The Affects on your Esteems

For this blog I am going to look at the impact that sexual esteem and body esteem has on persons with physical disabilities. 

Taleporos and McCabe(2002) looked at the impact that body esteem has on person’s with physical disabilities.”When a person with a physical disability faces the reality of being unable to match up with the ‘ideal’ body, his or her body esteem would be expected to suffer.”(Taleporos and McCabe,2002; p.294) To me this statement makes complete sense especially when I read a comment from one of the participant of the study saying “. . . everyday you are treated differently because you have a disability. It can be hard to try and be positive and confident when people are always reinforcing what they perceive to be a negative aspect of you. You tell yourself it does not make a difference but their actions suggest otherwise.” (Taleporos and McCabe,2002; p.299) 

According to Taleporos and McCabe(2002),”body esteem refers to the overall positive or negative evaluation of the body.”(p.294) I found also found another definition that I understood better. “Your “body-esteem” is closely linked to your self-esteem and is sometimes referred to as “body image”. It’s very similar to self-esteem, except it relates to how you feel about your body and how you care for it.  It’s also the mental image you have of your body, and how you believe you appear to others.” (Dawson,2008)

Participants in Taleporos and McCabe(2002) study “overall felt that their disability impacted negatively on their physical attractiveness, but it did not generally extend to strong feeling of unattractiveness.”(p.299) Which I guess is a positive in a way, but the fact that their disability did still have some negativity toward their physical attractiveness is sad. One of the quotes from a participant of the Taleporos and McCabe(2002) study said “Well of course my disability makes me feel less attractive. I mean, if you’re in a wheelchair you’re not gonna have a great body with ripping muscles.”(p.299) This statement makes me wonder if he thinks everyone that is not in a wheelchair has ripping muscles, or just the fact that a person who has an able body would have the choice to get those “ripping” muscles. 

“Shame, discomfort and a lack of acceptance of the disability can occur and result in strong negative feelings towards the body and a desire to hide the disability whenever this is possible. Accepting the disability and feel- ing comfortable with being physically different is something that is certainly possible for the person with a physical impairment and beneficial to psycho- logical adjustment.” (Taleporos and McCabe,2002;p.302) I think that able bodied persons have a hard enough time being comfortable in their own skin, so I can’t imagine how hard it would be for persons with physical disabilities to feel comfortable with oneself. With the affects that media plays on us already, making us believe that you have to look like this, and anything less than that is unacceptable I believe has an impact on our mental health. The constant pressure to look a certain way, and be a certain size is not healthy for the mind. 

Another participant said “before my accident I had many, many partners, I was picked up all the time and had lots of one night stands, over 20 partners in 2 years. Since I had my accident I have been approached only three or four times.” (Taleporos and McCabe,2002;p.299) Whether this participant actions were appropriate before the accident or not, is no the issue. It’s the fact that the participant now feels like people are less attracted to him/her now, and is somehow less than they were before the accident. I can see how this would not only hurt a person’s feelings, but mess with their mind in a way. The constant wondering why your not good enough, or attractive enough could drive a person crazy, and the fact that that part of your life is not the same anymore could also make me wonder if feelings of neglect would arise. Because that companionship is no longer so consistent. 

Taleporos and McCabe(2001) also looked at physical disability and sexual self esteem, investigating the impact of physical disability on sexual feelings, sexual experiences, and sexual esteem.(p.131) For the purpose of this blog I am just going to look at the sexual esteem issues.

Some social and practical barriers that persons with physical disabilities have to go through is the “dependence on others for care, which can seriously restrict an individuals opportunities to freely express sexuality, because of lack of privacy and over-protective parents or caregivers.” (Taleporos and McCabe,2001;p.132)

“A number of studies have also suggested that people with physical disabilities have more limited sexual and romantic lives. For example, MacDougall and Morin’s survey of the sexual attitudes and self-reported behavior of 45 congenitally disabled adults revealed that nearly all of the participants were unmarried. Nearly half had never had an intimate sexual experience with another person. Limited romantic opportunities among people with physical disability were also suggested by a study of dating issues with 430 single women who had physical disabilities. The study revealed that women with physical disabilities were less satisfied than the able bodied control group with their dating frequency, they perceived more constraints in attracting partners and they also perceived more societal and personal barriers to their dating. A study of the psychosexual functioning of 43 spinal cord injured men also indicated that physical disability hinders sexual expression. Similar findings were revealed in a study that included females with spinal cord injuries.” (Taleporos and McCabe,2001;p.132)

These studies show how extremely hard it is for persons with physical disabilities to have the same opportunities and experiences as able bodied persons. I think society as a whole need to continue to work on our viewing of persons with physical disabilities. We need to learn to see the person before we see the wheelchair or prosthetic, and get to know the person for the human being that they are instead of just seeing the negative aspect of the person.

Alyssa V

Bibliography

Dawson, Sherri (2008) What is Body Esteem? 

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=body+esteem&page=1&qsrc=2891&dm=all&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bodyesteem.com%2F45&sg=HjIkYOxrb6zj%2BYW31%2F%2BKJHx1i9gAS9hcokfyZbGKnCE%3D%0D%0A&tsp=1292434303503

Taleporos,George and McCabe, Marita P (2001) Physical Disabilities and Sexual Esteem. Sexuality and Disability,Vol.19,No.2

http://www.springerlink.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/r74602w347774q33/fulltext.pdf

Taleporor, George and McCabe, Marita P (2002) The Impact of Physical Disability on Body Esteem. Sexuality and Disability,Vol.19, No.4

http://www.springerlink.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/7g73qv1fm7k4121p/fulltext.pdf

“Where are you from? and What Did You Say?

The articles I found were a mix of a few topics we were to blog about this term. It has to do with immigration, racism and black women. I chose this topic because I can identify with some of the obstacles people of colour face as I have ran into many instances where I have been made fun of or told I was unable to do something, as well as had people assume I am an immigrant and that English is not my first language. While this did not have any personal damaging effects, it can have an immense impact on someone’s emotional state. You can feel a sense hopelessness to be accepted into society and along with that the symptoms of depression.

In the Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health (CJCMH) one of the topics discussed was the socioeconomic status of black women in Montreal specifically. It states that back in 1996 the unemployment rate for black people was two and a half times higher than those who were not black (Whitley & Green, 2008). It is also interesting to note that those unemployed or earning a significantly lower income than non blacks were women (Whitley & Green, 2008).

          For the women who do not have support the CJCMH talked about different organizations these women belong to. They recorded large occurrences of church attendance which was assumed to have a positive mental impact on these women and their families (Whitley & Green, 2008). Another issue women of low income and support tend to endure is living in poorer neighbourhoods and this can cause a host of emotion and a severe mental impact including anxiety or depression (Whitley & Green, 2008).  

          When I was four years old I had befriended a little girl in my daycare. One day she came to school and informed me that I could not be her friend anymore because my skin was brown. Whether this was against her will or from the input of her mother, I could not understand what it was about my skin that would prevent her from playing with me. From then on throughout my school years I was always very aware that I tended to be one of two or three kids or the only black kid in my classes. I was able to make many friends none of whom were racist or malicious, but when I entered junior high and suddenly looks were the most important thing I noticed even more how different I looked. My hair was not the same as everyone else’s and often the butt of jokes. Watching TV and seeing commercials for shampoo that came in blonde, brunette, or red always made me think “hey they forgot a colour!”

         Another article I found from the Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology (CRSA) was in my eyes properly titled “what colour is your English?” This article talks about how accents impact those who immigrate to this country and how simply having an accent “gives away” the fact that you were not born here and may impede your abilities to get work or a place to live (Creese & Kambere, 2003).

          From my own personal experience sometimes you don’t even have to open your mouth and speak. Just by looking at my skin you know that my family immigrated here. Oddly enough unless you are aboriginal everyone immigrated here at some point…My parents were not born here and neither was my brother however I was. I have been asked “how long have you been here?” or “your parents have an accent, so what language do you speak?” People are sometimes shocked that we speak English! In Australia people have accents and speak English, so why wouldn’t that be the case in any other country? It is very common to assume as soon as you have an accent you don’t speak English. It is this controversial issue about having an accent and being an immigrant and the effects of racism and discrimination that the CRSA talks about. One of the quotes in the article I found interesting was: “...common-sense discourses construct people of colour as immigrants and immigrants as people of colour...” (Creese & Kambere, 2003).

            The Study from the CJCMH found that there were six themes discovered from the black women that took part in the survey. The psychosocial stressors were financial adversity, racism, and absent fathers. The psychosocial buffers were family, religious activity and ethnic identity (Whitley & Green, 2008). While lack of father support showed to have an impact on mental health (including stress, anxiety, depression) it was also noted that in some cases, the closeness of extended family and friends can help compensate for absent fathers (Whitley & Green, 2008). In my own personal experience this is very common in my own family and friend’s families, that those who immigrate to Canada have very strong connections to friends and family and often share a large house or live next to each other.

            I believe Canada has a long way to go when it comes to not jumping to conclusions or dismissing an immigrant once you hear them speak. You can have the most impressive resume but as soon as you speak with an accent employers can be more apprehensive to hire you (Creese & Kambere, 2003). This was the experience of some of the women who took part in the study in from the article by Creese and Kambere’s (2003).

I had a teacher in high school who had moved here from China and had to leave his wife and son back home. It was hard to understand him but many of the kids in my class would whisper things like “do you know what he’s saying? He can barely speak English!” When in reality if they would stop talking and listen to him more carefully they would have understood him. I know that sometimes it is difficult to understand an accent, but I wonder if people want to understand sometimes. I don’t know what it will take to erase discrimination or if it’s even possible but I believe the first step is education. The more knowledge you have the less ignorant you will be.

 Jennilee M.

Creese, G., & Kambere, E. N. (2003). What Colour Is Your English?
                 Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology , 565-573.

Whitley, R., & Green, S. (2008). Black Women in Quebec:
                  Psycholosocial Stressors and Buffers Affecting Black Women in
                  Montreal. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health , 37-48.

           

Cheap Bus Tours for Seniors

In this blog post I am going to examine gambling addictions specifically among the aging population, sharing a personal story that enables this addiction through casino tour groups popular with seniors in our country. It is no secret that gambling is a big part of society today. Casinos are popping up all over the country and luring in gamblers with a variety of offers. Big name performers are featured at many casinos in the hopes that those attending the concerts will spend some time at the slots or tables prior to, or after, the performance. Special rates on hotel rooms attached to these casinos are offered at a hard to refuse price, transportation is easily arranged and bus tours provide a mini vacation. How can you refuse, especially if you are a retired senior living on a limited income? As gambling participation increases, the rate of pathological gambling in old adults might also increase, thus making them an “at-risk population group” (Philippe  & Vallerand, 2007, p. 276).

There are several factors that need to be considered when comparing the gambling of all adults with the specific population of seniors over the age of 65 years. Also issues around policy need to be different with an aging population because there are challenges that arise different from other demographics (Neysmith, 2003). This is important because policies are used to guide decisions and “as people age the quality of their lives is affected by a range of social policies” (Neysmith, 2003, p. 182). Statistically seniors have less contact with supports and therefore problems with gambling are harder to notice and also harder to treat (CAMH, 2006).

As documented, seniors report many reasons for gambling including “socialization, a chance to support charities, escape from their problems, and a chance to win money” (CAMH, 2006, p. 31). I believe a large number of seniors are trying to block out problems in their lives, encompassing loneliness, pain due to failing health, or a personal loss such as the death of a spouse. However, who can deny the thrill you would have when you win big, with all the bells and whistles. This would produce an adrenaline rush you would yearn to repeat. For the majority of seniors, this behaviour is manageable; however many seniors have lost control over gambling and “problem gambling can lead to loss of savings, rent, mortgage payments or property. Seniors may feel desperate and hopeless” (Lynch, 2005, p. 30). Older adults “are involved more than ever in gambling activities... [and] gambling is one of the most frequently reported social activities by older adults” (Philippe & Vallerand, 2007, p. 276). Excessive gambling may translate into mental health problems such as depression. Seniors addicted to gambling “scored higher on measures of loneliness and psychiatric symptoms, and reported lower levels of social supports” (Pietrzak & Petry, 2006, p. 110). Unfortunately, I have noticed that gambling in turn can lead to other addictions, such as substance abuse, as a form of coping with the long term effects of this problem.

Gambling is a very serious addiction that affects the lives of many people and according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, there is also a risk to physical health because of the repetitive nature of gambling, especially with limited or no activity for older adults gambling for several hours (CAMH, 2006). Documented in the article printed by the Ontario Citizen; “many older clients were accompanied by their hospital-issue oxygen tanks” (Landon, 2006, p. D3).  According to the CAMH (2006), seniors had greater opportunities to gamble considering most of the seniors are retired and many are targeted by bus tour groups because of this issue (Landon).

 For the small community in which I was raised, the truths about seniors gambling addictions and attractive casino tours are all too real. It is apparent that there is an increase in gambling in the elderly population in our community and according to Pietrzak & Petry (2006), a survey “found that the percentage of older adults who ever gambled increased from 35% in 1975 to 80% in 1998. A total 0.4% of this sample was identified as pathological gamblers and 0.7% as problem gamblers” (p. 106).

I am going to share a story of a family friend who is in the habit of taking frequent casino bus tours to the United States. My friend is over the age of 75 years and she recently lost her husband. These trips tend to last 3-4 days and she quite often goes every other week. Her safety and wellbeing is important to her family and friends so they know the frequency of her gambling vacations. From all observations it would seem that she is addicted; however she will not allow anyone to use those words to describe her leisure activity. She spends as much time as she can in the casino, frequently not going to bed until closing, in the early morning hours. She has never taken the opportunity to leave the casino and see the local attractions, so her days are spent surrounded by four walls sitting in front of the machines. When she returns from these trips she quite often complains of aches and pains in her back and arms. Most people are quite vocal about their winnings, but you never hear of how much money it took to get that. My friend is very secretive about both and will not talk about either how much she spends or how much she wins. Most of the time, these gamblers are so far behind it is impossible to catch up on winnings over spendings.

In terms of the logistics behind the bus tours are the fact that the tours are unbelievable cheap; enabling frequent visits with more money to spend gambling. It is obvious that the bus tours are sponsored by the casinos and hotels. It is beneficial to them to take a loss on the room and transportation as they make it up exponentially on gambling losses and often liquor sales. Normally, there would be no way a four day trip with complete accommodations, bus ride, and most meals could be covered with less than $200.00. To top it all off, many casinos offer frequent visit cards that promise $50.00 back after you spend at least $50.00 of your own money. But it is left unspoken that most people will spend far beyond this $50.00 limit. Tour organizers call nearly weekly to remind their frequent senior visitors of the upcoming tour dates. Unfortunately many of them attend every other week. Several people who have gone on these bus tours, comment to the fact that the majority of the faces in the bus seats are women. This is also supported in the newspaper article Golden Age Gambling: Seniors are Taking up Gambling, and Getting Hooked, Warns Laura Landon, stating that “the slots have a tendency to be designed for seniors and women. They have a tendency to like them better" (Landon, 2006, p. D3).

It is not hard to see how one could get hooked to bus tours trips considering all of the amenities and bonuses offered with an already affordable trip. According to a newspaper article, the resistance of these luxury services are impossible to refuse. “With carefully pitched offers of free food, transportation and a cosy social environment, gambling is growing among seniors while gaming addictions trail not far behind, say counsellors and addiction experts. Seniors are encouraged to gamble” (Landon, 2006, p. D3). Gambling addictions cannot readily be seen and addicts can keep their addiction hidden for years, secretly spending money saved over a lifetime and earmarked for the golden years.

-Darcie B.

Reference List

Landon, L. (2000, December 16). Golden age gambling: Seniors are taking up gambling, and getting hooked, warns Laura Landon. The Ontario Citizen, p. D3, Retrieved from http://proxycheck.lib.umanitoba.ca.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/libraries/online/proxy.php?http://proquest.umi.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/pqdweb?did=201504781&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=12305&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Lynch, M. (2005). Problem Gambling. Family Health, 21(3), p. 30- 31.

Neysmith, S. (2003). Caring and aging: Exposing the policy issues. In A. Westhues (Ed.), Canadian social policy: Issues and perspectives (pp. 182-199). Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

Philippe, F., & Vallerand, R. J. (2007). Prevalence rates of gambling problems in Montreal, Canada: A look at old adults and the role of passion. Springer Science and Business Media, 23, p. 275-283.

Pietrzak, R. H., & Petry, N. M. (2006). Severity of Gambling problems and psychosocial functioning in older adults. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 19, p. 106-113.

The CAMH Healthy Aging Project Team. (2006). Responding to older adults with substance use, mental health, and gambling challenges. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, p. 1-45.

Mental health in Canada's Prisons

One of the main tenants of neo-conservatism is Law and Order. (Mullaly, 2007)  You commit the crime, you do the time.  At first glance there is nothing wrong with this.  Until you look closer that is. When you consider the movement of the last few decades to lessen the amount of beds for the mentally ill in hospitals, and the lack of aid for the mentally ill in the community, it isn’t startling when you hear that 10 to 12% of those admitted to federal custody have mental health problems. (Unkown, 2009)

            Since the death of Ashley Smith in October of 2007 (Zlomislic, 2010), the mental health resources available in Canada’s prisons has been under much scrutiny.  It seems to me that the mental health of the inmates in our jails is going downhill fast.  With the prison services only having 50% of the acute psychiatric beds needed, and the rising prison population, due to the Conservative governments legislative changes, things can only get worse. (Unknown, 2009)

Mullaly, Bob.  (2007). The New Structural Social Work.  Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press Canada

Unknown. (November 2, 2009).  Ombudsman slams prison mental health services.  CBC News.  Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/11/02/federal-prison-ombudsman002.html

 

Zlomislic, Diana. (November 11, 2010). Ashley Smith’s requests for help ignored.  The Toronto Star.  Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/889633--ashley-smith-s-requests-for-help-ignored

 

Stacey T.

Addictions among older persons.

         Canada's population is aging rapidly and working with older persons is becoming a more important facet of social work. As people live longer it is more pressing that older persons health is approached with a holistic sense; one that incorporates the mental and the physical (Neysmith, 2003, p. 187 ). It can be argued that aging is socially constructed in a narrow manner to be considered an issue of physical deterioration, which puts a greater importance on physical well-being rather than mental well-being. (Neysmith, 2003, p. 187 ).

          It does not garner much attention but older persons are susceptible to addictions, just as a younger person is. Furthermore, addictions among older persons are regularly overlooked by medical professionals (Kermode-Scott, 1995, p. 166 ). This may be because an older person is more likely to be addicted to over the counter medications, prescription drugs, alcohol and nicotine (Kermode-Scott, 1995, p. 166 ) In addition, older persons often have more trouble admitting and talking about addictions  (Kermode-Scott, 1995, p. 166).

          Alcohol dependency also affects older persons but to a lesser extent than younger persons (Kermode-Scott, 1995, p. 166 ). In a general sense, there are many reasons why alcoholism may go unnoticed among older persons (Cohen, 1988, p. 725). Older persons are devalued by society and ignored (Cohen, 1988, p. 725).   This, coupled with generally negative passive attitudes towards older persons with alcoholism, means that it may be easier for family members and care providers to institutionalize them (Cohen, 1988, p. 725). Also older persons may live alone, which makes it hard for medical professionals to make diagnosis in the early stages of alcoholism (Cohen, 1988, p. 725). In addition, many symptoms or problems of growing older and alcoholism are shared, making it difficult to diagnose (Cohen, 1988, p. 725). Symptoms overlap, such as memory loss, depression, or general confusion (Cohen, 1988, p. 725).

 

         In treating older persons with alcohol or other addictions, attention must be given to age when planning intervention strategies (Cohen, 1988, p. 727). It may not be appropriate, for example, to take an 80 year old person and put them in a support group with a 30 year old person (Cohen, 1988, p. 725).

         A CBC news report discussed the conclusions of a workshop run by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba in Winnipeg (“Substance abuse,” 2008). It consisted of a diverse group of 140 people (“Substance abuse,” 2008). They reached the conclusion that “Substance abuse among seniors has become a silent epidemic”, (“Substance abuse,” 2008). According to the Educator who ran the workshop, about 10 percent of older persons in Manitoba either abuse alcohol or medications, or both (“Substance abuse,” 2008). The Addictions Foundation of Manitoba predicts that by the year 2020, the population of older persons who will be requiring treatment for addiction will be three times the current population (“Substance abuse,” 2008).

         In Winnipeg there is age appropriate help available for older persons with substance abuse issues; just click on the following links to see details: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/pubs/adp-apd/treat_senior-trait_ainee/inventory-3-inventaire-eng.php. Unfortunately there appears to be a lack of age appropriate help available in Manitoba as this was one the few programs easily locatable on the internet.

         I believe that it is very important that Manitoba's realize the necessity of age appropriate programs for older persons who abuse substances. I would not have naturally assumed this could be a big issue among older persons so I was surprised to see it could be. It is another issue that social works students should be well versed in, and know how to recognize the signs of substance abuse, for those of us that wish to pursue working with older persons.

         I have many older family members but as far I know none of them have substance or alcohol abuse problems. I can see how it would easily happen; perhaps simple boredom could lead to substance abuse. When I first turned 18, I did see some examples of older persons who potentially had addictions issues. I spent a brief few months working at the local bar in my home town and I got to know what days the pension cheques were issued because certain older persons would frequent the bar to spend their pension money. I remember one older individual who would come in with the smell of rum under their breath, order a few drinks and deposit 200 dollars into the Video Lottery Terminals. I remember one night this person spent only 15 minutes in the bar. During that time, they consumed 2 glasses of rum, and wasted 200 dollars in the VLT machines. After losing their money, the individual stormed out to their car and rapidly accelerated out of there, spinning gravel and other debris everywhere. I did not feel too good about working there that night. I wondered about the harm and suffering VLT machines, placed by out government, cause, when coupled with alcohol.

David Hayward

References

        Cohen, S., (1988). Alcoholism in the elderly.  Canadian Family Physician, (34), 723-731. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/pmc/articles/PMC2219040/pdf/canfamphys00169-0231.pdf?tool=pmcentrez

        Kermode-Scott, B. (1995) Always assess the elderly for addictions. Canadian Family Physician, (41), 166 – 167. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.proxy2.lib.umanitoba.ca/pmc/articles/PMC2145976/pdf/canfamphys00083-0168.pdf?tool=pmcentrez      

        Neysmith, S. (2003) Caring and aging: Exposing the policy issues.  In A. Westhues (Ed.),  Canadian social policy: Issues and perspectives (pp. 182-199). Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.  

Substance abuse among seniors rising: addictions foundation. (2008, February).  CBC News.  Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2008/02/22/seniors-addictions.html

Older Person's Going Through Grief

For this blog I am going to look at how grief can create mental health problems, as well as how person’s with mental disabilities deal with grief. 

Harper and Wadsworth(1993) evaluated how adult’s with mental disabilities express grief and deal with loss. Their result showed that adults with moderate to severe metal disabilities display grief responses similar to all adults. (Harper and Wadsworth,1993) They experienced a mixture of sadness, anger, anxiety, confusion, and pain, and continued to experience emotional turmoil one year from initial death and personal loss.(Harper and Wadsworth,1993) In this study their were some more intense behaviours such as self injury that were noted in 10-15% of grief reactions, but more common reactions were crying, fatigue, sleep disruption and loss of appetite of moderate intensity. (Harper and Wadsworth) Harper and Wadsworth also looked at adults with significant mental disabilities, these adults verbalized an understanding of the irreversibility of death, and their responses reflected personal beliefs as well. (1993)

I decided to look at how grief affects older persons because this past May my Grandpa passed away suddenly from a major heart attack. He left behind my Grandma who was his best friend for over 47 years. This summer I decided that I was going to stay with my Grandma to help her through this rough time as much as I could. I saw her go from a very strong minded always knows what’s best for everyone women, to not be able to make any decisions at all. I would like to say that in a way my Grandpa’s passing has made her into a softer more motherly person who isn’t afraid to express her feelings. But then on the other had I see the pure pain in her eyes every time someone brings him up, or some random object brings the memories flooding back! I have noticed that her mental health is suffering through all of this as well. Her memory is really bad, either because she just doesn’t care really anymore or she has too much on her mind. I would assume that anyone going through this would develop some kind of depression, and it just seems like she is living in a fog, and focusing on little tasks that her and my Grandpa had always wanted to complete. 

Gerontol (2000) stated thatwidows who were highly dependent on their spouses had more elevated level of anxiety compared to widows who were not as dependent on their spouses. Gerontol (2000) also wrote about how yearning was deeper for women who reported more marital closeness and dependence on their spouses, than those who report that their relationships were conflicted at baseline. 

Gerontol’s study makes perfect sense to me because my Grandparents were extremely close and depended on each other for everything. So I guess my Grandma going through yearning and some anxiety about how my Grandpa would want things done just shows that she is going through the grieving process. 

Alyssa V

References

J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci (2000) 55 (4): S197-S207.

doi: 10.1093/geronb/55.4.S197

Research in Developmental Disabilities, Volume 14, Issue 4, July-August 1993, Pages 313-330 

Dennis C. Harper and John S. Wadsworth Grief in adults with mental retardation: 

Women and Caregiving

          I believe it would be accurate to say that without the care and support of caregivers, our loved ones who are in need of care whether due to physical or mental limitations would not have a comfortable standard of living. Imagine you are suffering from Bipolar disorder and from time to time must be hospitalized. Without family to get you there, and without the nurses and aides to look after you while recovering, how would any healing be possible?

The article by McKeever (1999) highlighted a few issues surrounding caregiving and how nursing and similar fields are predominately jobs where women are in the majority. It has become an issue and the source of much debate since women who are in the caregiving field are typically underpaid and in competition for jobs with family members who are now staying home full time because they can’t afford the care of nurses in the home (McKeever, 1999). But not only do nurses encounter issues with employment, those who stay home to care for family members tend to be women, and they do not get paid at all for what they do. It is preferable that in order to be full time caregiver, you have a spouse who would then be the “breadwinner” while you stay home or else you would have the struggle of balancing work, and someone else’s well being (not to mention your own).

Being the sole provider of care for someone who may be mentally disabled can have a large impact on your health, physically, mentally and emotionally. If you were home all day caring for someone doing all the cleaning, lifting, and cooking eventually you may feel burnt out and that can lead to depression or anxiety, even feelings of hostility (Hawranik & Strain, 2007).

Hawranik and Strain (2007) talk about three “themes” they encountered during their study on caregivers. They were: deterioration of health, psychological toll and sense of responsibility. All of these are an understandable issue when you are caring for someone who can’t do everything for themselves anymore. Many care givers, whether looking after someone who is physically, or mentally disabled can reach a point where they don’t know where to turn and feel as though there is nothing they can do for their loved one. Not being able to afford services may be a problem, but so is not being aware of the services that are available (Hawranik & Strain, 2007).

The role of caregiver has typically been the stereotypical role for women. There is a similarity between nurses and women who care for family at home. They both lack resources to help them with the emotional, physical and financial effects of caring for those who require assistance. Protesting is not seen as something a woman would do, but as this article suggests, public knowledge and the fight for change is what will create more resources, and break the stereotype that women are “supposed” to be caregivers (McKeever, 1999).

I recently went to the store with my mom to finish up some holiday shopping and saw a woman holding hands with her mother. They were walking very slowly (slightly holding up the traffic) and the older woman seemed very confused. I assumed she may have had dementia, or maybe could not hear well. Regardless of their relation or her condition I immediately thought of how this could be me one day taking care of my own parents. Zipping up their coat before we take a step into the cold or helping them up the steps. It’s hard to say whether this will be one of my responsibilities along with having a family of my own one day and I’ll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. However I couldn’t help but wonder as I saw the young lady with the older woman,” does she have help? Is she the sole provider for her family? Does she have a brother or sister who is willing to take his mother out once in a while as well?” The need for resources for home care givers is important now more than ever especially with the increasing aging population. Women still seem to have a larger role for responsibility or at least that is what is sometimes assumed. They need services as well because if they do not have their health they can’t help their family from a hospital bed.
Jennilee M.

Hawranik, P. G., & Strain, L. A. (2007). Giving voice to informal
               caregivers of Older Adults: Canadian Journal of Nursing
               Research, 156-172.

McKeever,P. (1999). Between Women: Nurses and Family Caregiver.
               Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 185-191.