Benefits Of Alternative Medicine : Ella 's Life On A Farm Essay

While these are high probabilities of treating the cancer, the quality of life afterward is still questionable. For instance, unintentional maleficence exists from the chemotherapy. A study by John Radford claims that “survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma are at substantial risk for one or more second cancers”. While chemotherapy is effective at treating lymphoma, it also seems to lead to a higher risk for a second cancer, and that cancer may need more chemotherapy. By Cassandra being forced to undergo treatment for her lymphoma she is also, inadvertently, getting this higher risk for more cancer later in her life. Moreover, Cassandra also faces the unwanted side effects of chemotherapy:“hair loss, mouth sores, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, increased chance of infections, easy bruising or bleeding, fatigue”. Not only is the chemotherapy not wanted, but it also comes with steep side effects that she must live with; the consequences of the involuntary treatment outweigh the chance that a person may survive - it is more important to respect a patient’s autonomy than to pursue a minimal, unwanted, questionable beneficence. A recent study reported on by Zosia Chustecka found that even eight years after the chemotherapy, “high-level fatigue was common”. Post chemotherapy there are changes that impact the quality of life of the

Hospice bereavement programs focus on different aspects for family members. One is in helping family members to understand and move forward in the grief process. In order to do this, they must express their inner thoughts and feelings, but also, one must help them in identifying or developing and utilizing healthy coping strategies. This leads families into using this program to help them solve the problem and adjust towards the loss of their loved one. Also, it is essential to give guidance and assist these family members in decisions relative to the loss. Another factor that should be addressed is cultural and spiritual concerns because it is an important value in most people’s lives. In understanding the family member’s spiritual and cultural

The term “hospice” goes back to medieval times where it was referred to as a place of shelter and rest for the ill or weary travelers on a long journey (NHPCO, 2016). In 1948, the term was referenced to by Dame Cicely Saunders, a physician, for dying patients (NHPCO, 2017). Saunders created the first modern hospice program, St. Christopher’s Hospice, located in a suburb of London. However, it wasn’t until a visit to Yale University, in 1963, Saunder’s gave a lecture on the concept of hospice care. During the lecture, she emphasizes the differences before and after symptom control care. Thus, this lecture was the stepping stone for the advancement of hospice care.

RO realized illness is a part of life, she knows this is a serious illness. She also is aware; with the proper treatment, she will live a long life with a few medical adjustments. Her acceptance, of the disease and the process will take a toll on the family as a unit, and finically. Her religious belief will also play a major role in the healing process. RO family has seen devastation; she believes there is no ritual that will cure her. She will continue to pray and ask for favor with this

Health care providers interact with patients from many different cultures. It is important to be knowledgeable and respectable of other cultures. Health care providers will be able to improve the experience of the patient if they are more culturally. More than 500 nations of Native Americans exist in the United States with a population of over four million people. Each has their own language, culture, healers, and tribal customs and religions informed (B. Stuart, Cherry, & J. Stuart, 2011). The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of cultural influences on end of life care in the Native American culture.

Death is inevitable. It is one of the only certainties in life. Regardless, people are often uncomfortable discussing death. Nyatanga (2016) posits that the idea of no longer existing increases anxiety and emotional distress in relation to one’s mortality. Because of the difficulty in level of care for end-of-life patients, the patient and the family often need professional assistance for physical and emotional care. Many family caregivers are not professionally trained in medicine, and this is where hospice comes into play. Hospice aims to meet the holistic needs of both the patient and the patient’s family through treatment plans, education, and advocacy. There is a duality of care to the treatment provided by hospice staff in that they do not attempt to separate the patient’s care from the family’s care. Leming and Dickinson (2011) support that hospice, unlike other clinical fields, focuses on the patient and the family together instead of seeing the patient independent of the family. Many times in hospitals, the medical team focuses solely on the goal of returning the patient back to health in order for them to return to their normal lives. They do not take into account the psychological and spiritual components of the patient’s journey and the journey that the family must take as well. For treatment of the patient, Leming and Dickinson agree that hospice does not attempt to cure patients, and instead concentrates solely

There are several cultural and traditional issues that can arise because Ella and her huband John have totally different ideas regarding treatment. “Culture is also dynamic and adaptive. It attempts to maximize the potential for group success in the face of environmental challenges, and there remains today a tension in cultural groups between maintaining shared values and norms and adjusting to forces for change both within and outs:” (Kreuter & McClure, 2004). Ella is in to alternative remedies and her husband is for traditional methods of treatment. This is a conflict of interest and being that Ella is weak she may leave decision making up to her family which will probably go against the wishes she originally set for herself. “Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), includes a wide range of approaches like herbal medicine, traditional therapies, mind-body intervention etc., and has gained its popularity worldwide in recent years. “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of Conventional Medicine ” (Jaiswal et. al, 2015).

My first inclination is to better understand Rico’s culture and customs; by doing so, I would be able to better convey my feelings within the framework of his world view. In the PMH lecture on “Meeting Patients Where They Are,” Dr. Farr discussed twelve domains that comprise a culturally competent approach to healthcare. One domain involves communication, which I have discussed in detail above; using a medical translator eliminates errors and bridges the gap to the patient. The model of cultural competence emphasizes understanding the patient’s heritage, family roles and organization and religiosity. I was able to quickly research Mexican American culture, and its attitudes on death and dying, which provides me great insight into Rico’s case. I found that in Mexican culture caretakers are often female family members, and that the family as a unit is expected to care for the elderly. One quote in particular illustrated Rico’s particular resistance to palliative care, as “reluctance to use such programs may be attributed to a cultural resistance to sharing familial problems with outsiders.” By understanding Rico’s cultural background and long held beliefs, I feel I can best understand his mindsight and trepidations; I can also better understand his resistance to his son’s wishes for palliative care. In addition, to meet the patient where he is I would need to better understand his deep religiosity. I would likely call a spiritual care consult to talk with Rico about the benefits of palliative

Hospice was established to allow patients with terminal illnesses to have a good death, regardless of whether the patient remains at home or is admitted to the hospital or a long term care facility. A good death consists of helping the patient prepare for the end of life, to help maintain all symptoms that come with an illness, and to be support to not only the patient but family also. Spirituality is provided, based on the patient’s belief system, and dignity to the patient as well (Granda-Cameron & Houldin, 2012).

This was a comparative study between 785 subjects in 1969 and 639 subjects in 1987. Results revealed an increase in the amount of people living longer with prolonged illness, greater awareness of death and dying alone within acute hospital settings. However, it did highlight an improvement in home help although, fewer visits where occurring (Cartwright, 1991). Referring back to Mrs Jones, the latter of the findings was evident. Although Mr Jones was appreciative for support being received within the home and community environment, he was having difficulties controlling his wife’s symptoms and pain management between health professionals visits. An implication of this is the possibility that Mrs Jones preferred place of care was compromised resulting in re-evaluation of the family’s situation, therefore, potentially meaning that Mrs Jones wishes were not met. It is from studies such as the ones stated above that progression in end of life care has evolved with the introduction of palliative care nurses such as Macmillan nurses and an increased number of hospice’s being provided worldwide.

When it comes to terminal illness, more people are turning to hospice care to be as comfortable as possible in their remaining time (Hospice Foundation of America, 2017). Many factors go into hospice care, also known as end of life care. Numerous services are offered to both they dying and their family (National Health Service, n.d.). Hospice care has shown to improve the quality of life for both the dying and their caregivers (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, n.d.). While many argue that hospice care can work for almost anyone, many cultural influences affect whether or not terminally ill patients opt for end of life care (Johnson, Kuchibhatla, & Tulsky, 2008).

A flexible and unbiased attitude is needed in order for the caregivers methods to be effective.Jaffe and Ehrlich's purpose in writing this book is to provide people with a holistic understanding of hospice care by highlighting the many factors of hospice care, such as: pain control, nursing support, Medicare, availability of hospice programs, curriculum of medical students, sensitivity to religious beliefs, as well as the details of each area. Through their stories, they provide examples of the above areas to help the reader understand the benefits of Hospice care.This paper will provide an outline of the main points in the preface, introduction, and each of the nine chapters and appendix A; excluding the foreword, Appendix B, and Appendix C.PREFACEByock explains "the power to change public and professional attitudes lies within the stories of people's experiences in dying" (1, p. viii). This solidifies the purpose of

Proper medical care is needed by all individuals whether they are in good medical condition or not. People should not wait to develop serious medical conditions before visiting the medical centers. Most people live with condition without cure called “terminal illnesses. However, these people have the possibility to prolong their lives through the use of special medication called Palliative. On a Saturday morning, Nancy went to see her doctor because she wasn’t feeling well lately and she had a big lump on her chest, Dr.Sue gave her an assessment. After a few weeks, she received a letter in mail about her recent checkup. “You have a lump on your chest due to the cancer that has been developing”, was written in the letter, She was shocked and she felt horrible. Her daughter wedding is coming up in six months. She wants to spend as much time with her daughter and attend the wedding. However, she doesn’t want aggressive treatment, which would keep her away from home and be hospitalized. She wanted to look happy and healthy at least for her daughter 's wedding. She doesn’t want to go through chemotherapy either, because chemotherapy can have serious effects on her. She learned about palliative care. According to the Palliative Care Organization, Palliative care is a type of care relieves the patient from symptoms, pain and stress related to serious illnesses. According to Meier and McCormick “Palliative care aims to

The ability for a patient to qualify for hospice care is based on the physician’s determination that their illness is not responding to treatment and the patient has 6 months or less to live. Illnesses that require hospice care in the adult population take a more predictable pattern than in pediatric and perinatal patients. This is not to say that the process of hospice care and dying is easier for the patients, their families, or the hospice team, but that there is more research in how to prepare for such care. Non-hospice nurses have a stronger foundation and better understanding of death and dying with regard to patients at this stage of life that allows them to be better equipped to initiate discussions of hospice care. It takes special training in psychosocial support to give adequate hospice care, but the base knowledge of nursing is more prepared for discussing end-of-life-care with older patients than with children. It is this ability to communicate that allows them to build the rapport that is crucial to improving the quality of dying.

In my research, I will discuss the benefits of Ella dying at home and the psychological affects staying in a hospital can have on her, particularly after the fact she has requested to be with her family during her last days. it will be appropriate for Ella to live out her last days in the comfort of her own home.