Ethics in Social Work

It is the duty of and a requirement for social workers to maintain the highest standards of ethics when carrying out their duties towards those who they are concerned with. While doing this, they should always keep in mind that the best interests of their clients are put above all else even if that specific client does not wish for the intervention of the social worker in their lives (Berkman, Chauncey, Holmes, Daniels, & et al, 1999, 9 – 16). In all of the situation that they are confronted with, the social worker should always strive to look for all possible solutions to a problem before choosing to take a person into the direct care of the state because not many people willingly come into the system and in fact, most prefer to deal with all their problems privately (especially the elderly). Even if they are forced to take the latter action, the social worker should make sure that their client is treated with the dignity that they deserve and that they have been made aware of and understand the circumstances under which they are being taken into the care of the state (Gregory, P, 2003, 369 – 371). A good social worker should also ensure that he or she follows up on the people who have been under their care to make sure that they have been placed under the best care available and that they are being treated well and with dignity by those who are caring for them. In this paper, we shall look into a case study of an elderly man and the various options which are available to him that the social worker has to present to him and to decide the best course of action to be taken in this case.

This case involves a seventy eight year old man who lives alone in an apartment and has recently been discharged from a hospital having broken a hip after a fall in his home. He has a brother who lives in an apartment within the same building. The social worker in this situation is put on a tight spot because the old man, Mr. P, seems to be a very alert person who I yet to lose his faculties at his age. Although he is having difficulty in getting out of bed on his own and has as a consequence neglected his personal hygiene, he still insists that he needs no help and that his brother, who lives within the same building should not be informed of his situation. He declares that he is just fine on his own despite the fact that the social worker clearly sees that the old man is not doing well at all. The dilemma which faces the social worker at this moment is what exactly to do in the best interests of the old man so that his inability to take care of himself does not in any way affect his health. There are several options open to the social worker on how to deal with Mr. P’s situation and all of these options have their pros and cons because one way or another, there is going to be a negative effect on the old man, whether physical or psychological. The social worker must therefore consider all the options open to him very carefully so that no mistakes are made in the final decision concerning the old man (Johnson, 2000, 19 – 25). However, he should not be afraid to do what is ethically the best thing for the old man no matter the consequences of his actions.

The first option open to the social worker is to respect the principles of confidentiality and self – determination and do nothing about the situation in which Mr. P finds himself in. at first glance, this might be the best idea considering that the old man seems to be in control of all his mental faculties and knows exactly what he wants (Vinton, 1995, 431). However, his insistence that he is well able to take care of himself does not seem to be correct because it has been noted that he can barely get out of bed without assistance and that he has neglected his personal hygiene because of it. This shows that if he continues to be left alone, then the consequences of such an action would be very detrimental to Mr. P’s health. The social worker’s doing nothing about Mr. P’s situation would be an equivalent of neglecting his duties and this would amount to ignoring the ethics which are the guiding tools of all social workers (Wang, Xiong, Levkoff, & Yu, 2010, 72 – 84). The best thing for the social worker to do is to weigh all the other alternative options available for the caring of the old man until such a time as he is well enough to go back to living his life alone in his apartment. The social worker should not bow down to the insistence by Mr. P that he can take care of himself and should instead do what he thinks is right not only for the old man but also in his conscience. In relation to this, the next step would be the next best option in dealing with the old man’s situation.

The social worker would decide that the best thing to do for Mr. P would be for him to be put under involuntary placement due to the fact that he has an impaired judgment about the current circumstances of his life. This would be the best course to take in the immediate moment considering that neither of his siblings know about his current situation and that he has yet to inform them about it. Even if they were to be informed now, it would be days until they made the necessary arrangements to cater for their brother who would have by them turned for the worse due to neglect. It is the duty of the social worker to place Mr. P in a nursing home or a similar facility until other arrangements about his care can be made. This should be done despite the insistence by the old man that he does not wish to be placed under assisted care because in this situation, the social worker has to take into account not only what the old man thinks is best for him, but also what he himself thinks is the best thing to do for the old man. In this case, the social worker should take it upon himself to decide on behalf of Mr. P what is the best thing to do for him because it would be ethically irresponsible of him to leave the old man in the state in which he found him just because he wishes to respect Mr. P’s wished (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2010, 17).

Another option open to the social worker in dealing with the old man’s situation in what can be considered as the least restrictive route would be to contact Mr. P’s brother who would check on him over the weekend to make sure that he is alright. This would be the best course of action for the social worker to take as long as he does it discreetly because Mr. P has specifically requested that his brother be not informed of his situation. It is the duty of the social worker to inform Mr. P’s brother of his condition because he is the only close relative the old man has at the moment and the brother’s knowledge of this situation would more likely than not ensure that he regularly checks on Mr. P and by doing so, there would be an assurance the he is well taken care of until other arrangements can be made for him. However, telling his brother about his condition would be breaking the principle of confidentiality and self determination to which Mr. P has a right. Furthermore, if Mr. P were to find out that the social worker had told his brother about his condition against his wishes, then he would lose any confidence he had in the social worker and this would make getting any future cooperation from him very difficult to get. Moreover, perhaps there was a specific reason why Mr. P did now want the social worker to inform his brother of his condition, perhaps because the brother also has a serious medical condition which may be fatal if he is given such news, or perhaps they have been estranged for some time and the brother would likely even bother to show up to check on Mr. P’s condition. All this should be put into account before the social worker can go ahead and inform the old man’s brother about his condition (Hoskins, I. 1993, 347).

The final step which a social worker should be taken when making a decision concerning what to do about Mr P is telling him that he is not convinced that the old man can attend to his own needs and that the best thing for him to do for the time being would be contact his brother and explain the situation to him. It is most certain that Mr P will protest the social worker’s decision and it is the duty of the social worker to convince him that it is the best option for the old man for the time being. The social worker should make sure that the old man completely understands his situation and that he is agreeable with the arrangements which are to be made for him until such a time as he gets better (Tremethick, 1997, 27 – 31). The social worker should also assure the old man that the situation will only temporary and that Mr P can get back to living his life as he used to once he gets better. After doing this, the social worker should then personally meet Mr P’s brother and explain to him all that he has noted about Mr P and the type of care which he requires in order to remain comfortable as well as put him on a fast road to recovery (Russell, 2004, 121). It would further be best if the social worker continued to keep monitoring Mr P’s condition under his brother’s care and if he notes that he is not getting any better, then he should consider other options that will ensure that old man’s well being, even if it means places him involuntarily into a nursing home where he will get the necessary care he needs.

Effects of Music on the Mood

Music is an art form which has been a part of human life for thousands of years, and some would even say that it is part of being human. It plays a very important role in the normal human life, and it has been found to have some very beneficial values for those who listen to it. There are some who believe that music has a very great effect in determining the emotions or mood of those who listen to it, but there is some doubt about this in some quarters. These state that music has no real effect on the mood of individuals and that it has nothing to do with the way they behave when they are listening to it (Boothby & Robbins, 205). Some scholars, on the other hand, believe that music indeed does have a huge effect on people’s moods in whatever environment in which they are. This is because music can be found everywhere today, from our own homes to the places where we go to shop or work (Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 176). This music has a lot of influence on those who listen to it because it not only calms them down; it also ensures that they become more focused on what they are doing. The effect of music has become so common among many people that they barely even notice it anymore. However, its influence can still be seen, because many continue to listen to it, even though it is done at a subconscious level.

Studies have shown that music has an influence in encouraging people to undertake physical activities (Murrock & Higgins, 2250). It has been suggested that music can be used to encourage people, all over the world, to undertake the recommended physical activities. This is to ensure that they do not fall victim to diseases which come about as a result of a lack of exercise, which include diabetes and hypertension. It has been said that more than 60% of the world’s population does not take any physical activity to avoid these health problems; and it has been suggested that music be put forward as the best solution for this problem. Music can be used very subtly in this case because by its very nature, it encourages body movement which results in the recommended physical activity. Kreutz et al (103) suggest that music can be used to induce emotions and that the various sounds that come from it may, in fact, enable the revelation of emotions in people. One of the best examples given is when one listens to the different varieties of Classical music. Whether the tone of the music is sad, happy, or angry, it will be noticed that the mood of the person listening to it will change according to the changes in the tones. If the tone is happy, then the mood of the person, and the accompanying facial expression, will also be happy. This has made music one of the most preferred methods of treating various psychological problems due to the calming effect it has on the patients involved. It can therefore be said that music, whether we like it or not, is very influential in affecting the mood of those individuals listening to it. This effect not only encourages physical activity but it also functions as a medium for encouraging focus in certain individuals.

Schizoaffective Disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is a term which is used to describe a mental disorder which is characterized by moods which are abnormal and also some psychotic components. The various components which make up schizoaffective disorder appear at certain times and these can be used to determine whether one has the disorder or not. When the mood component occurs, it may appear to be either elevated or depressed or these characteristics may appear at the same time, alternating with each other or occurring together, which brings about a distortion in the affected person’s perception. For a full diagnosis of this disorder to be verified, there should be a period of at least two weeks where the patient displays psychosis without mood disorder, and these symptoms of psychosis should not be due to the use of medication or other substances. Schizoaffective disorder tends to affect an individual’s perception and emotions and this results in false perceptions as well as disordered thought processes which include delusions, disorganized speech, and thought process. Due to this, it is very common for those affected by this disorder to have dysfunctions in both their social and occupational lives. The division into depressive and bipolar types of schizoaffective disorder depends on whether an individual has ever had manic, hypomanic or mixed episodes, and symptoms for this disorder normally occur in early adulthood, with symptoms rarely occurring before the age of thirteen (Diabetes Week, 69).

A person who has this disorder tends to experience extreme transformations in mood and has some of the psychotic symptoms which are related to schizophrenia such as hallucinations. The psychotic symptoms are reflected when a person is unable to differentiate between what is real from what is imagined, and these symptoms tend to vary greatly from one person to another (Dodd, 504). While the symptoms may be mild for in certain individuals, they can manifest themselves very severely in others. Some of the symptoms which are displayed when one has schizoaffective disorder are the following: depression, mania, and schizophrenia. Cases of depression in schizoaffective disorder are always accompanied by various characteristics such as the loss of appetite and this tends to result in the loss of weight. Furthermore, the individual’s sleeping patterns also change so that this individual my sleep a lot or very little, depending on their situation. Depression is always accompanied by excessive restlessness as well as a lack of energy in the body. The individual experiences a lack of interest in those activities which he or she was very active in. there are times when an individual my have feelings of being worthless or hopeless and this can bring about guilt or self–blame. Depression may also bring about the inability to think coherently or to concentrate, and the individual may be tempted to resort to suicide as a result.

Schizoaffective disorder is often accompanied by mania which results in the increase in activity of the affected person, and these include work, social, and sexual activities. Mania also results in the increased talking of the individual due to the rapid and racing thoughts which are common symptoms of mania. An individual feels very little need for sleep and may in fact prefer staying up late trying to do other activities. The individual might also be very agitated about nothing important in particular. Furthermore, there is a chance that mania might result in the individual having a very low self-esteem and this brings about very destructive behavior such as having unsafe sex, having spending sprees, as well as driving recklessly. Schizophrenia is one of the signs which enable nurses to identify that a person does, in fact, have schizoaffective disorder (Martin, 1900). One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is delusions; this is where an individual has very strange beliefs which have no real basis in reality, and he or she holds on to these beliefs even when they are presented with facts to the contrary. Hallucinations also affect an individual and this happens when this individual perceives sensations which are not real, such as hearing voices. The individual experiences episodes of disorganized thinking as well as displaying behavior which many would find to be odd or unusual. There are also instances where an individual will be slow in movement or be totally immobile and this is sometimes accompanied by a lack of emotional display in either their face or their speech. There are times when an affected individual has poor motivation and this results in their having problems with speech or with communication.

It is yet to be known exactly what causes schizoaffective disorder, but some researchers in the field believe that factors involves in the genetic and biochemical makeup of individuals, as well as the environment in which they live, might play a significant role (Mental Health Weekly Digest, 226). The tendency for an individual to develop schizoaffective disorder can be genetically acquired when a parent passes it on to them. Moreover, people who display mood disorders tend to have a chemical imbalance in their brains. This imbalance can interfere with the transmission of vital information from the brain and this leads to the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. There is evidence to suggest that the environment in which one lives can also cause a person to develop schizoaffective disorder. The environment can bring about viral infections, or the social interactions and stressful situations which an individual might experience, may trigger schizoaffective disorder in people who have inherited genes for the development of this disorder (Mental Health Weekly Digest, 120).

Schizoaffective disorder is not the only medical condition which causes disturbances in the thought and mood of individuals, and because of this, it is recommended that all the other causes be ruled out before making a diagnosis. Strokes, brain injuries, problems with the thyroid or adrenal glands, among others, have to be considered first before looking at schizoaffective disorder. The next problem when making a diagnosis for schizoaffective disorder is by distinguishing it from any other bipolar disorder such as manic depression or schizophrenia. This can be a very difficult thing to do because the symptoms of the last mentioned bipolar disorders are also symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. There are no tests for these conditions and a diagnosis tends to be made based on an individual’s medical and personal history as well as the observation of his or her behavior and giving him a psychological diagnostic test (Laursen, 841). One of the most important ways through which schizoaffective disorder is diagnosed from other disorders is through the timing of the symptoms. An incidence of a symptom has to occur for at least a month and this should be accompanied by mood problems as well as thinking disorders. In additions, all other symptoms apart from thinking problems should disappear for at least two weeks during that month. There are times when an individual might display more of one type of symptoms than others and these are classified as manic type, depressive type, or mixed type schizoaffective disorders.

There are several treatment choices for schizoaffective disorder but the most effective way to tackle it is through a combination of medications and psychological interventions . The specific type of treatment that should be administered on a patient depends on various factors. These include include; how severe the symptoms are as well as the type of schizoaffective disorder which the patient has (Schmitt, 89). The use of the following medications is recommended: antipsychotics which help with psychotic symptoms such as paranoia and delusions. Mood stabilizers work towards the smoothing out of the constant changes in mood experienced the manic depressive type of schizoaffective disorder, an example of which is lithium. Antidepressants can be used when depression is suspected to underlie mood disorder and these medications help with symptoms such as hopelessness, loss of concentration and insomnia. In addition to these medications, the individual who has been affected by this disorder should undergo a rigorous psychological treatment, and counseling to enable him or her to cope with their lives as well as to realize that they have a problem. This would greatly help those patients affected in their return to living a normal life.

In conclusion, it can be said that schizoaffective disorder is a very serious condition which should be dealt with as soon as its symptoms are noticed. This condition should be handled with complete understanding by all the people who are affected by it or are in anyway involved in it so that it can be batter managed. Nurses who handle patients with schizoaffective disorder should be given the necessary training on how to handle these patients so that their treatment can proceed more effectively. Many individuals have this disorder but since there is very little public knowledge about it, very few people even know that they have it. To prevent this ignorance in the public from going on, initiatives should be put in place to ensure that the public is made aware of the existence of this disorder as well as the various ways which are available for its treatment. This will not only create a greater understanding of the disorder, but it will also make people more aware of it, and if individuals happen to notice the symptoms in themselves, they may seek immediate treatment.

Influences on Women’s Health

Women from different cultures view good health as luck or success, while illness represents bad luck or fate. Health is believed to be a blessing from God; and it is promoted and enhanced by following religious teachings such as abstaining from matters that are harmful to health including alcohol, drugs, excessive eating, and sexual promiscuity, among other vices (Bhattacharya, 2004, p.106). In most communities, women prefer health promoting practices which include prayers, meditation, cleanliness, and breastfeeding (Pelto, 2008, p.237). Women in the Muslim community, for example, believe that illness is a sign of love from God, a test of faith and a blessing in disguise to obtain forgiveness for sins from the past. In most cases, the women in this community consider it to be wake-up call for self-reflection and enhanced spiritual connections. Illness is considered to be God’s will; therefore God is the ultimate healer but while this may be the case, there are some who do not necessarily believe that illness is God’s will, but believe that He is the ultimate healer. 

In some communities, the women are often influenced by the ideals of their societies so that whenever they face a health concern such as HIV, they might not share it with members of their own communities or even their families, because of the stigma associated with this condition (Bauer, Rodriguez, Quiroga & Flores-Ortiz, 2000, p.34). It has also been found that there are some political factors which influence the health of women and most of these tend to be related to the way they that their governments handle matters concerning their health. There are certain instances where governments rarely get involved in providing funding for the provision of health services for their citizens. In such circumstances, there exist those women who live below the poverty line and these are often left exposed to the different forms of illnesses which would otherwise have been treated.