The Moment I Realized I Had to Give Back by Teaching

Author(s):  
Deborah McPhee

The author provides insight into surviving a traumatic, life-altering experience and returning to school to finish attaining a degree later in life. Completing the process of gaining a higher education can be more than simply rewarding, for a survivor, for someone older than the average student, or for someone simply searching for their place in life. The journey can help people recover, overcome obstacles and fears, and not only put their lives back together, but improve their quality of life. Finding the right school and a mentoring program, one that helps guide a student through a higher education, can be more than a scholastic achievement; it can be a part of the process of rebuilding a life and moving on. In fact, it can be transforming and inspiring. This chapter examines the process and offers insight and advice on the importance of reaching goals, despite any obstacles.

Author(s):  
Ella Polozova ◽  
Vsevolod Skvortsov ◽  
Olga Radaykina ◽  
Mariya Narvatkina ◽  
Anastasiya Seskina ◽  
...  

The widespread prevalence of comorbid pathology determines the relevance of this problem. Comorbid pathology due to the interaction of diseases, drug pathomorphism, age characteristics of the patient, significantly changes clinical picture and course of the main nosology, affects severity of complications and their nature, significantly affects quality of life and prognosis of patients. Diagnosis and treatment of many diseases is complicated in the conditions of comorbidity. The article presents a clinical case of a comorbid patient with arterial hypertension from the moment of exposure to risk factors and ending with the formation of many concomitant diseases, as an example of trans-nosological comorbidity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-78
Author(s):  
Petr Adamec ◽  
Marián Svoboda

This paper deals with the results of sociological survey focused on identification of the attitudes of elderly people to further education. The research was carried out in September 2010. Experience of elderly people with further education, their readiness (determination) for further education as well as their motivation and barriers in further education were also subjects of this research. Detecting elderly population’s awareness of universities of the third age and finding out their further education preferences were an integral part of the research. Research sample consisted of citizens over 55 years living in the South Moravian region. The survey results are structured by socio-demographic features e.g.: age, sex, educational attainment etc. and provide an interesting insight into the attitudes of the target group to one of the activities that contributes to improvement of their quality of life.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Jannika Dodge-Khatami ◽  
Ali Dodge-Khatami

Abstract Objectives: The mini right axillary thoracotomy is an alternative surgical approach to repair certain congenital heart defects. Quality-of-life metrics and clinical outcomes in children undergoing either the right axillary approach or median sternotomy were compared. Methods: Patients undergoing either approach for the same defects between 2018 and 2020 were included. Demographic details, operative data, and outcomes were compared between both groups. An abbreviated quality of life questionnaire based on the Infant/Toddler/Child Health Questionnaires focused on the patient’s global health, physical activity, and pain/discomfort was administered to all parents/guardians within two post-operative years. Results: Eighty-seven infants and children underwent surgical repair (right axillary thoracotomy, n = 54; sternotomy, n = 33) during the study period. There were no mortalities in either group. The right axillary thoracotomy group experienced significantly decreased red blood cell transfusion, intubation, intensive care, and hospital durations, and earlier chest tube removal. Up to 1 month, parents’ perception of their child’s degree and frequency of post-operative pain was significantly less after the right axillary thoracotomy approach. No difference was found in the patient’s global health or physical activity limitations beyond a month between the two groups. Conclusions: With the mini right axillary approach, surrogates of faster clinical recovery and hospital discharge were noted, with a significantly less perceived degree and frequency of post-operative pain initially, but without the quality of life differences at last follow-up. While providing obvious cosmetic advantages, the minimally invasive right axillary thoracotomy approach for the surgical repair of certain congenital heart lesions is a safe alternative to median sternotomy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 8-8
Author(s):  
K. Thorsen ◽  
M. C. N. Dourado ◽  
A. Johannessen

AbstractBackground:Awareness of dementia is examined in different scientific fields as significant for assessment of diagnosis, and for treatment and adaptation to the disease. There are very few longitudinal studies of individual experiences of awareness among people with dementia, related to quality of life.Aim:To examine how younger people (< 65 years) with dementia (YOD) express awareness of the dementia and how, over time, they seem to handle awareness as a strategy to preserve quality of life.Method:A longitudinal qualitative study with individuals with YOD was performed with interviews every six months over five years for a maximum of ten interviews. The interviews were analysed by modified grounded theory.Findings:Awareness is a complex, multidimensional concept. Awareness of dementia is predisposed by personality, life history and established coping styles. The main coping styles – live in the moment, ignore the dementia, and make the best of it – seem to be rather consistent throughout the progression of the disease. Transitions in life situation, such as moving to a nursing home, may change the individual’s awareness of dementia.Conclusion:Unawareness of dementia may have an important adaptive function to preserve quality of life. To increase awareness must be approached with reflexivity and the utmost sensitivity.


Author(s):  
Suzanne McIlroy ◽  
Feroz Jadhakhan ◽  
David Bell ◽  
Alison Rushton

Abstract Purpose Following surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) up to 40% of people report persistent walking disability. This study aimed to identify pre-operative factors that are predictive of walking ability post-surgery for LSS. Methods An observational cohort study was conducted using data from the British Spine Registry (2017–2018) of adults (≥ 50 years) with LSS, who underwent ≤ 2 level posterior lumbar decompression. Patients receiving fixation or who had previous lumbar surgery were excluded. Walking ability was assessed by a single item on the Oswestry Disability Index and dichotomised into poor/good outcome. Multivariable regression models were performed. Results 14,485 patients were identified. Pre-operatively 30% patients reported poor walking ability, this decreased to 8% at 12 months follow-up. Predictors associated with poor walking ability at 12 months were: increasing age (≥ 75 years OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.07, 2.18), BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.00, 2.30), severity of leg pain (OR 1.10, CI 95% 1.01, 1.21), disability (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01, 1.02) and quality of life (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56, 0.89). Pre-operative maximum walking distance (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05, 1.25) and higher education (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.80, 0.96) were associated with reduced risk of poor walking ability at 12 months; p < 0.05. Depression, fear of movement and symptom duration were not associated with risk of poor outcome. Conclusion Older age, obesity, greater pre-operative pain and disability and lower quality of life are associated with risk of poor walking ability post-operatively. Greater pre-operative walking and higher education are associated with reduced risk of poor walking ability post-operatively. Patients should be counselled on their risk of poor outcome and considered for rehabilitation so that walking and surgical outcomes may be optimised.


2020 ◽  
pp. 107780122097549
Author(s):  
Walter S. DeKeseredy ◽  
Danielle M. Stoneberg ◽  
James Nolan ◽  
Gabrielle L. Lory

Obtaining accurate survey data on the prevalence of woman abuse in institutions of higher education continues to be a major methodological challenge. Underreporting is difficult to overcome; yet, there may be effective ways of minimizing this problem. One is adding a supplementary open-ended question to a primarily quantitative questionnaire. Using data derived from the Campus Quality of Life Survey (CQLS), this article examines whether asking respondents to complete such a question increases the prevalence rates of four types of woman abuse and provides information on behaviors that are not included in widely used and validated measures of these harms.


2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
BEATRICE MORING

The aim of this article is to explore the economic status and the quality of life of widows in the Nordic past, based on the evidence contained in retirement contracts. Analysis of these contracts also shows the ways in which, and when, land and the authority invested in the headship of the household were transferred between generations in the Nordic countryside. After the early eighteenth century, retirement contracts became more detailed but these should be viewed not as a sign of tension between the retirees and their successors but as a family insurance strategy designed to protect the interests of younger siblings of the heir and his or her old parents, particularly if there was a danger of the property being acquired by a non-relative. Both the retirement contracts made by couples and those made by a widow alone generally guaranteed them an adequate standard of living in retirement. Widows were assured of an adequately heated room of their own, more generous provision of food than was available to many families, clothing and the right to continue to work, for example at spinning and milking, but to be excused heavy labour. However, when the land was to be retained by the family, in many cases there was no intention of establishing a separate household.


2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482199686
Author(s):  
Candace L. Kemp ◽  
Alexis A. Bender ◽  
Joy Ciofi ◽  
Jennifer Craft Morgan ◽  
Elisabeth O. Burgess ◽  
...  

Meaningful engagement is an important dimension of quality of life and care for persons living with dementia, including the growing number who reside in assisted living communities. This report presents preliminary findings from an ongoing qualitative study aimed at identifying best care practices to create and maintain meaningful engagement among persons with dementia. Over a 1-year period, we conducted interviews, residents’ record review, and participant observations in four diverse care communities. Our analysis identified four approaches that successfully promote meaningful engagement: (a) knowing the person, (b) connecting with and meeting people where they are, (c) being in the moment, and (d) viewing all encounters as opportunity. Incorporation of these approaches in care routines and adoption by all care partners can promote meaningful engagement, including during crises such as COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 183-191
Author(s):  
O. T. Kotsoeva ◽  
A. V. Koltsov ◽  
V. V. Tyrenko ◽  
A. A. Ialovets

This review discusses a number of aspects of surgical methods for treating severe chronic heart failure: resynchronizing therapy, mechanical circulatory support systems, and heart transplantation. Surgical methods for the treatment of heart failure are a rapidly developing field of modern cardiology and cardiac surgery. The main surgical method of treatment was and remains orthotopic transplantation of a donor heart. The advent of implantable systems has affected the problem of heart transplantation. Over the past decade, the use of mechanical circulatory support systems has grown significantly. At the moment, there are 3 main directions: creating devices for auxiliary blood circulation, various modes and methods of electrical stimulation of the myocardium, creating devices that mechanically remodel the heart chambers (left ventricle). All of these directions to some extent (depending on the evidence base) have found their place in modern recommendations for the treatment of chronic heart failure. The use of mechanical left ventricular remodeling shows good results in patients suffering from symptomatic heart failure, which leads to a significant and persistent decrease in the volume of the left ventricle and improvement of its function, symptoms and quality of life. Despite the fact that at the moment the geography and prevalence of their use is small, the number of implanted devices will only grow. Thus, given the need for frequent hospitalizations and high treatment costs, it is necessary to improve modern methods of surgical treatment of severe and terminal heart failure, make them more accessible, which will affect the duration and quality of life of these patients.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-249
Author(s):  
Neil Hunt

Dementia is a progressive and eventually terminal condition, but with early intervention and the right support, people with dementia can continue to enjoy a good quality of life for many years. Living with dementia can be challenging both for those affected and their families as it can affect all aspects of daily life. It is vital that people with dementia and their carers are signposted to the support services that can help them take control of their condition and help them remain active and independent.


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