Suicidal Risk Factors for Older Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Suicidal Risk Factors for Older Adults - Essay Example 72). Even though variables within psychological, physical, and public domains have been related to completed suicide in older adults, â€Å"controlled studies are necessary to test hypothesized risk factors† (Stimming & Stimming, 1999, p. 98). Poor health as well as functional impairment raises risk, but their control seems to be mediated by dejection. Older adults who take their own lives are hardly ever stimulated by irritation or vengeance; rather, they usually just try to find the release in the form of death as an â€Å"escape from emotional and physical pain† (Ford, 2010, p. 22). Suicide in later life seldom seems to be a result of ambivalence or transmitted anger. It is argued that older adults are â€Å"less conflicted, more direct, and more aware of the reasons for ending their lives† (Ford, 2010, p. 23). Feelings of deficiency, insignificance and guiltiness, depression and misery are a few of the reasons why individuals with dejection come to believe that suicide is a practical solution. In addition, there are a number of factors that raise the risk for dejection among older adults, for instance, persistent disease, physical disability, loss, social seclusion, and failure of social functions and ties (Marcovitz, 2010). Recklessness and self-damage are both thought to be prognostic of suicide though this link has been more strongly developed with younger adults and adolescents. For example, one study, investigated attempted suicide between 17 and 65 year old members and found that â€Å"half had thought about it for 10 minutes or less before engaging in suicide-related behavior† (Leo, 2001, p. 32). Official suicide figures recognize older adults as a high-threat group. In 2010, it was noted that older adults consisted of 15 percent of the U.S. population, yet constitute 22 percent of its suicides. Among older people, there are between two

Environment analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environment analysis - Essay Example There are certain external factors that have exerted immense pressure on the company and internal factors that have propelled it to its current position. This paper will discuss both the internal and external factors that affect the HTC Company. The internal environment of an organization comprises of resources, capabilities, and the core competencies. Some of the company’s resources include valuable partnerships, especially with companies such as Microsoft. Moreover, HTC Company has exemplary, innovative design skills exhibited by the employees. This means that the HTC Company prides itself with employees who are committed to innovation. They are always willing to try out creative ideas and participate in collaborations forming teams that have served to bring new products on board. In addition, the employees have an exemplary talent and skill in hardware design and manufacturing. These aspects define some of the resources that HTC Company has. The highly innovative employees define a rare resource for HTC Company giving it a competitive advantage over other companies (Segan 57). The HTC Company has some outstanding capabilities such as research and development, manufacturing, and marketing. These capabilities have contributed to the company’s success in the past and are also likely to propel HTC to further success in the future. In addition, HTC has a strong value chain analysis with primary activities that have propelled it to success. For example, the company’s product design, manufacturing, and value chain in marketing research are some of the leading primary activities. Core competencies define HTC’s basis for competitive advantage. One of the leading core competencies is research and development (Flannery 37). The company excels in this aspect and invests 5% of its revenue to foster research in an effort to create new products. HTC;s product design also qualifies to be an additional core competency. This

Health and Hygiene Essay Example for Free

Health and Hygiene Essay The word technology refers to the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Technologies significantly affect human as well as other animal species ability to control and adapt to their natural environments. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include construction technology, medical technology, and information technology. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including todays global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Planet Earth and its environment. The distinction between science, engineering and technology is not always clear. Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method. Technologies are not usually exclusively products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety. The 20th century brought a host of innovations. In physics, the discovery of nuclear fission has led to both nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Through our modern day miracles of science we are able to appreciate that which is truly an incredible era of advanced erudition and self-sufficiency. Because of the advantages of modern day technology, we are allowed the unique benefit of looking back on what was and comparing it with what is and what could be. Technology is no longer seen as a barrier, but as a breakthrough. Bringing fresh insight and offering better jobs to those who are willing to take a step towards the future. .

Instructional Leadership Supervision Education Essay

Instructional Leadership Supervision Education Essay Abstract: Leadership is a discussion in every issue and everybody recognize how essential and valuable leadership is. Why some companies, teams, and schools do well as other fails? The credit or fault generally goes to the manager, coach, or principal. In school scenario the principal has to accept these consequences, as he occupies a distinct and key responsibility that has an effect on the quality of schooling. The questions about school scenario are (i) what is the main purpose of school (ii) How their students learn in the school (iii) How he coordinates all the activities i.e. students, teachers and curriculum. The focus of this article was on the theoretical basis of the instructional leadership and to review the model to build up the understanding of instructional leadership. Objectives: Following were the major objectives of the study To explain the concept of instructional leadership To review the James Weber Instructional leadership model What is leadership? Leadership is defined differently by different authors (Terry, 1960) called it the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group goals. In the context of this definition the knowledge, values, structure, and skills are necessary for a principal as a leader to inspire all members of the school community to work together toward the goal of an excellent education for all students. According to (Thomson, 1980) Leadership is best defined as getting the job done through people. This definition means that two things are necessary for effective leadership: accomplishment (getting the job done) and influencing the others (through people). According to (Weber, 1987) leadership is described as power granted with the will of the followers. It is authority readily invested in a trusted person and thus qualifies as a kind of moral and transformational power over the organization. In most definitions of leadership the two functions are generally considered indispensable to its meaning: setting directions and exercising influence. Each of these functions can be carried out in different ways, with such differences distinguishing the many models of leadership from one another.(Yukl, 1994) comments, leadership influences the interpretation of events for followers, the choice of objectives for the group or organization, the organization of work activities accomplish objectives, the motivation of followers to achieve the objectives, the maintenance of cooperative relationships and teamwork, and the enlistment support and cooperation from people outside the group or organization. He further explained the popular distinction between doing things right (management) and doing right things (leadership) as largely meaningless: accomplishing success as a leader, requires doing right things right. What is Instructional Leadership? (Debevoise, 1984) encompasses Instructional leadership as those measures that a principal takes, or assigns to others, to raise growth in student learning and consists of following tasks: describing the purpose of schooling; setting school-wide goals; providing the resources needed for learning to occur; supervising and evaluating teachers; coordinating staff development programs; and creating collegial relationships with and among teachers. Student Learning Instructional Leadership Supervision Teacher Development Teacher Performance Figure -A The above figure depicts that Instructional leadership consists of principal behaviors that set high expectations and clear goals for student and teacher performance, monitor and provide feedback regarding the technical core (teaching and learning) of schools, provide and promote professional growth for all staff members, and help create and maintain a school climate of high academic press. (Hoy Hoy, 2003) explained that the principal must communicate a clear vision on instructional excellence and continuous professional development consistent with the goal of the improvement of teaching and learning. The instructional leaders are listeners as well as talkers; they are collaborators with teachers and students, whose needs present the most important demands in an instructional role. The leadership process is interpersonal as well as dynamics. Particularly it becomes dynamics when the principals are accountable for whole instructional program. As instructional leader the principal is the pivotal within the school who affects the quality of individual teacher instruction, the height of student achievement, and the degree of efficiency in school functioning. According to (Mendez, 1989) there are three major forces that serve to shape and describe a school the public, the staff and the students and that these forces interact through curriculum. The role of the principal is to manipulate these forces in order to maximize the quality of instruction. The three key elements of learning: Teacher, students and curriculum Teacher Curriculum Student Instructional leadership is a complex task, it means that becoming a leader of leaders- learning and working with others i.e. teachers, students and parents to improve the instructional quality and curriculum. A Model of Instructional Leadership This is a model presented by James Weber (1987) which is based on two assumptions. The principal is the main instructional leader. The principal works with the leadership functions that are sometime shared and sometime not sheared. The functions of the Webers model are as under 1. Setting Academic Objectives A principal who is an instructional leader provides guidance for the school program, and describe the objectives to the general understanding. Vision for success (Leithwood, Doris, Alicia, 1993) and his colleagues found in a study that teachers commitment to change in instructional programs was affected the most by leadership that gave direction, purpose, and meaning to their work, e.g. the purpose of the school is to educate all students to high levels of academic performance. The principals responsibility is to ensure that the school has a clear academic mission and communicate it to the staff, which is focused on the academic progress of the students. 2. Organizing the Instructional Program After setting the goals for the school, the next step by instructional leader is to develop the strategies for bringing that goals into reality by allocating the staff, student grouping, and organizing the curriculum. These also involve the collaborative planning between instructional leader, students and parents. e.g. decision to place a student in one class or another. Certainly, the decision to place a student in one or another classroom, study group, or program is a decision that involves teachers, principals and the parents. The following are the some principals behavior that proved generally effective. Listen actively to staff and faculty ideas and produces opportunities for staff to implement innovative coaching arrangements. Make available resources and a encouraging environment for collaborative planning. Organize planning sessions to discuss grouping and scheduling arrangements with staff. Utilize staff recommendations. Keeps staff informed of policy changes. Expands options by varying periods in school day and days in cycle. 3. Supervision and Evaluation The most important task of principals instructional leadership is teachers supervision and evaluation. Instructional leadership means very little unless leaders are willing and able to observe teachers, offer advice about problems, and make formative evaluations that support and pinpoint areas to improve. Supervisors must have the knowledge of curriculum and instruction to know what to look for. According to (Gardner, 1988) To help others believe in themselves is one of a leaders highest duties. Following are the some tips that are effective for supervision. Classroom observations will be used to observe what is actually going on in the class rooms. What is the teacher and what are students are actually performing. Meets with teachers after each visit to discuss what was observed. Encourages teacher to express feelings and opinions about observational data and class activities. Offers teacher alternatives teaching techniques and explanations of class room events. Give praise for specific development of teachers skill if observed. Recommends resources and training programs in areas in which teacher need to improve. 4. Protecting Instructional Time and Program A study by (Cusick, 1973) found that 200 minutes of a students normal school day were spending on routine or maintenance tasks. He noted that the time spent actively engaged with some teacher over a matter of cognitive importance may not exceed twenty minutes a period for five periods a day. This is a high estimate. I would say that if an average student spent an hour to one and half hours involved on subject matter that was a good day. Teachers use instructional time for taking attendance, distributing materials entering and leaving the classroom, late start or early ending or such non classroom activities as field trips etc. grouping practices, instructional strategies, and the size of the class can all determine how time is spent in classrooms. Finally, achievement and instructional time both suffer when students are not in school or find it hard to concentrate because of disciplinary problems in the environment. Truancy and absenteeism can arise from a great variety of social and personal conditions, ranging from poverty and peer group influence to boredom and poor academic background. Discipline problems often emerge from conflicts, misunderstanding about rules, or the absence of clear boundaries for behaviors. Following are some of the behaviors associated in the research with increasing academic learning time (that is, time spent learning). The list focuses two crucial dimensions for learning time: ensuring c lass attendance and allocated time for instruction. For improving attendance Identify problems in enforcing rules on attendance and discipline observe that policies are clearly communicated to the staff members Put together community support particularly with parents Help teachers to set up a reward system for good attendance Distribute duty with teachers in informing parents of class absence. Allocated time for instruction Holds staff meeting to discuss common problems in instructional planning and offer solutions Protects classroom instructional time from interruption Insists on observing schedule Expects teachers to start and end classes on time, using the full allocated time for instruction Streamlines clerical tasks so that teachers can perform them more quickly. Visits classrooms to observe teachers and students 5. Creating a Climate for Learning All the important factors that appear to affect students learning possibly having the greatest influence is the set of beliefs, values, and attitudes that administrators, teachers, and students hold about learning. When a staff commits to support specific values, the concept of school improvement moves from the future to the present, and from the abstract to the concrete. So important is learning climate that it has been defined as the standard, viewpoint, and attitudes reflected in institutional patterns and behavior routine that improve student learning. The attitude that students shape about academic learning come, at least in part, from the adults in the school. It is clear that the norms for learning come from the staffs requirement of students: the amount of time needed for studying, the amount of work assigned, the degree of independent work that students can do, the degree of attentiveness students feel about the work given to them. High expectations are the fulcrum point that instructional leaders can use to get involved teachers, students and parents away from unhelpful unencouraging attitudes. Following are elements which are used to raise or lower the expectations Amount and quality of praise for correct answers Actual amount of teaching that students receive Content covered Teacher encouragement and support Teacher assistance and willingness to help Wait time Response opportunity factor (No of times students are called on) 6. Monitoring Achievement and evaluating programs It is a primary task of instructional leaders to assess and revise the instructional programs in schools. As in the case of supervising and evaluating teachers, whole programs can be reviewed for planning, objectives, success in reaching the objectives, and particular successes and problems. Ultimately the success of any educational program comes down to the performance of the students. Are they reaching the objectives proposed? Where are they failing and why? The more specifically that problems can be identified, the more successfully the learning problems can be remedied or traced to particular objectives, units, or course activities. Supervision and Teacher Development: Ernest Boyer (in Sparks, 1984) observed that when you talk about school progress, you are talking about people development. Thats the only aspect to improve schools unless you mean painting the buildings and fixing the floors. But thats not the school, thats the shell. The school is people, so when we talk about excellence or improvement or progress, were really talking about the people who make up the building. Focusing on people is the most useful way to change any organization. In fact, it can be claimed that organizations do not change, only persons change. It is only when a sufficient number of people within an organization change that the organization can be transformed. So, supervision means helping workers by offering professional advice and technical support in speed up efficiency and improving effectiveness of the process of production and product itself. Support and evaluation are the two major function of the instructional supervision. Support provides the support to improve the teaching process in terms of effective use of text books helping materials and methodologies needed for the individual needs of the students. Evaluation is the process of collecting the information for improvement in instruction and analyzing the data which then be used to improve the quality. If this assumption that people are the key to school improvement is correct, then it follows that the fundamental role of the principal is to help create the conditions which enable a staff to develop so that the school can achieve its goals more effectively. In short, a key to school improvement is the willingness and ability of principals to assume the role of staff developers who make it their mission to alter the professional practices, beliefs, and understandings of school personnel toward an articulated end. Supervision and teacher development go hand in hand. Supervision provides support and help to teachers. Principals have a responsibility to help teachers, improve their practice and to hold them accountable for meeting their commitments to teaching and learning. These responsibilities are usually referred to as supervision. Supervision enhances teacher development. The principal should keep in mind that what actions should be taken to bring about greater understanding of te aching and learning? Principals must encourage teachers to acquire new skills, support them during the inevitable frustrations, and recognize their efforts. Procedures must be in place to gather data on the impact of staff development initiatives, and principals must publicly celebrate indicators of improvement in order to help sustain those initiatives. Supervision is primarily formative and collegial, being concerned with improving teaching effectiveness. It is also important that principals be committed to continuous improvement. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed. While it is important that principals celebrate the attainment of improvement goals, it is even more important that such celebrations serve as motivators for staying the course rather than signal that the improvement process has ended. Most importantly, principals must not mistake congeniality with collegiality. They must strive to create a culture in which teachers talk about teaching and learning; observe each other teach; plan, design, research, and evaluate the curriculum, and teach each other what they have learned about their craft.

Public Grazing on Bureau of Land Management Land :: Agriculture Farming Environment Essays Papers

Public Grazing on Bureau of Land Management Land The Bureau of land Management is an agency of the department of the Interior. It manages 264 million acres in the western lands and over 700 acres of mineral estate nationwide. The purposes of these lands are mineral development, recreation, timber, and grazing. The on that we are going to talk about is grazing on the BLM lands and how they are improving them. In the 1930's, overgrazing was damaging the Western rangelands to a dust bowl. In Wyoming during 1909 the sheep numbers reached six million. Most of these sheep operations were nomadic, with that meant that some of these operations were keeping their sheep on public land all year round. The range land became deteriorated bye this way of grazing. By the 1920's and 1930's the ranchers and the conservationists wanted something to be done before the land got any worse. Congress knew that they had to do something before they lost their country's biggest asset. The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 was passed. What the TGA did was regulated grazing on public lands through using permits. With regulation of public lands they could control numbers of occupancy and uses on the land. It also could preserve the land from destruction, with that it could improve the land and develop it better. In 1964 Public Land Law Review Commission was established to make recommendations on how to manage the lan d. Congress responded to that by passing the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) in 1976, which keeps the lands in Federal ownership. The Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 was another act that improved rangelands. It realized that public rangelands were producing less than their potential. This act helps maintain and improve the conditions of the rangelands so that they become productive and usable to their highest potential again. The Executive Order 12548 of 1986, signed by President Reagan, stated that there would be annual fees for domesticated livestock grazing on public rangelands. Just in Oregon and Washington the federal government will receive over $1.8 million annually for grazing about 250,000 animals on BLM land. The BLM has improved the rangeland in Oregon by one hundred percent. With the Oregon Trail having immigrants and their cattle coming through, it destroyed the land with no grass left to graze. The BLM scattered cattle throughout the land and the grazing has improved, so has the water development.

Heritage Assessment Essay

The heritage assessment is developed to assist the healthcare provider cultivate a therapeutic relationship and approach in care. The use of this assessment tool provides an informative approach of care for the multiple cultural backgrounds that a provider may come into contact with. Clark, 2002 states, â€Å"A succinct knowledge of trans-cultural or multicultural setting within the healthcare realms is helpful in bolstering efforts towards attaining the primary care role of nursing. Thus, when working in the increasingly multicultural settings, nurses ought to refocus on availing culturally competent care, fully customized in suiting the target patient’s own traditions, cultural values, lifestyle, practices, and beliefs.† This paper is written to examine the health maintenance, restoration and protection decisions between three culturally different families (African American, Asian and Hispanic) and each of their unique values and beliefs associated with their particular ethnic group. Interestingly the result analysis will show that all though three different families presenting with three different origins of origination, traditions, values and beliefs regarding health and wellness as well as beliefs of disease processes share a common core faith and value system towards health maintenance, restoration and the practice of their Christian beliefs. By utilizing the Heritage Assessment Tool that is designed with twenty nine questions that seeks answers to details about the client’s familial relations, cultural background, social supports and religious practices and beliefs. Also, the assessment assists the nurses in the planning, and implementation of customized care, by offering intervention mea sures that are not only suitable on cultural fronts of the client, but also comfortable to administer (Clark, 2002). A positive patient-nurse relationship should be guided by the ideals of mutual respect and understanding of the client’s health beliefs, cultural values and religious aspects of practice. The ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ Heritage Assessment Tool details the actual parameters that nurses would use in examining the impacts that cultural settings would have on the patient, by assessing beliefs and dogmas on diseases and wellness. The cultural ties have direct implications on health care administration, including acceptable health promotional messages, preventive care, curative care, and old-age care services (Clark, 2002). Understanding the patient’s beliefs and feelings of health and wellness can assist the nurse providing  care the opportunity to effectively communicate and embrace modes of care. The Health Assessment Tool allows nurses to obtain perfect understanding of the client’s personal views towards health as well as how their value systems or practices af fect the perception of nursing care. (Clark, 2002) By interviewing three ethnicities: Asian, African American and Hispanic cultures an attempt is made to document the impacts of the many different values within the culture that may be associated with healthcare and clinical procedures. From the Asian culture the first family interviewed was a Filipino family. The heritage of the Filipino family is rich in traditions and beliefs as well as strong spiritual philosophies. The family unit among Filipinos remains an integral part of their life. In fact, Filipino families find it irresistible to have regular get-togethers and re-unions, as evidenced by their usual desire to hold ‘handaans’ where they literally invite all relatives for a family gathering. (Bateman, Abesamis-Mendoza, & Ho-Asjoe, 2009) It is not uncommon for â€Å"handaans† to be held once weekly with members of the family reaching out to their relatives. Living conditions for the Filipino families include multiple family members living under one roof. Priority and reverence of the elderly family members living in the home are apparent by watching as to how the younger members of the family dote on and care for their elders. As elderly members of the family progress in age and may be in need of advanced care it is not uncommon for the family members to care for their elder at home versus being confined to a nursing home as this is considered disrespectful and forbidden. The family interviewed claims a Christian based faith and attends regular services of the Catholic doctrine. Even more, in regards to health decisions within Filipino families are completed together with everyone ensuring the wellbeing of the entire family. This being said, some illnesses and mental health issues are seen as an exception to the rule due to the families strong religious beliefs and customary values associated with mental illness and negative spirits that attack one’s body after some way wrong doing the Gods. (Bateman et al., 2009) If a member of the family unit becomes ill the relatives offer emotional and physical support to assist with health restoration. Let’s take  for example, by utilizing traditional Asian treatments such as herbal medicine, acupuncture and acupressure Filipino families engage in restorative treatments. Often time’s acupressure will be utilized to relieve pain, nausea and depression and by utilizing small needles to specific pinpoint locations of the body acupuncture may be used to treat colds, itching and acute conditions. Herba l medicine assists with health restoration, maintenance and the populace that may be vulnerable. . At home the family enjoys their Asian delicacies; with emphasis on healthy diet to enhance body immunity. The health traditions are maintained across generations through apprenticeship, rituals/cultural events, and mentorships (Bateman et al., 2009). The second family was of the African American decent that was interviewed. Cultural systems of African Americans have been hindered after arriving to the U.S. African American cultural values and beliefs are deeply rooted in Africa, mainly Sub-Saharan African as well as Shelean cultures (Quaye, 2005). Unlike Filipino families, African American family units tend to be more loosely connected and focus more on the annual reunions and get-togethers. It is not uncommon for family members to see each other once a year or for special occasions. As family concerns and issues become apparent contact may be made via a telephone call at which time family members may then provide advice or support. The family interviewed considered themselves to be Baptist and go to church on special occasions stating that they often congregate with others of the same faith outside of the church setting. In regards to healthcare the family sees illness and other health issues as â€Å"getting aged† or jus t growing older. The matriarch of the family is willing to share that they have a strong familial incident of hypertension, cardiac disease and other illnesses that are culturally common within their heritage. Even though the family does not freely talk about illness directly to the affected member of the family it is not uncommon that they discuss it among themselves. Though African American uses mainstream treatment means and therapeutic approaches, health restoration and maintenance is purely based on adherence to a healthy diet. (Quaye, 2005) Life sustainment and  prolonged treatment may be sought during times of terminal illness but depending on economical standing may be averted. Medical support systems and preventative care are occasionally sought after within the community setting during health fairs for screenings for illnesses such as prostate and breast cancer during the onset of old age. The health traditions are retained through kingship and extended social networks where close and extended families pass on treatment traditions and beliefs across generations (Quaye, 2005). The last family interviewed was of Hispanic decent and unlike the Filipino and African American families has very little contact with their relatives as most immediate and extended family members live in Mexico. Although the family can contact each other via phone and social media they rarely visit in person due to crossing the border. The family practices Catholicism and attends mass on a regular basis. Further, the interviewed family, like other Mexican families, views the cause of illness or diseases as jealousy against others or due to resulting imbalance between cold and hot. (West, 2005) Herbal remedies and treatments are a common Mexican health tradition to fend off the illness and keep the sick family member warm and the use of oil is utilized to ensure the patient is protected from dehydration. It is not uncommon for the family to use traditional cures for heath restoration such as Curanderos or conditional care for illnesses such as diabetes. Home remedies are often passed down from generation to generation. During chronic conditions, health restoration and maintenance may be done through conventional treatment, but only after the mother convinces the father the importance of doing so (West, 2005). In conclusion, the three immigrant families show distinctive ideas and beliefs of traditional health maintenance and wellness after arriving the U.S but it can be seen that they share a common belief in faith as indicating their value systems towards restoration and feel they are protected by their Christian faith .When planning for wellness and health maintenance as well as restorative care it is important to consider family background, beliefs, values regarding the ailment and develop interventional measures that observes specific traditions as well as cultural and religious values. References Bateman, W., Abesamis-Mendoza, N., & Ho-Asjoe, H. (2009). Praeger Handbook of Asian American Health: Taking Notice and Taking Action, Volume 1. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO publishers. Clark, C. C. (2002). Health Promotion in Communities: Holistic and Wellness Approaches. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Quaye, R. (2005). African Americans’ Health Care Practices, Perspectives, and Needs. Washington, D.C.: University Press of America. West, J. (2005). Mexican-American Folklore. Armonk, NY: august house

The Hurt Man

â€Å"The Hurt Man â€Å"is a short story written by Wendell Berry taking place in the late asses. The childhood memories of the man Mat Filter are described from a third person narrator whose omniscience is limited to Mat.The fact that the narrator is able to give away information regarding much later events such as â€Å"she would begin to matter to him a great deal in a dozen of years, and after that she would matter to him all his life â€Å"of course referring to Margaret; Mat's coming wife gives the reader the opportunity to reflect on the current events with the future events in mind to each a greater understanding and later conclusion of the story. â€Å"The Hurt Man â€Å"takes on a very traditional short story form. First the characters are described then the setting.After that the banalities and dangers of Port William are portrayed followed by a trigger to lead on the story in a dramatic order: a hurt man arrives bleeding at the house of the five year old narrator a nd his mother. At first the title of the story seems easily analyzable and one might think that the story it called â€Å"The Hurt Man† only because of the hurt man it among other things revolves around. But I live it could also be referring to changes in Mat and how his innocence is taken away when learning of pain through the mother's care of the man. The setting of the story plays a decisive role as well.As stated initially, Mat grew up in a rather tumultuous and harsh setting where disputes were mostly settled out of court with violence; a town in which the â€Å"proof of mortality would be given in blood†. Here a noteworthy word â€Å"mortality â€Å"occurs for the first time in the story and almost from the beginning. The usage of the word mortality later becomes an essential part of the story and Port William. It is also told that the three deceased siblings of Mat are resting at the town's graveyard and their headstones became an immortal proof of their tough and short life in Port William.The mother was a strong and seemingly independent woman. She was treated with respect from the friends of the hurt man first when she stopped them to ask them who they were and secondly when she delegated the different task in an attempt to save the hurt man. Even though she had previously lost 3 of her children at very young ages much like her present son she did not hesitate to let him experience the airdrops of life first handedly. After all such experiences are necessary when growing up especially at that age.Of course she was concerned about his wellbeing to a certain motherly degree also did she love him. So she kept an eye on him but also let him grew up like any other child. Especially on Saturdays did she watch out for him since the town had a tendency to turn additionally disorderly that day. So in contrast Mat's mother is very similar to the mother of Creeps in â€Å"The Soldiers Home â€Å". Both of them want to protect their child but t hey don't want their protection to be arced on them they would rather have their children experience hardships and progress in life.The fact that it is two completely different situations and ages their children are affected by is secondary. The important part is their motherly care and the experiences they let their children have for the better on the long run. Mat was surprised when the mother almost without hesitation let the man inside their house. He was not afraid of man or the blood on his face and body. But if there was one thing he was not surprised about was that the mother took care of him and nursed is wounds. He knew she would do this for she did this to himself so why should his caring mother refuse to help this stranger?He was simply surprised about the facial expression of care, love, empathy and uneasiness which he had only seen directed at him. Then Mat realized what death really is by seeing his mother's genuine care and love for a complete stranger. He also under stood that this stranger would have been dead had it not been for his mother. When Mat then moved closer to his mother and uncovered her facial expression usually only directed at him: that passionate, careful ND worried look he has an epiphany in which he sees the world through the eyes of an adult for the first time.This is a milestone is his life (and life in general) and of course at his age he can only be shocked. For all of his short life Mat thought that the world was revolving around him and his mother only but after seeing how his mother reacted to this man's condition he realized that this man could have died and never returned like the many people buried at the graveyard. He then truly understood what dying means. This might also be the reason why â€Å"she would begin to matter to him a great deal in a dozen of years, ND after that she would matter to him all his life â€Å".First she did not matter to him she could have been a boy for all he cared but he ended up marr ying her maybe because he realized that life does not Just revolve about him and his mother. Through the pain he learned of he also learned about love, care and compassion which he later would share with his wife and grandson and as long as Mat would be happy there would always be a loss† He learned it all his life†. That is the law of equivalent exchange in which we and our universe live by.