the orchestrator of his or her own choices, world, actions and design. Freedom from this view implies terrifically that there is no ground beneath us. The key existential dynamic in this sense is the conflict between our encounter with groundlessness and our desire for ground and structure. As humans, our reality of freedom is evidenced from the conflict which arises from our aspiration of self-determination and our realisation of lack of support and uncertainty. This happens when one recognises the things that happen in one’s life are up to oneself. The third ultimate concern is isolation. This form of isolation from an existential sense does relate to neither interpersonal isolation (such as loneliness) nor intrapersonal isolation (such as isolation from oneself). This form of isolation refers to fundamental isolation. This means that no matter how close we are to each other, unavoidably, we are on our own. Each of us comes into existence alone and must exit from it alone. Thus, the existential conflict is the strain between our realisation of our absolute isolation and our desire for contact, protection and to be part of a larger group (Yalom, 1980). Accumulation of the three realities results in the fourth, which is, meaninglessness. In a world where there is no absolute truth and the only certainty about life is death, life tends to be meaningless. People will cling unto values and concepts in an effort to formulate meaning in life. Life essentially has no meaning if death is inevitable; if our own world is constituted by ourselves and if we are fundamentally isolated (Yalom, 1980). As Yalom (1980) elaborated, the existential dynamic conflict emerges from the impasse of a meaning-seeking creature that is put into a universe that possesses no meaning. It can be argued that although these existential realities are experienced by all human beings in one form or the other, some categories of persons are more likely to experience profound aspects of these existential threats. One of such groups of people is people with dementia. 1.1.3 Dementia: an existential threat â€Å"Dementia is an existential plight of persons and not simply a problem to be investigated and managed through technical skill† (Baldwin and Capstick, 2007; p. 117). It has been regarded as a disease of the entire person rather than a mere illness of the brain (Murray and Boyd, 2009, Passmore, Ho and Gallagher, 2012, Post, 2013, Nowell, Thornton and Simpson, 2013). With its associated health and social problems and deterioration leading to death, dementia can be perceived as a form of existential threat (Cheston, 2011). People with dementia experience changes in biographical factors. These biographical factors are the changes in later life. Whereas some people with dementia go through their illness with most of the mechanisms that previously supported them still unblemished, others go through a sequence of diminishing and disheartening changes in life with massive decline in their personal resources. Such personal resources refer to that which has been inherently developed by the person including all the consequences of social learning. These include aspects such as ways of managing crisis, loss and modifications; willingness to accept help offered by others and defense against tension or anxiety (Kitwood, 1993). Social psychological factors that make up the fabric of everyday life could enhance or diminish the sense of value, safety and personal being of the person with dementia. These have been enumerated and framed under the purview of a ‘malignant social psychology’ (Kitwood, 1990; p. 180). These include treachery, disempowerment, infantilisation, condemnation, intimidation, stigmatisation, outpacing, invalidation, banishment and objectification (Kitwood, 1990, Kitwood, 1993). Dementia as an existential threat denies a smooth adjustment into the existing self-concept of the person affected by dementia (Cheston, 2013). Cheston (2011) also argues that the threatened loss of cognitive ability for people with dementia could influence the way in which they make sense of the world and their self-esteem. He further expounds that existential realities are more prominent for people affected by dementia and can be evidenced in the subjective experiences of people with dementia. People with dementia seek for attachment (Piiparinen and Whitlatch, 2011, Van Assche et al, 2013, Osborne, Stokes and Simpson, 2010, Browne and Shlosberg, 2006, Perren et al, 2007, Stephens, Cheston and Gleeson, 2013), meaning/ purpose in life (MacKinlay and Trevitt, 2010, McGovern, 2011, McGovern, 2012, Phinney, 2011) and experience loss of identity (Eustache et al, 2013, Steeman et al, 2013, Caddell and Clare, 2012, Caddell and Clare, 2011). These could be perceived as coping mechanisms to buffer them against their encounter with existential realities. It is suggested that existential threats could have adverse effects on an individual’s self- esteem (Sabat, 2002); affect (Xu and Brucks, 2011, Van and Van, 2007); social connectedness (Mikulincer, Florian and Hirschberger, 2003); meaning in life (Sullivan, Landau and Kay, 2012, Jaarsma et al, 2007); and general wellbeing (Piiparinen and Whitlatch, 2011). Likewise, it can be argued that dementia as an existential threat has similar potential effects on people with such a condition (Baldwin and Capstick, 2007). In addition, various studies have suggested that the early stages of dementia, after receiving a diagnosis, generally cause profound psychological effects on self-esteem, meaning/ purpose in life and general psychological wellbeing (Chistopolskaya and Enikolopov, 2013, Bamford et al, 2004, Steeman et al, 2006, Husband, 1999, Husband, 2000, Vernooij-Dassen et al, 2006). 1.2 Problem statement Dementia as an existential threat has associated adverse psychological impacts for people with dementia. These include but are not limited to threats to identity Steeman et al, 2006), social connectedness (Hatch, 2013), meaning/ purpose in life (Lingler et al, 2006, Macquarrie, 2005) and general psychological wellbeing (Piiparinen and Whitlatch, 2011). Consequently, people with dementia sometimes use the recall of the past as a mechanism in an attempt to buffer the psychological effects of dementia (Bohlmeijer, Smit and Cuijpers, 2003, Woods et al, 2005). Also, conventional approaches such as reminiscence and life review activities employ the use of the past as a resource for the present to provide various psychological functions for people with dementia. However, the efficacies of these activities are still debated (Douglas, James and Ballard, 2004). For example, whereas some randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews conclude that these approaches may improve the psycholog ical wellbeing of people with dementia (Lai, Chi and Kayser-Jones, 2004, Wang, 2007, Sharif et al, 2010, Wu, 2011, Azcurra, 2012, Korte et al, 2012), others have concluded otherwise (Wang, Hsu and Cheng, 2005, Wang, Yen and OuYang, 2009, Gudex et al, 2010, Forsman, Schierenbeck and Wahlbeck, 2011, Woods et al, 2005, Woods et al, 2012). Stemming from memory decline in dementia, the merging of past experiences with the present can arguably enhance self-concept and self-esteem if the images of the past stimulate a sense of pleasure and accomplishment (Kasl-Godley and Gatz, 2000). Perhaps, the recall of the past without deliberately evoking nostalgia is not an ideal way to effectively enhance and improve the psychological equanimity of people with dementia. On the other hand, nostalgia has been proposed as a psychological buffer against existential threats (Juhl et al, 2010, Routledge et al, 2008). Juhl et al (2010) show that in mortality salience conditions, participants at low levels of nostalgia proneness show less positive responses to an identity threat, greater levels of death anxiety and lesser feelings of state nostalgia (self-esteem, social connectedness, meaning in life and affect). Routledge et al (2008) support the idea that nostalgia provides an existential function by providing a source of meaningful life experiences which people use to defend themselves against concerns about death (existential threat). Also, experimental studies with undergraduate student populations have demonstrated that induced nostalgia increases self-esteem, positive affect, social connectedness and meaning in life when compared to normal autobiographical memories (Wildschut et al, 2006, Routledge et al, 2011). However, the use of nostalgia by peopl e with dementia to provide similar desirable psychological functions is not clear (Moos and Bjorn, 2006). Nonetheless, this has not been tested among people with dementia. 1.6 Significance of the research The current research seeks to investigate whether induced nostalgia increases self-esteem, meaning/ purpose in life and social connectedness for people with dementia as it does for the general population. It also attempts to find out whether people with mild to moderate dementia differ in experiencing various psychological outcomes as a result of their degree of nostalgia proneness. This novel application of the emotion of nostalgia (currently a major area of psychological research) to people with dementia has both clinical and theoretical significance. Theoretically, with nostalgia being suggested to have positive psychological impact among the general population, we will be able to find out whether these functions extend to people with dementia. Clinically, while reminiscence therapy is frequently used with people with dementia; research findings are unclear as to whether this has any benefit. It may be that one of the factors determining whether reminiscence is of benefit is wheth er or not a nostalgic memory is evoked. By investigating this, the research may be able to shed light on the way in which nostalgia buffers the psychological challenges of living with dementia. For instance, we may be able to identify more precisely how to help people with dementia maintain a psychological equilibrium, and thereby improve their quality of life and psychological wellbeing. 2.0 PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Dementia and meaning/ purpose in life Existential psychology attempts to explain the way individuals formulate meaning in the event of an inevitable despair or threat. According to existential psychology, individuals employ various mechanisms to buffer them against existential threats in order to restore psychological balance (Greenberg, Koole and Pyszczynski, 2013). Purpose in life is an aspect of wellbeing that is well appreciated by people with dementia (Drà ¶es et al, 2006). Research shows that, even in the event of experiencing decline in cognition in a patient with dementia, the person with dementia still engages in meaning-making that covey important communication messages regarding the importance of life (Robertson, 2013). Also, people affected by dementia are usually in the quest of seeking for meaning in their lives in order to concur with their diagnosis (Lingler et al, 2006, Macquarrie, 2005). Searching for meaning in life by people with dementia is linked to the expression of establishing identity (Steeman et al, 2006). Dementia is associated with various levels of cognitive decline (Franciotti et al, 2013). Cognitive decline has been found to be associated with decline in aspects of wellbeing, specifically, purpose in life (Wilson et al, 2013). Alternatively, in advanced age, higher purpose in life causes a reduction in the effect of pathologic changes on cognitive decline for people with Alzheimer’s disease (Boyle et al, 2012). Longitudinal studies have also provided some evidence in support of some existential functions of having a greater purpose in life. Among older adults living in the community, greater purpose in life has been found to have significant associations with a reduction in risk of disability (Boyle, Buchman and Bennett, 2010), mortality (Boyle et al, 2009), Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment (Geda, 2010, Boyle et al, 2010).

Affirmative Action in Employing Women and Minorities :: Affirmative Action Equality Essays

Affirmative Action Thesis: Although many people believe that affirmative Action is a form of racism, it is actually used to help minorities find employment in an otherwise racist world. â€Å"In the United States, equality is a recurring theme. It has flared into a fervent moral issue at crucial stages of American history: The revolutionary and Jacksonian Period, and the New Deal. In each era, the legitimacy of American society is challenged by some set of people unhappy with the degree of equality† (Verba and Orren). Following the Civil War, Congress passed a number of laws designed to put former slaves on an equal level with white people. The Fourteenth Amendment made the freedmen citizen and prohibited states from enforcing any law which took away the privliges of any citizen, depriving men of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law, or denied men equal protection of the laws. In 1875, Republican majority in Congress, aware that reconstruction would soon e nd, passed a civil right act to secure by law semblance of equality for Black Americans (Urofsky 19). Many white Americans really did not like the idea of equality for the Black Freedmen. â€Å"Gideon Welles, who had been prevailing sentiment when he wrote in 1871: ‘Thank God slavery is abolished, but the Negro is not, and never can be the equal of the white man. He is of an inferior race and must always remain so’†(Urofsky 23). The supreme court agreed and in 1883 passed the Civil Rights act which diluted much of th! e protection of the Fourteenth Amendment. Justice Joseph Bradely interpreted the enforcement provision of the amendment as strictly remedial; â€Å"congress has the power to remedy a discriminatory state law, but could not take affirmative steps to protect blacks from other forms of prejudice† (Urofsky 21). As a result of this decision, the federal government took no action to combat racism in the country until the second world war (Urofsky 2 2). Because resentment continued to increase within the black communities and because of the threat of a march on Washington, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order on June 25, 1941. This order directed African Americans to be accepted into job-training programs in defense plants. The order also stated that discrimination would not be excepted by employers holding defense contracts. It also set up a fair employment practice commissions to investigate charges of racial discrimination.

Family and Tan Ling Wei

I am an ordinary soon to be 20 years old girl from an ordinary family with extraordinary fantasies. My name is Tan Ling Wei, but since everybody is having a difficult time to pronounce Chinese names, I would rather be called as Zoey. I’m a Malaysian Chinese, and I was born in a big city with big shopping malls – Kuala Lumpur. When I was younger, I used to stay in Bentong which is my hometown in Pahang with my parents together with my grandparents. Since my parents were busy earning for a living, my grandparents were my guardians. Grandpa was my favourite person because he was the one who pampered me the most.He would grant whatever wish I wished for, even if it was the stars in the sky which takes about more than 50,000 years to make the journey. I remembered there was once, my grandpa took me out on a bike to buy me a school bag. I was so young and I did not know how to place my legs on the passenger seat, consequently I hurt my foot by getting it trapped in the bicycl e wheel. I was crying very loudly on the way home because I couldn’t stand the pain and there was a lot of blood. Grandpa’s face was full with guilt when he saw his beloved grandchild got hurt. Eventually, the crying stopped after grandpa’s continuous comforting.The biggest gratitude goes to my mom. She’s not only an ordinary fulltime housewife, but also my dad’s part time personal assistant. On the other hand, she is the one who travels up and down to send me to university and my brother to school. Well, to put it in a nutshell, she has no time for herself at all. When I was 2 years old, I was admitted into the hospital and told that I had bronchitis. She was the one who took up the responsibility to take care of me, staying in the ward with me even when she was pregnant with my brother. A mother’s love is indeed instinctual, unconditional and forever for her child.The closest person when I was young was my dad. He was the one who would pat iently read me poems and stories when I was a baby. Whenever he got back from his work, he would snuggle me in his arms and sing me nursery rhymes. But as I age and hit puberty, our relationship drifted apart. I stopped having physical contacts with dad. Perhaps I was shy since I started noticing changes between females and males. However, the love I had for dad has never changed. Instead of expressing, it lays hidden. Ever heard of love and hate and relationship? Well, that’s the relationship I have with my 17 years old brother.When we were young, we were like cats and dogs, fighting for toys, practically we fight for everything even until today. Even so, blood is thicker than water. Whenever we face any problems in life, we would console each other, and of course be there for each other. My brother and I have one thing in common, that is we love playing computer games. Whenever there’s free time, both of us would spend time playing Blackshot together either as team m ates or rival to kill the time. Which girl would ever play computer games? That’s the common question whenever I come across to any of my friends.Well, that would be me. The reason why am I so boyish is because when I was a toddler, I mixed mostly with my cousin brothers. When I finally got into a primary school, my friends were all boys, because they were less dramatic. During the recess time, the boys would invite me to the field for football. Overtime, my character died hard and hence the boyishness and clumsiness. I love to read since I started my high school. According to one of my Indian good friend, my English was very bad when I was in form 1. We still laugh about it today whenever she tells the story of me speaking broken English in class.I started mixing around with the English educated friends to improve my English. Whenever I’ve difficulty understanding any English vocabulary, I would reach out to my friends and ask for an explanation. Furthermore, I starte d to build up the interest in reading. In the year 2008, when I was in my form 3, Twilight Saga had become famous as a romance novel about vampire love story. Since then, I started to have crazy fantasies of becoming a vampire as I could be an immortal and that I could keep my youth forever. As silly as I could be, reality is always cruel. No one can ever live as an immortal.Everyone’s life will come to an end eventually when the time comes. Well, that’s my autobiography, a really simple one but of course, there’s much more in life that I couldn’t express in words here in this essay. I believe nobody is perfect. Everyone has their own flaws, so do I. Life is just like a roller coaster with ups and downs. It just boils down to every individual on how they deal with it. Last but not leaset, I would like to end with a favourite quote of mine about life, â€Å"Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best. †- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Review Outer Experience - 1227 Words

Maha Algarni PUAD 520 Professor Burroughs 30 October 2015 Administrative Journal #1 Outer Experience In many organizations, the organizational structure becomes a bureaucracy which involves its own challenges and problems. The outlook on the issue of power in American organizations is ambivalent due to the need of a leader to be a good politician while also seeing politics as detrimental to efficiency (Pfeffer 33). Most respondents agree that workplace politics is common in most organizations, that successful executives must be good politicians, and that the higher up the ladder – the more political the climate becomes (Pfeffer 34). Pfeffer notes that power and influence can be acquired and exercised for evil purposes, but few people†¦show more content†¦Wamsley and Zald devote their article to a public administration theory using the political economy approach. The authors treat organizations as social systems - dynamic, adapting, and internally differentiated (63). The political economy approach examines legitimacy and distribution of power as they affect the propriety of an agency’s existence, its functional niche, its collective goals, and the means of task accomplishment in some cases (64). The authors argue that the power resources of actors, their willingness or ability to use them, and their skill in building coalitions are important factors in political economy. Wamsley and Zald also identify dimensions of political capacity to manipulate such as: 1) goals, ambiguity, and clarity; 2) surveillance; 3) centrality of values; 4) personnel and funding allocation; and 5) support structures and feedback loops (65-66). Reflection on Outer Experience Distribution and the use of power in organizations is an important issue since the very early existence of bureaucracy. Managers use various sources of power at their disposal to lead, motivate, and control the work of their subordinates such as legitimate, reward, coercive, and referent powers. Most of organizations are based on the hierarchy and chain of command where the title of the leader reflects the status within the organization. Based on the hierarchal status, the leader is able to exert more power on the subordinates. Legitimate