Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Kinds Of Love Quality Of Life - 1,732 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

Throughout the course of our lives we will experience the deterioration of a loved one due to illness or aging. This may cause us to make a choice of how and where we choose our loved one to die. Authors, Carolyn Jaffe and Carol H. Ehrlich, in their book All Kinds of Love, illustrate how the relationships between doctors, patients', family, friends, hospice volunteers, and hospice nurses all play an important role during he patients last days as they try to reach a "good death." In the book's foreword, Rabbi Earl A. Grollman comments on Jaffe's history of nursing experience and states "Her stories bring alive the concerns, the surprises, the victories, the disappointments, the mistakes, the uncertainties, the joys, and the pain that are part of one's dying" (1, p. v).

The preface focuses on the type of care Hospice provides for the patient and family, while the section entitled "Hospice is... " provides a detailed definition of hospice. Chapter One demonstrates the sensitivity a hospice nurse must use when dealing with new patients and how the nurse must remain unbiased at all times. Chapter Two reviews the family emotional strains and stresses which can be experienced when a loved one is dying within the home and how different people deal with the change. In Chapter Three we can develop a deeper understanding of an individual's strength and acceptance through the story of Karen, a seven year old who is dying from cancer. The different coping mechanisms expressed by Karen's parents are very contrast dramatically as the needs of survivors vary.

Chapter Four highlights patients' need for control and decision making over his or her own life. In Chapter Five, Henrietta, the patient had very little control over her treatment and pain because her husband refused to accept her dying, until Janice (hospice nurse) promised her dignity during death. In Chapter Six, William tries a new method of pain control and his spirits are lifted as he once again has some control in his life as expressed in his statement, "I can't believe the power I have" (1, p. 194). Chapter Seven lightly touches upon the death of AIDS patients, and the stigmatism's and rejection they may face, but also exhibits the patients' ability to control their moment of death. The joy which a family can gain when there is an open acceptance of a loved ones death is visible in Chapter Eight as John's family makes the most of their time together before he dies. In Chapter Nine, the gifts gained by one nurse's accounts over her career are presented in a touching remembrance.

In Appendix A, hospice's evolution towards better care is expressed along with Jaffe and Ehrlich's personal views on how Hospice can be improved. Appendix B provides home remedies for many common symptoms of illnesses which can be used in practical situations. A listing of compassion groups and other support contacts are in Appendix C. Throughout the book, we learn that religion, values, needs and personal experiences all contribute to the type of care an individual receives.

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.

PREFACE Byock 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 this book as the reader tries to understand the experiences within. Byock also hopes to change society's views, one person at a time. He explains: "The stories in All Kinds of Love highlight what is possible: Care that delivers on a commitment to provide comfort. Care that allows the person control over his decisions and life.

Care that is genuine, loving, and unabashed. Care that is creative" (1, p. x). Although this book contains only nine encounters, it opens doors and views on dying patients' control over his or her remaining days as they attempt to make the most of them. HOSPICE IS... This small extract from the book defines Hospice care as: a service and attitude towards dying, patient oriented care, an opportunity to strengthen relationships, control of symptoms not a cure, a Hospice representative acting as a liaison, and most of all a holistic team approach of care (1, p.

xvii) CHAPTER 1 Jaffe and Ehrlich express the importance of treating everyone as a unique individual. "Even though human beings have the same basic needs and feeling, we are all very different" (1, p. 5). "There's a staggering variety of backgrounds out there, I can't make judgments about what people are like, or what they mean by the way they act - not unless they grew up in my own family" (1, p. 5). Chapter One illustrates the closeness the patient and family can share before the death of the patient, as seen through the story of Aggie and Ray. It also provides a glance at factors such as, ignorance, denial and social class, which all affect the type of care given to the patient. Aggie's denial of her illness is apparent when she refuses to try and stop her cancer: "Yeah, and no one's gonna take my leg off" (1, p. 12).

Aggie and Ray's worries about paying for her health care may signify a common anxiety for lower class individuals. Most importantly, the hospice caregivers were able to please Aggie most of the time and also able to relieve some of Ray's stress by entertaining his sister and helping out with the household chores. The caregivers also helped him deal with his loss after Aggie passed away. "Quality of life for the caregiver is enhanced by hospice support of his or her physical, emotional, social and financial needs and is directly affected by the caregivers perception of the patient's quality of life" (1, p. 26). Chapter One lists recommended attitudes and behaviours of nurses caring for the dying, caregivers' perceptions of nursing behaviours in a home care setting, and criteria for satisfactory performance. CHAPTER 2 Minnie's inability to beat her breast cancer leaves her at a standstill, until her daughter, Jane, and her family invite her to live with them. This story presents the tensions and stresses as well as the closeness and joy which can be experienced by having a loved one die in your home, as opposed to a hospital.

Amy's overcame her initial difficulty dealing with Minnie dying in her home by finding her own way to share something special with her grandmother: making paper flowers to decorate her room. "With the death, Jane and Howard and the girls knew the meaning of family in the fullest sense; they were left with loss, but also with the joy of love given and received" (1, p. 57). These first hand experiences with Minnie, help ease the grieving process for the survivors (her family) as they have had time to share things and care for their loved one, until death. CHAPTER 3 Heather's degenerative condition led to her need for in-home care. "Heather was once more connected to a tube, but this time it was in her own home" (1, p. 68). Karen and Eric (Heather's parents) had differing opinions about in-home care as well as different ways of dealing with their grief. Eric seemed to contain his grief internally as opposed to Karen who chose to grieve outwardly.

Heather's ability to predict the events of her life were eerie for a seven year old. She spoke to her mother "I'm going to die before you Mommy, but only God knows when" (1, p. 75). Her strength and acceptance of her death was admirable to say the least. Even after Heather's death, Eric remained isolated, whereas Karen found her meetings with other parents who had lost children very healing. This story showed the importance of recognizing not only the patient but also the survivors as individuals, because not everyone is going to deal with their loss in the same manner.

Jaffe and Ehrlich define acute grief by "physical characteristics, such as shortness of breath, fatigue... nervousness, irritability, and oversensitivity to noise" (1, p. 96). As well as psychological reactions such as "numbness, guilt... depression or ambivalence" (1, pg. 96). These symptoms may only be temporary until the grief moves on to another stage.

By understanding the grieving process, it may help survivors to cope better. Lindeman and Freud discuss various coping mechanisms to help survivors in the notes for Chapter Three. CHAPTER 4 Joseph and Anne's struggle with his deteriorating condition and the uncomfortable tensions between them acted as a barrier at the beginning of his in-home care. In a moment of pain, he acquired pills to assist him in his own suicide if he chose to do so. He never used the pills, but died naturally.

All he really wanted was to be in control once more and be the master of his own destiny. In the notes for Chapter Four a deep discussion about the acceptance of euthanasia as an acceptable method of death are discussed. Many questions are raised such as: has the person made a sane decision? Should their family be involved? What method should be used? Although hospice has not taken a stand on euthanasia, Jaffe and Ehrlich state "In the meanwhile as an abiding principle, hospice will respect the patient, even if his considered choice is suicide" (1, p. 149).

CHAPTER 5 Many times a hospice nurse is more than just a nurse "My role in the family is to help each person understand what is really going on, because ignorance or misunderstanding may be the cause of conflict" (1, p. 155). In the situation of the patient Henrietta, it was her husband Jim's inability to "let go" and let Henrietta live out her last days peacefully that caused he...


Free research essays on topics related to: hospice care, chapter four, kinds of love, grieving process, quality of life

Research essay sample on Kinds Of Love Quality Of Life

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com