Learning Objectives free essay sample

The central idea is that each person ultimately depends on himself or herself. Integrity versus despair is the final stage of Erik Erikson’s developmental sequence, in which older adults seek to integrate their unique experiences with their vision of community. Many older people develop pride and contentment with their personal story. They are proud of their past, faults included. They realize their life is no longer measured in years since birth, but in years before death. Close family members become more important to them, and they continue to try to understand themselves focusing more on the way they will be remembered. Tension occurs between the two opposing aspects of development. Past crises, particularly identity versus role confusion, reemerge when the usual pillars of self-concept crumble. 2. The continuity theory is the theory that each person experiences the changes of late adulthood and behaves toward others in a way that is consistent with his or her behavior in earlier periods of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Learning Objectives or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It assumes that a primary goal of adult development is adaptive change, not homeostatic equilibrium. The Big Five personality traits are maintained throughout old age as in younger years, shifting somewhat but always oriented toward the same life goals. A person’s reactions to potentially disruptive problems reflect continuity, as do attitudes toward all other topics—drugs, sex, money, neatness, privacy, health, government. One example of selective optimization is the positivity effect, which is the tendency for elderly people to perceive, prefer, and remember positive images and experiences more than negative ones. Selective memory is a way to compensate for whatever troubles occur; unpleasant experiences are reinterpreted as inconsequential. Research has found that this has both cognitive and social aspects, and in many ways, enhances life in late adulthood. While the positivity effect does not always emerge, self-perception normally tilts toward integrity rather than despair. Most people realize they could have chosen other paths through life, but they also appreciate their particular self. Research on what people hope for themselves and how they perceive themselves finds that, with age, the two selves come closer together. This may explain the contentment that older adults generally feel. 3. Another major set of theories regarding late adulthood that emphasizes the relationship between society and old age are the stratification theories. These theories emphasize that social forces, particularly those related to a person’s social stratum, or social category, limit individual choices and affect a person’s ability to function in late adulthood as past stratification continues to limit life in various ways. Individual factors—including quality of marriage and friendship, personality, and cognitive capacity—affect each person’s position in his or her society. Nonetheless, stratification theories note significant social restrictions imposed by stratification categories such as age, gender, and ethnicity. Stratification by age is demonstrated as industrialized nations segregate elderly people, gradually shunning them out of mainstream society as they grow older. Stratification by gender is demonstrated as society guides and pressures males and females into divergent paths. Stratification by ethnicity affects every aspect of development, including education, health, place of residence, and employment. 4. Work provides many psychological benefits besides the practical benefit of income. Work provides social support and status, boosting self-esteem. For many people, employment allows generativity and is evidence of productivity, effectiveness, and independence. Some of those who keep working in late adulthood do so because they need the money, while others stay on the job because they appreciate the social recognition and self-fulfillment that work brings. Many people once believed that older adults were healthier and happier when they were employed and that retirement led to illness and death. In the 1980s, legislators outlawed mandatory retirement. The paradox is revealed by finding that since 1980, when older workers were no longer required to quit their jobs at age 65, the average age of retirement has decreased. Rather than preferring to work until they die, many older adults retire as soon as they can. Only when retirement is precipitated by poor health or fading competence does it correlate with illness. If income is adequate, retirement in every nation is more likely to make older adults happy rather than sad. An unexpected social problem has resulted from retirement of workers at relatively young ages. Some professions have too few experienced workers over age 50. Just as employment does not always bring joy, retirees are not always happy as planning is often inadequate, and married couples may disagree as to who should retire, when retirement should begin, and how their lives should be reconstructed. 5. Volunteering offers some of the advantages of paid employment, such as generativity and social connections. There are individual benefits such as better health and less depression, and benefits for society such as help in providing health, education, and other services. Empirical data finds a strong link between good health and volunteering. Steady volunteers are less likely to become depressed or sick. In some ways, late adulthood is an ideal time for continuing education. Many adults have strong intellectual curiosity as well as a wish to understand the deeper meaning of history, literature, philosophy, and other subjects. This approach to education is quite different from younger adults who want skills that will be useful on the job. Older adults are less likely to attend religious services than are the middle-aged, but faith increases with age, as do praying and other forms of eligious involvement. Many studies show that religious beliefs and practices of all kinds are positively correlated with physical and emotional health. Social scientists have studied the reasons for the connection between religion and well-being. They have found that faith encourages a healthier lifestyle, attendance at services fosters social relationships, and belief in a divine plan decreases stress by fostering reinterpretation of past problems, by reducing fear of death. In Europe as well as the United States, the elderly do not seem to be involved in political activism, but by other measures, the elderly are more politically active than people of any other age. More of them write letters to their elected representatives, vote, and identify with a political party. Many government politics affect the elderly, especially those regarding housing, pensions, prescription drugs, and medical costs. 6. Siblings, old friends, and spouses to celebrities, neighbors, and acquaintances can all be a part of one’s social convoy, especially in late adulthood. Spouses buffer each other against problems of old age, thus extending life. It is clear that personal happiness increases with the length as well as the quality of the marriage or intimate relationship. A lifetime of shared experiences brings partners closer in memories and values. 7. Another common event that long-married older adults must face is the death of their spouse. Among the current cohort of women, many have centered their lives on being a wife, mother, caregiver, and homemaker. As a result, the death if a husband means more than a loss of a mate; it means a reduction in status, income, social activities, and identity as someone’s wife. With time, many older widows come to enjoy their independence, few seeking another man. For companionship and emotional support, widows usually rely on women friends and grown children, and they typically expand their social connections after a husband’s death. However, widowers are more vulnerable. They are less comforted by their families and have fewer male friends that have lost a partner. Men typically find it difficult to seek and accept help. Elderly widowers are more likely than widows to by physically ill and socially isolated. Their risk of suicide has been found to increase. Although few widowers seek t remarry, they are far more likely to do s than widows are because they tend to be lonelier than the women and thus more strongly motivated to seek companionship, and the sex ratio is in their favor, giving them more potential partners to choose from. For the man’s mental as well as physical health, remarriage is usually beneficial. 8. Filial responsibility is the obligation of adult children to care for their aging parents. When parents need material goods, adult children often sacrifice to provide them, but emotional support is more crucial and more complex, sometimes increasing when financial help is not needed. Other elders actually resent supportive behaviors such as visiting frequently, giving presents, cleaning the refrigerator, calling the doctor, or even paying the telephone bill. Culture is crucial in determining what specific type of support people expect and who they think should provide it. In the United States, a major goal among adults is to be self-sufficient. The old would rather take care of their own needs, but if that is not possible, they would rather rely on a spouse than on a child. Adult children may be more willing to offer support than their parents are to receive it. A good relationship with successful grown children enhances a parents well-being. By contrast, a poor relationship makes life worse for everyone. Remote grandparents (distant grandparents) are emotionally distant from their grandchildren. They are esteemed elders who are honored, respected, and obeyed, expecting to get help whenever they need it. Companionate grandparents (fun-loving grandparents) entertain and spoil their grandchildren, especially in ways, or for reasons, that the parents would not. Involved grandparents are active in the day-to-day lives of their grandchildren. They live near them, see them daily, and provide substantial care. ‘ Surrogate parents raise their grandchildren, usually because the parents are unable or unwilling to do so. 9. Activities of daily life (ADLs) are actions that are important to independent living, typically identified as five tasks of self-care: eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and transferring from a bed to a chair. The inability to perform any of these tasks is a sign of frailty. Instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs) are actions that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought. The ability to perform these tasks may be even more critical to self-sufficiency than ADL ability. 10. When caregiving results in resentment and social isolation, the risk of depression, poor health, and abuse (of either the frail person or the caregiver) escalates. Most family members provide adequate care despite the stress. However, abuse of the elderly person is likely if the caregiver suffers from emotional problems or substance abuse. Maltreatment ranges from direct physical attack to ongoing emotional neglect. Three distinct elements contribute to the problem: the victim, the abuser, and the community. Abuse is likely when the care receiver is a feeble person who suffers severe memory loss, when the caregiver is a drug-addicted relative, or when care occurs in an isolated place where visitors are few and far between. If any one of those conditions is absent, abuse is less likely. The typical case of elder maltreatment occurs benignly, as an outgrowth of caregiving. Benign beginnings make elder abuse difficult to identify, and family members are reluctant to notify authorities. Sometimes the caregiver becomes the victim, cursed or even attacked by the confused elderly person. As with other forms of abuse, the dependency of the victim makes prosecution difficult. 11. One common form of alternative care if assisted living, which is an arrangement that combines some of the privacy and independence of home life with some of the medical supervision of a nursing home. Skilled gerontologists consider it essential to help each resident retain independence, control over his or her decisions, and self-respect. Their efforts have resulted in new laws, which provide for limitations on the use of restraints and privacy requirements, and better practices, such as more self-management and self-choices. Both correlate with physical and mental well-being as well as a longer, happier life.

Five Tips for Writing a Great Speech

Five Tips for Writing a Great Speech Five Tips for Writing a Great Speech Five Tips for Writing a Great Speech By Guest Author As the founder of a speech writing firm, Inkwell Strategies, Ive gotten used to drawing a certain amount of interest from new friends and acquaintances when asked what Ido for a living. After working in this somewhat niche profession for a number of years, I have come to expect questions about what the job entails, and even more frequently, inquiries about how to write a strong speech. There are a lot of different ways to answer that question, but after crafting remarks for leaders in government, nonprofits, and the private sector, I’ve learned that there are essentially five rules that all writers should follow in order to write a winning speech: 1. Read your speech out loud Unlike almost all other forms of writing, speechwriting is designed for listeners. So, when reviewing your text, read it to yourself, and pay attention to how the words sound and feel. Do they flow off the tongue, or are they clunky and awkward? If your phrases make you stumble, they are guaranteed to make your boss stumble as well. Just remember that good writing is not necessarily good speech writing. 2. Simple phrases are your friend Keep your sentences short and sweet. Compound phrases with multiple clauses may look great on paper, but are likely to confuse your audience and decrease the effectiveness of your speech. Limit yourself to one or two ideas per sentence, and express them as clearly and powerfully as possible. 3. Do your research Before beginning a speech, make sure to familiarize yourself with the subject, so that you can write about it with confidence and authority. The creative aspects of speech writing are only effective when backed by a strong foundation of knowledge by acredible speaker. The audience must trust your words in order for their meaning to sink in. If you’re well-prepared, it will show. 4. Mind the time A man once said that the key to crafting a great speech is writing a good beginning and a good ending, and making the two as close together as possible. That might not always be true, but consider this: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address,arguably the most famous speech in American history, lasted less than three minutes. Compare that to the two-hour speech given directly before Lincoln by Edward Everett. If I gave you four-score and seven guesses, could you tell me what he said? 5. Know your audience Your listeners should be a strong determining factor of the content, tone and style of your speech. Before drafting remarks, think about who you’re speaking to, the venue you’re speaking at and the timing of your speech. There’s a time and a place for every type of remarks. It’s your job to figure out when and where you are. These are just a few tips to get you started, but there is alot more to speech writing than that. If you’re interested in learning more, make sure to check out my website for commentary and analysis about the world of speech writing today. This is a guest post by David Meadvin, President of Inkwell Strategies, a professional speech writing and strategic communications firm located in Washington, DC. He was chief speech writer to the U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senate Majority Leader. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesAwoken or Awakened?40 Words Beginning with "Para-"

Hurrah for the Index Card!

Hurrah for the Index Card! Hurrah for the Index Card! Hurrah for the Index Card! By Maeve Maddox If I were to make a list of the 10 greatest inventions of human history, index cards would be right there along with the alphabet and the stuff you put on the back of your pets neck to kill fleas. I dont know how Id get along with out them. Not counting their other household applications, index cards are the mainstay of my writing projects. Writing about language I keep a stack of index cards by my chair to make notes of language peculiarities I encounter in my reading or TV watching. This is a more useful method of note-taking than my former practice of recording such notes on the backs of envelopes or even in a dedicated notebook. The cards can then be separated into categories such as grammar, vocabulary, and the like. Novel planning I hate to outline, but I have learned that writing a novel requires outliningif not at the beginning, then at some point down the line. Using index cards makes the process more pleasant. Once you have your plot in mind, deal yourself a deck of index cards equal to the number of chapters. Using one card for each chapter, write a one sentence description of what happens in the chapter. As your novel progresses, you will almost certainly want to add or to rearrange chapters. Having your outline on index cards makes rearranging easy. Another set of cards can help you keep the characters and their identifying tags straight. You dont want to give Bruce Bigpecs piercing blue eyes in Chapter One and smouldering black eyes in Chapter Twenty. Record-keeping Something I hate more than outlining is keeping track of important records. I should have known better, but when I began acquiring WordPress accounts and GoDaddy domains, and doing things on line that require usernames and passwords, I wrote the information down in a little notebook next to my computer. Now its a big deal to find a password or an ID. This stuff is going onto index cards. Plenty of computer programs exist for doing the kinds of things Ive described here, but the fact remains that some of us require tactile re-enforcement. Its a psychological delight to be able to hold the stack of chapter cards in your hand and visualize the wonderful novel that is to come of them. And when the computer program crashes or is lost, that box of cards is still going to be there. Low-tech or not, the index card belongs in every writers toolbox. NOTE: We can thank American librarian and efficiency freak Melvil Dewey for the modern cardstock index card. Christened Melville, he dropped the inefficient letters. He experimented with spelling his surname Dui, but apparently that was too exotic to be practical. Heres a writer who shares my addiction to index cards: Lela Davidsons tribute to the index card And heres a brief bio of Melvil Dewey. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs Past"Replacement for" and "replacement of"1,462 Basic Plot Types

Liberal Art Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Liberal Art Studies - Essay Example In these regards, rather than workers attempting to directly fight the oppressive nature of their employers they should attempt to work outside this sphere of struggle, and organize opposition that way. Today when one considers the nature of unions, it’s clear that this principles still remains a viable and working approaching to fighting workplace oppression. 2.Would absolute loyalty and unquestioned obedience be useful qualities in a modern professional community? In considering whether absolute loyalty and unquestioned obedience would be useful in a modern professional community, it’s clear that the answer is no. In blindly accepting the rules and regulations of a professional organization one allows the individuals higher on the organizational scale to make decisions unfettered by checks and balances, and allows themselves to be taken advantage of for individual and organizational profit. 3.What drawbacks, if any, might there be in a community dominated by such val ues? ? In considering potential drawbacks, it’s clear that there are a number related to a community founded on such values.

Integrating modern Security mangers into a corporate organisation Dissertation

Integrating modern Security mangers into a corporate organisation - Dissertation Example Historically, the concept of security was there as it has a direct link with one of the emotions-fear. Fear creates insecurity and lack of safety. This sense of insecurity is so much powerful in its realization that a fearful person would not be able to carry out its routine business and personal activities. More importantly, the impact of fear is so much influential that the fearful person would be totally crippled mentally and socially as well. It would not be wrong to say that the entire circle of that fearful person come standstill until the fearful person find some stronger reasons to believe the presence of security and a considerable reduction of insecurity. Without any doubt, the impact of fear is predominately huge and intolerable in many situations and it would become more difficult if it remains for a considerable period of time. Historically, humans have been taking consciously or unconsciously some steps to reduce the fear factor which is caused by the sense of insecurit y and by reducing the sense of insecurity; they upgrade the level of security. While living in caves, humans were fearful and had a strong sense of possible attacks from animals or any other hostile entity. And, in order to reduce the sense of fear and insecurity, they put dogs at the entrance of caves so that they would be ready to face any hostile attack from anyone with the help of dogs. With the passage of time, humans started to living in social communities with other humans. However, the sense of fear and insecurity is an inherent part of human nature. It remains within human psychology and at the same time, humans started doing businesses in organisations, where people belonging to different races, castes, colours, and from different socio-economic backgrounds. As a result, like humans, organisations were facing the threats of insecurity. As a result, the organisations started focusing on the issues of insecurity and threats. Fundamentally, the word security stems from a Lati n word â€Å"se-curus†, Which has aggregate meaning of to care something. Borodzicz, (2006) describes that security can be understood within two contexts-Freedom from fear or show of strength. The concept freedom from fear works to ensure the presence of sense of security and at the same time, it works against the sense of insecurity. Basically, the fundamental aim of promoting freedom from fear concept is to diminish the sense of fear factor that provides huge challenges to a person or to an organisation facing the problems of insecurity. And, in order to provide and strengthen the concept show of force facilitates attaining the level of security. And this show of strength is mostly provided by trained security personnel whose basic aim is to provide their security services where they are required to do so. Within an aim of promoting security and to provide security services, American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) came into existence in 1955 (asisonline.org, web). A s the security was a growing issue soon after the end of World War II, the industrial society members agreed over the institutilisation of security. Not only this, but also they agree to launch a full scale educational programs with an aim to industrialise security. As a result, till this point of time, they had been serving the security industry. However, before the event of 9/11, in many organisations, the concept of security was

Domestic Violence And The Criminal Justice System Social Work Essay

Domestic Violence And The Criminal Justice System Social Work Essay After year of abuse Rachel Susan Miller was tired of being in an abusive relationship, so she waited for the father of her children to come home. She looked him in the face and told him she was leaving, and with escorts, she did so with her children and ran for three years in fear. She probably felt pretty good that day and felt that the criminal justice system would be on her side the day she decided to walk away for her own safety and for the safety of her children. Her ex-husband stalked and brutally assaulted Rachel on April 13, 2000; she died 13 days on April 26, 2000 after the brutal assault. Bruce Daniels, Rachels ex-husband, brutally assaulted and raped Rachel several times that day as she plead for her life and the life of her child. Bruce Daniels pled guilty to murder before his trial began and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Rachels murder. Although the baby Rachel was carrying died as a result of the brutal attack, Bruce Daniels recei ved no punishment for killing Baby Christopher because of a technicality. Not only did he get away with one murder his 12 year old son Tyler Edmond Daniels Miller, killed himself on June 11, 2001, because of the depression caused by his mothers violent death at the hands of his biological father. (Rachels Story, n.d.) The Criminal Justice System fails to recognize and address the effects a domestic violence environment has on the children who witness the abuse. In a household where domestic violence occurs, child abuse and neglect is 1500 percent higher than the national average. (PowerPoint) Nationally 75 percent of battered women say that their children are physically and sexually abused. (PowerPoint) The statistics show that these occurrences continue to be on the rise in the United States. Approximately 3.3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes each year. Children in exposed to this violence are 2 to 4 times higher rates of temper tantrums, bad school performances, and falling into the wrong crowd. (Power Point) These days it is easy to find a piece of news which informs us about a death of a woman who has been killed by her husband or her boyfriend. Hundred of women are mistreated and then assassinated each year and these deaths are increasing. However, although this is the main problem in our society, there are other kinds of domestic violence that not many people knowbut they have the same importance. In this essay I intent to give a definition of domestic violence and explain the main kinds of abuses. I will also suggest some possible solutions to diminish or to eliminate this problem and I will show some domestic indicators. I intent to argue some unhelpful behaviors and to finish I will discuss the effects of domestic violence in children. The term family violence includes all forms of violence within families. It is commonly used to describe the abuse women suffer at the hands of their male partners, but it is also used to mean family violence. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, psychological, social or economic. Domestic violence is a hidden problem. It occurs in the privacy of a home, and those involved are usually reluctant to talk about it. The overwhelming majority are women and children who are more vulnerable. There are a lot of kinds of domestic violence such as physical abuse, verbal/emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, social abuse or spiritual abuse. The first kind is physical and verbal/emotional abuse. This is produced when any action intended to degrade, humiliate and demean, both in public or private, including threats to injure or otherwise harm, the partner or the children; putting ones partner down and making them feel bad about themselves and their abilities; treating ones partner like a servant; abuser making decisions regarding partners financial status, free time, friendships, work and leisure activities. This constant humiliation will destroy a womans belief in herself and she may start to believe that the abuser is right. Violence has, unfortunately, become a common occurrence of todays society. Everywhere we turn, all we see are visions of violence that are wrongly showcased as solutions to problems. This makes it even more difficult for parents to teach their children proper morals and behaviors when the media projects violent acts in ways that children view as normal. However, some parents arent even trying to halt this wave of aggression. These parents choose to put this epidemic of violence in the express lane. One or both parents are involved in more than half of the astounding 3 million reported cases of child abuse each year (Kim). This number doesnt include the hundreds of cases that are left unreported. How are children to learn how to effectively solve everyday dilemmas, sans violence, when role models are using brutality to solve problems in the home? Abused children are more likely to lead a life that involves violence than children who have a stable, normal upbringing. While there isnt a nailed down definition of child abuse and neglect, and different states and localities have their own definitions, it can be simplified to a general explanation. Child abuse, or neglect, is the failure of a parent or caretaker to act, which results in physical, emotional or sexual maltreatment or death (Salus). Abuse can take many different forms. One type is physical abuse, which obviously involves an infliction of physical harm on the child. Another is sexual abuse, which not only entails physical sexual activity, but also includes non-physical, sexual exploitation (Salus). Emotional abuse is another form, which results when someone is verbally threatened and or humiliated. There are also several different levels of neglect. A child can be subject to physical neglect, which means the caretaker fails to provide for the child physically. Educational and emotional neglects can also be inflicted on a child. Educational neglect occurs when a parent fails to provide a child with the opportunity to gain an education. Emotional abuse is when a child doesnt receive the proper amount of affection or nurturing (Salus). No specific type of abuse can be labeled as the most severe or damaging. However, we know that all types of abuse and neglect can influence a child in a negative manner. As said above, when a parent abuses a child, they start a circle of violence in that childs life. A parent could be driven into abusive behavior by many different factors. Depression is one of the main factors leading up to abuse. Twelve percent of mothers with young children are depressed (Kim). Depressed mothers are also more inclined to notice and correct the childs poor behaviors, while ignoring the pleasant behaviors (Embry). Mothers can then children in emotional and physical distress by ignoring their needs. Taking care of a child, or multiple children, can be a very stressful task. People who are paid as caretakers for children are shown to have higher depression rate than those in high-risk professions such as police officers and firemen (Embry). When a child is cared for in a depressed environment, the chances of the child experiencing with substance abuse and falling into delinquency are three times more likely (Embry). Depression is more or less a communicable disease. Wh ile it may not be directly visible, depression will hurt and affect everyone that comes into contact with it. Another factor is substance abuse by the parent. Parental drug addiction can lead to child neglect or abuse if the parent becomes angry as a result of the drug (Kim). Also, over half of the assaults and homicides of domestic abuse cases involve alcohol (Elliott). Other acts of domestic violence in a household also contribute to child abuse. In a household where domestic violence occurs, child abuse is fifteen times more likely to happen (Kim). Horribly, domestic violence has practically become an ordinary and familiar part of our lives. The statistics show that it continues to be on the rise in the United States. Spousal abuse occurs every fifteen seconds, solely in the U.S. Half of the nations couples have encountered at least one violent event between them. Also, of all assault cases, a shocking 70% involve spousal abuse (Bledsoe). As sad as it seems, battered mothers often turn into abusers. These mothers often take the stress caused by the abuse out on their children. In 50% of all households that contain spousal abuse, child abuse is also present (Bledsoe). Therefore, the conclusion can be made that the more domestic abuse there is in the world, the more child abuse there will be. An excuse often used for this mother-to-child abuse is that the children need to learn to behave better in order to avoid agitation of the abusive father (Kim). However, even if the abused mother does not inflict abuse on the child, he or she can still be in danger in an environment that contains domestic abuse. The child may get injured in an attempt to break up the altercation (Kim). Psychological damage is also common in this situation. The child will begin to think that abuse is a normal part of a relationship, and they will feel unsafe in the relationships of their future (Minerbrook). Furthermore, it is dangerous for a child to be exposed to any of these factors in the home as they may lead to abuse, neglect, psychological issues or even death. Many child abuse cases turn into child fatalities. This is true in the child abuse case of Kelsey Briggs. Kelsey, a two and a half year old girl, died in 2005 as a result of brutal child abuse. The abuse had begun months earlier, consisting of many broken bones and full-body bruising. Attempts were made to have Kelsey relocated to another family member, but each time she eventually returned back to the house of her mother, where her stepfather continued to abuse her. After ten months of enduring maltreatment, Kelsey died of her wounds. Her father, who was serving in Iraq at the time, came home shortly after this, only finding he had to bury his little girl. The stepfather and mother were both found at fault for Kelseys premature death (Ballard). 1,400 child fatalities were reported in the United States in 2002 (Child Abuse in the United States). However, an estimated 60% of child fatalities go unreported, according to a study conducted in Colorado and North Carolina. This leaves us to wonder exactly why these terrible crimes are so rarely reported. Each state has its own official definition of child abuse and neglect. How can it be possible to determine the presence of a crime if there are many opinions on what the crime is? The review process of child fatalities also varies from place to place, and the process is often extensive and conducted by people who arent specialized in recognizing child fatalities. Research concludes that children younger than five years of age are the most at risk. Children under a year old add up to 40% of fatalities. 76% of fatalities are made up of children younger than four years old. Both parents were involved in an astounding 79% of child fatalities (Child Abuse in the United States). Yes, these children obviously cannot become violent, as their abuse ended in death. However, this shows that more and more children are growing into violent adults, whose brutal acts are escalating. While so many innocent children die from abuse and neglect each year, even more victims of abuse survive, equipped with a subconscious pull towards violent behavior. While not all child abuse cases result in a circle of violence, the statistics show that the chances of that happening are very high. Studies also show that the risk of violent behavior is raised by 40% in children who are exposed to violence early in life. Children learn how to react to situations through social learning. They imitate the actions that they see others do. Children then, regrettably, conclude that violence helps them gain power and that it is the best way to achieve respect (Elliott). They also see their parents who are unable to control anger and often have the same inability to control their own emotions in adulthood. Their aggressiveness builds as the years pass and they begin to only think of solutions that involve violent behavior (Minerbrook). While one would think that now, as adults, these individuals would realize that abusive behavior is cruel, the conclusion is quite the opposite. Parents who were subject abuse as children are six times more likely to abuse their own children than parents who had a normal childhood (Kim). They may know that the behavior is wrong, but they subconsciously act with violence to solve issues that arise with their children. The children then pick up the behaviors and begin to become belligerent. These behaviors typically launch in the first few years of the childs schooling. The preschool years are a period of time where the early signs of aggressive behavior can be seen. While kindergarteners rarely commit felonies, they do often interrupt. The interruptions can take place at home or in the classroom. These interruptions can be disrupting the class lesson or just acting out in an attempt to get attention. Yes, it is normal for a younger child to interrupt activities. However, if the interruptions are excessive, this information can be used to predict more violent behavior many years later (Embry). A person who grew up in an abusive environment has a greater chance of continuing the violence in adulthood. It has become a common fact that many serial killers and violent offenders had childhoods that were scarred with child abuse. Children often become depressed as a result of abuse. Boys in particular, show aggressive and sometimes unstable behavior while depressed (Embry). This erratic behavior leads them to act impulsively and begin a life of violence that could quickly turn into a life of crime. A common occurrence in our society is the rising number of violent teenagers. In a study of fourteen juveniles on death row, in several different states, twelve had experienced ruthless physical and sexual abuse (Minerbrook). The chance is 40% greater that abused children, versus non-abused children, will be arrested as juveniles and or in adulthood (Stephens). Violence seems inevitable for an abused child to develop. The statistics are clearly up against those of us who have endured abuse as children. Some say that everyone has free will and that it is their decision to continue the circle of abuse. I cannot argue this fact. However, even as adults, those who have been abused are now subconsciously and maybe even genetically built to produce violence. Without therapy or something of the like, these individuals will be inclined to act violently to situations in their life. In my opinion, those with a history of abuse endure an everyday struggle to overcome their thoughts of brutality. While the majority of these individuals will continue the cycle of violence, there are a few success stories. Some of us overcome the struggles and lead normal and even successful lives. However, the number of people who prolong the sphere of abuse will remain and continue on. Although police are typically the first professionals on the scene after a domestic violence incident, they have limited services to offer families. Law enforcement departments in several areas throughout the country have begun specific programs to improve interventions, including joint arrangements with mental health professionals who, when notified by police, appear at the scene of the domestic violence incident to assist the child and adult victims. Other strategies include police report documentation of a childs presence in the home, which automatically qualifies the child for state victims of crime funding for support services, and specialized training in child development for law enforcement personnel (Open Arms Home). In an effort to address the potential harm to children exposed to domestic violence some policymakers are considering whether such exposure should considered psychological abuse. Opponents argue that such policies would create a clear command for CPS intervention in cases in which children may be psychologically harmed, and would hold batterers more accountable for the effects of their violence by making them child abusers. Opponents argue that such policies may discourage battered women from seeking help because they would be afraid of losing their children, and may further trouble an already overloaded child welfare system. Before child abuse laws are passed, a thorough investigation of their potential impact is needed. Child abuse laws do not give courts and agencies the flexibility needed to review the particular circumstances of each domestic violence case and determine suitable interventions based on that case-by-case analysis. In order to effectively address the wide range of circumstances existing within families with domestic violence, multiple, community-based response systems are needed that do not require court or CPS intervention (Katz 163). Studies that examined age as a factor point out that exposure to domestic violence produced different developmental problems in children at different ages. Infants and toddlers who witness violence in their homes show extreme irritability, immature behavior, sleeping disorders, emotional suffering, fears of being alone, and decline in toileting and language skills. Exposure to trauma, especially violence in the family, interferes with a childs normal growth of trust and later investigative behaviors, which leads to the development of independence. The presence of symptoms in these young children is similar to posttraumatic stress disorder in adults, including continual experiencing of the traumatic event, avoidance, and lack of response (Health Plus). Once women and children affected by domestic violence are identified, health care professionals must be able to either provide them with or refer them to appropriate services. Some health care institutions have routine screening for domestic violence and offer specialized domestic violence services in-house, such as safety planning and support groups for battered women or therapeutic interventions for the children. Mental health system approaches to children exposed to domestic violence vary from crisis interventions to individual, group, and family therapy programs. An estimated 3.3 million children aged 3 to 17 years may witness domestic abuse of a parent every year in the United States (Health Plus). Domestic violence has a weighty effect on children who are exposed to it. Even if the children are not abused themselves, being helpless witnesses to the abuse of a parent is just as traumatizing to them as direct abuse. The effects of living in a violent home may create problems for a child throughout his or her life. Approximately 75% of all abusive men watched their fathers battering their mothers (Open Arms Home). Children depend on their parents to provide a safe, stable and predictable environment. When their parents are involved in a battering relationship, attention is taken away from the childrens needs and focused on the violence. The entire family becomes isolated. The mother and her children are busy with pacifying the batterer and trying to keep him from getting angry (Katz 157). Children in such a situation learn that they dont really matter. They learn that anger means losing control, and that men control women through violence. As Jeanie entered the house, she heard her mom screaming in her bedroom and her dad yelling loud. She also heard noises that sounded as though her father was beating up her mother, and she was sure her dad was beating up her mom. Although this situation happened often at their house, on this day it sounded worse to Jeanie. Jeanie ran to get help from her brother, but he turned her down, saying he didnt care since this happened very often. She didnt know what to do; she was really scared and her mind stopped working. Her sister was sitting quietly in her room; she was so scared that she couldnt even move. Then she heard a loud scream, which seemed like her moms final scream. She ran toward her moms room and knocked hard to get inside, but nobody would let her in. Then she realized that she should call the police; so she did. Police came and arrested her father for domestic violence. She watched her brother come out of his room and leave angrily, because he felt ashamed for what happen ed. Her sister didnt move from her spot because she was so frightened. Her mom thanked her for calling the police and they began working on a new life from then on. After that day Jeanie never talked to her dad or looked at him again Seeing violence all the time at home can make some teenagers violent. A high percentage of juvenile delinquents are battered children. Eight percent of men in prison grew up in violent homes (Kurland 63). Of child murderers specifically boys ages 11-20, 63% killed the men who were abusing their mothers (Bruhn 49). They go around and pick on young children in the neighborhood. Also they get into fights with teachers and friends in school (Stark 69). They show no emotions or any respect to anyone (Bruhn 65). Parents do not care and never pay attention to their children, so children get involved in gang fights. They do not care whether any one does not like them, because they are brought up from a home where there is no concern for the society (Kurland 63). Studies reported that there are fifty-three percent children that are in prison becoming violent because of seeing violence at home (Edleson 1). Growing up in a violent home is a terrifying and traumatic experience that can affect every aspect of a childs growth and development. Children who do not know how to deal with these problems and who are often seeing violence can become depressed, because they feel helpless and powerless (Berger 11). Due to feeling they tend to not do much around the house or in school, because of domestic violence some also take all the blame and fell embarrassed to leave the house. That makes some children refuse to go to school, which makes some children not wanting to go to school (Stark 49). These problems that children experience are often both immediate and long-term, but the impact of these effects depends on may factors, such as the age of the child and the frequency of type of violence that occurred or is occurring. Resources Rachels Story. (n.d.). The WTV Zone A WebTV friendly homepage and website provider where webtv users can build websites and homepages with little restriction web tv users welcome!. Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://www.wtv-zone.com/LadyMaggie/php/rachel.html ACADV: Children And the Effects of Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Home The Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://www.acadv.org/children.html Behind Closed Doors. (n.d.). unicef.org. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from www.unicef.org/media/files/BehindClosedDoors.pdf Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview. (n.d.). American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.aaets.org/article8.htm Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Teenagers ~ FindCounseling.com. (n.d.). Find a Therapist at FindCounseling.com, The Original Therapist Finder Search Engine, Formerly TherapistFinder.net. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/domestic-violence/domestic-violence-children.html Kelsey Briggs (2002 2005). (n.d.). Kelsey Briggs (2002 2005). Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://kelsey-briggs.memory-of.com/About.aspx

Flautists Battle To Help Tiny Silent Losses

Have you ever lost someone close to you? You probably remember their laughs, and all the memories you had with them, but what if you had never shared these moments? What if they had slipped away before you even had a chance? Flautists used their talents at London's Royal Albert Hall yesterday to raise money to help raise miscarriage awareness. Twenty eight year old Tiana Webb from Croydon decided to set up the concert after suffering her fourth miscarriage in two years, she expressed her feelings â€Å"I felt so alone, and wondered why this kept happening to me, I realised I had to help do something so other women would not have to feel so alone whilst going through such a tough situation. Music helped me through the tough times, and as a flautist myself, I thought I could use my talents to help†. Leaflets were sent out asking all flautists to unite from all over the county, no matter what their ability or style in music. Over a hundred and fifty musicians came forward ranging from beginners to professionals, young to old. Tiana said she was surprised at the amount of support that had been gained, as she was not sure if she would be successful. The Miscarriage Association is a charity set up to help raise miscarriage awareness. The charity supports grieving woman, be it soon after their miscarriage or a while after by providing information, support groups and helplines. It also offers a service in which mothers can be put in touch with other women who have experienced a loss. Miscarriage facts are quite unknown, more than one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage, a shocking quarter of a million each year in the UK. Recent research amongst a sample of over three hundred women who had experienced loss in pregnancy showed that 45% of women did not feel well informed about what was happening to them. Only 29% of them felt well cared for emotionally and nearly four out of five received no aftercare. Claire Walker, a spokesperson from TMA said â€Å"we are so thankful to Tiana and everyone who took part in the concert. Miscarriage affects so many women in society and feel it goes un-noticed, but this event shows that there is hope for them†. Tickets sold out within a week of going on sale, filling the magnificent hall. Tiana held an auction of old music, CDs, flutes and other musical equipment, all donated by the musicians themselves, of local organisations. One of the flautists, Fourteen year old Levi King from East London said † I'm proud to be part of something which is for a good cause, the response is incredible†. The concert was set off with all 158 flautists playing Karen Taylor-Good's song, ‘Precious Child' together, which was written especially. Karen herself sang the feeling filled words, â€Å"There wasn't a dry eye in the building† she explained, â€Å"everyone was obviously very touched†. Rachel Kindler The sound rang, creating a close atmosphere inside. Many members of the audience described it as a heart-warming experience to be amongst others with the same feelings, as many of them had suffered a miscarriage either themselves or in their families. This was followed by each of the flautists playing solos, duets or trios in a variety of music styles. There were reports that many of them felt privileged to be able to perform in the Royal Albert Hall as it was a ‘once in a lifetime experience'. Tiana played 4 individual solo's, including two that she had written herself. Amongst the musical pieces, poems were read many people spoke of their experiences, 23 year old Sara West told us of her story † I was 20 when I fell pregnant, it was a mixture of excitement and worry as I was young but I knew I wanted to keep my baby, I had a supportive partner and finished my degree at university. When I miscarried at 10 weeks, I was heartbroken. Words cannot describe how hard it is to lose something so precious. Many people do not understand it and are insensitive towards the subject, but coming here tonight made me realise I am not the only one that felt this way, and there is support out there for me. I am pleased to have helped The Miscarriage Association, and thankful to Tiana for putting so much work into this event.† The audience was surprised by the appearance of James Gallway, a famous flautist. He played several pieces, including some with the youngsters which many felt was touching. James said that he would not have missed the concert for the world, as it was not on an opportunity to share his talents and skills with others, but also to help make money for a very good cause. The evening was ended with an outstanding firework display, and people releasing balloons with messages for their losses within. It was spectacular to see so many people come together to remember silent losses that most people will not know of. The occasion was clearly very successful, it raised an amazing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 for The Miscarriage Association. Tiana added, † I am overwhelmed at the amount of support for the charity and the event. It is comforting to know that I have helped other grieving mothers, I hope to organise something similar in the near future. I would like to thank all the flautists for participating and everyone who donated money to the charity†.