Friday, October 18, 2019
Issue of health & food Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Issue of health & food - Annotated Bibliography Example Akineymi intelligently shares insights on how one can regain their health by applying right eating patterns. In spite of the health complications facing human beings, the author provides a framework that a person can embrace when working towards regaining their health. Essentially, it is important to appreciate the fact that some of the complications that arise due to the food we eat occur because we do not have the right information regarding the foods we eat. As such, the author focuses on the foods as well as the aspect of choice and its overall impact on our overall health. The author captures the potency of words when it comes to the diets we eat. As such, the author reiterates the role and impact of our feeding patterns especially concerningour overall health. The author shares important factors such as self-esteem, the importance of emotional awareness, the value of morality and the general perspectives aligned to what we eat. The reader gets a clear understanding of the importance of investing in knowledge and information especially when it comes to the individual choice of food. In the end, Asamoah shares some valuable insights on how one can benefit from an array of foods depending on their psychological orientations. Barrows shares on how a diet works within a specified timeframe. However, it requires an individual to take deliberate and informed steps when it comes to the choice. The type and nature of effects that you will experience during this process depend on several factors. The author captures some of the factors that influence or determine whether you will be successful or not. In a compelling and captivating fashion, the author shares factors to consider when choosing the right diet. The main theme of this book is on the individual freedom when choosing a diet. Minich, Deanna M. Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods That Can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your
Online Pizza Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words
Online Pizza Security - Research Paper Example We are facing many computer criminal attacks from diverse countries and continents. It is the need of the hour that we should realize these various shapes of computer criminal actions and should make an effort to avoid them as far as possible. In this way, we can lessen the possible damage concerning online computer crimes and their activities. Presently we are surrounded by a lot of new computer-based security problems. These problems are rising more and more due to viruses, phishing, worms, spyware hackers, etc. As we assess this problem from the deep then we see that no Internet user is secure from this type of computer security attacks. Now we are facing biggest danger form the online money frauds. Lots of people are uncertain from the online transactions. In our online Pizza system, we need to make sure that there is no security hole in the system working and online cash transaction. In this way the public will feel free regarding the online transaction and our business will gai n more customers loyalty. In presence of above-mentioned security limitation and difficulties, we can face problems regarding the web-based business. In a business such as online Pizza people need to enter their details (house address, name, gender, phone number, email, etc), so in this regard, they can feel some security dangers regarding the leakage of their personal data and information. So we need to consider potential security issues and establish a better security plan regarding the handling and management of these security issues and problems. This chapter is mainly planned to initially identify the main security issues we can face regarding the online pizza website and then I will suggest the main parameters we can follow to handle these security-related aspects. Ã Ã Ã
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Test of Market Price for Weak Form Efficiency Assignment
The Test of Market Price for Weak Form Efficiency - Assignment Example The presence of the market efficiency in its weak form when looking at historical prices can be explained through varying statistical tests, and the tests are mainly focused on the notion that the investor might repeatedly make more than the standard returns on the knowledge of the historical price patterns (Timmermann & Granger, 2002). To prove the weak form of market efficiency can often be complicated due to the infinite number of methods to predicting the returns in the future, evaluated against the past and present returns (Hamid et al., 2010). It is also crucial to note that there tests that can show efficiency and with the regard to the provided pattern of prices (Teall, 2012). The investor with intricate knowledge of the test that explains the market inefficiency might utilize the knowledge and obtain high returns, more than the face, or alternatively face a market obstacle that blocks the investor from realizing the market efficiency (Botten, 2007). Similarly, tests of effic iency in markets are in reality, the combined tests for the actual inefficiency and a single model that explains the standard profits in an efficient market (Moyer, McGuigan & Rao, 2015). As a result, the market efficiency concept cannot be ignored, unless the investor is aware that the right outlook for standard profits has been chosen for the specific course. Moyer, McGuigan & Rao (2015) perceive the presence of costly information in price patterns that are not normal, and in effect, the market cannot be efficient. Consequently, the best benchmark for tests of efficiency in the market will almost certainly not be hypothetically perfectly efficient. Hence, if the efficiency of the market in its weak form is present, therefore, the current prices shows that past information that contains every information might be analyzed using the price patterns of the past, as well as the trading volume of the stock (Schubert, 2009).Ã
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Tourism in the Republic of Cyprus Research Paper
Tourism in the Republic of Cyprus - Research Paper Example This leads to one thing; sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism is defined to as the move towards making less impact on the environment and culture in a given country while at the same time benefiting economically from it. The main objective is to develop tourism to the point where can continually have a great experience from the sector (Trejos & Chiang, 2009). Different countries have varied policies towards sustainability in tourism. The height of the problems coming from tourism guides policy making in every country. In this paper, we take the case study of Cyprus and the policies that they have adopted towards sustainability in tourism. Cyprus continues to experience growth in the number of tourists visiting the region every year (Gunn & Var, 2002). Its impeccable sites and beauty has made it experience an exponential growth to the number of tourists visiting the region every year. For example in the year 1975, they had close to 47000 thousands of tourists visiting the region. This number is nothing comparable to the 2.25 million tourists visiting the region in the year 2000 (Gunn & Var, 2002). The number has continued to grow in the recent decade, raising environmental concerns. While one can not dispute the economic benefits of such a growth, mass tourism has taken a toll on the environment in Cyprus. For example, in the year 1988, the income from the tourism sector estimated at 880 dollars. Today, the sector accounts for 20% of the overall income in the country (Gunn & Var, 2002). Features such as resorts for various groups, water parks with dolphins gracing them and archeological sites attract millions of people all over the world. The enormous numbers of people have had an impact on both on the culture of the people and the environment as a whole. For one, the noise from the tourists has been unbearable
The Test of Market Price for Weak Form Efficiency Assignment
The Test of Market Price for Weak Form Efficiency - Assignment Example The presence of the market efficiency in its weak form when looking at historical prices can be explained through varying statistical tests, and the tests are mainly focused on the notion that the investor might repeatedly make more than the standard returns on the knowledge of the historical price patterns (Timmermann & Granger, 2002). To prove the weak form of market efficiency can often be complicated due to the infinite number of methods to predicting the returns in the future, evaluated against the past and present returns (Hamid et al., 2010). It is also crucial to note that there tests that can show efficiency and with the regard to the provided pattern of prices (Teall, 2012). The investor with intricate knowledge of the test that explains the market inefficiency might utilize the knowledge and obtain high returns, more than the face, or alternatively face a market obstacle that blocks the investor from realizing the market efficiency (Botten, 2007). Similarly, tests of effic iency in markets are in reality, the combined tests for the actual inefficiency and a single model that explains the standard profits in an efficient market (Moyer, McGuigan & Rao, 2015). As a result, the market efficiency concept cannot be ignored, unless the investor is aware that the right outlook for standard profits has been chosen for the specific course. Moyer, McGuigan & Rao (2015) perceive the presence of costly information in price patterns that are not normal, and in effect, the market cannot be efficient. Consequently, the best benchmark for tests of efficiency in the market will almost certainly not be hypothetically perfectly efficient. Hence, if the efficiency of the market in its weak form is present, therefore, the current prices shows that past information that contains every information might be analyzed using the price patterns of the past, as well as the trading volume of the stock (Schubert, 2009).Ã
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Robert Mondavi Company Essay Example for Free
Robert Mondavi Company Essay California wine-maker Robert Mondavi has been one of the worlds most innovative and high-quality producers of fine wine. The Mondavi family did significant effort on showing the Napa Valley region to the forefront of international winemaking. Robert Mondavi is an Italian migrant and started his winemaking business since 1960s. His intelligence and passion in wine lead him to be a legend in Californian premium wine industry and owned brands like Robert Mondavi Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi Coastal, Woodbridge, Vichon Mediterranean, Caliterra and Lucente. Since 1979, Mondavi has also produced, in joint partnership with the Baron Phillippe de Rothschild wine family, the ultra-premium Opus One label. The company sells about 10 million cases of wine per year, with Woodbridge as its top-selling label. In 2001, the company earned $481 million in revenues and distributed wine in more than 80 countries. The Robert Mondavi Corporation went public in 1993, although the Mondavi family controls 92 percent of voting stock. Problem Statement How can the Robert Mondavi Company strengthen their competitive advantages and thrive in the long run in the global wine industry with many established and consolidated competitors. External Analyses ââ¬â Porterââ¬â¢s Five Forces â⬠¢Buyers The bargaining power of buyers in the wine industry is fairly high due to their concentrated control of sales at both wholesale and retail levels. Several large distributors control a substantial share of the market and generate most of the revenue for wine producers such as Mondavi. At the retail level, supermarkets and discount chains have become more concentrated, often accounting for 70% or more of off-premise sales in Europe. In fact, Mondaviââ¬â¢s largest wholesaler, Southern Wine and Spirits, accounted for 29% of the firmââ¬â¢s sales. And Costco, the largest wine retailer in US, also accounted for 10% of Mondaviââ¬â¢s total sales volume. Theà concentrated bargaining power of buyers gives the large wholesalers and retailers significant influence and power over wine producersââ¬â¢ business decisions. â⬠¢Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is relatively low in the wine industry due to the large number of suppliers for raw materials such as corks, bottles, and grapes; and prices for these raw materials are relatively stable as a result of significant competition. This situation creates less bargaining power of suppliers. On the other hand, backward integration within the industry also weakens the bargaining power of suppliers because the companies can control their supply chain. For instance, Mondavi signs long-term contacts with its grape suppliers and works closely with growers to improve grape quality and availability. This practice increases the price stability and limits the suppliersââ¬â¢ bargaining power over the company. â⬠¢Entrants The threat of new entrants in the wine industry is fairly low. Winemaking is a capital-intensive business that requires significant investments in working capital, as well as the cost of acquiring land. For luxury wine producers, an acre of land can sell for as much as $150,000 in California and $250,000 in France. There is also the fact that a new plot of land cannot produce revenue for several years, due to the maturity of the grapes. A new entrant must be able to sustain itself in the industry with no revenues or profits for a reasonably long start-up period. For these reasons, the threat of new entrants in the wine industry is fairly low. â⬠¢Rivalry The threat of rivalry is very high in the premium wine business. Major focused competitors in the premium wine market include Kendall-Jackson, Trinchero Estates, Southcorp and Robert Mondavi. Large-volume producers such as EJ Gallo and Constellation Brands are also shifting toward the premium wine market. And even large alcoholic beverage firms such as Diageo, Fosterââ¬â¢s Group, Brown-Forman and Allied Domecq are acquiring wineries to enter the premium wine business. The number of big competitors andà aggressive acquisitions within the industry makes the competition of rivalry exceedingly intense in the premium wine industry. â⬠¢Substitutes The threat of substitution in the wine industry is high since there are many alternatives including both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The alcoholic beverages mainly include beer and distilled spirits, while the non-alcoholic beverages include soda, coffee, and water. According to Exhibit 18a, beer accounts for nearly 55% of the World Market Share between the top 5 firms of beer, spirits, and wine, whereas wine only accounts for roughly 3%. Other substitutions include cheaper and large volume producers of wine such as EJ Gallo and Constellation Brands, which are both Mondaviââ¬â¢s competitors. Internal Analyses ââ¬â VIRO â⬠¢Access to capital Mondavi (MOND) is a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ, which enables the company to extensively finance its investments and expansion through its access to the capital market. Mondaviââ¬â¢s access to capital is valuable as the firm raised approximately $600 million in exchange for its stock shares. Mondaviââ¬â¢s access to capital market is also rare since many of its competitors are still privately held or independent. In addition, the huge expenses and complicated processes of an Initial Public Offering make Mondaviââ¬â¢s access to capital market costly to imitate. Finally, Mondavi is organized to benefit from this resource and the firm has utilized its capital to invest in several new production lines, new brands, land acquisition and winery acquisitions etc. â⬠¢Path dependence on land One resource of Mondavi is its path dependence on land. Robert Mondavi bought his first winery in Napa Valley in 1943 for $75,000. Today that land is worth more than five times that amount. Since 1943, Mondavi has made many similar purchases, and the land is only increasing in value. For this reason, Mondaviââ¬â¢s path dependence on land creates value for the firm.à Mondaviââ¬â¢s path dependence on land is also rare in the industry. Not many of Mondaviââ¬â¢s competitors have the same history with purchasing real estate as Mondavi. Since path dependence on land results from past actions, and since real estate in the wine industry is always appreciating, it makes this resource very costly to imitate. Finally, the organization is benefiting from Mondaviââ¬â¢s path dependence on land. Without it, the company would be spending millions of dollars on purchasing land, and would most likely not have the same competitiveness that it has today. â⬠¢Organizational structure Mondavi has reorganized its organization structure into three distinct business units: RMW, Woodbridge, and Joint Ventures Small Wineries. This structure is valuable to the firm as it helps to enhance the brand clarity within the company. Customized sales and marketing strategies help shape the distinct competitive positioning for each of the firmââ¬â¢s brands. Although Mondaviââ¬â¢s organizational structure is not common in the industry, it would not be very costly for its competitors to imitate this structure. â⬠¢Variety of brands One capability of Mondavi is its variety of brands. A variety of brands creates value for the firm because they can sell to different customers in different markets, thus increasing their customer base. Many of Mondaviââ¬â¢s competitors also have a variety of brands, making it not rare in the industry. â⬠¢Reputation Mondavi has 16 different wine brands through company-owned wineries and joint ventures. Each brand had a reputation for quality in its market segment and good relationships with the independent growers. It is definitely a valuable source of the company. However, a resource is rare simply if it is not widely possessed by other competitors. In this case, most of the competitors of Mondavi all have high quality reputation and well-known brand name, so it is not rare in the premium wine industry. â⬠¢High quality Robert Mondavi Winery has been recognized as one of Americaââ¬â¢s highest-quality winemakers since 1960s. Mondavi consistently uses only high-quality fruit along with traditional winemaking and aging processes to produce premier wines. RMC wineââ¬â¢s high quality has attracted a good number of loyal customers and rewarded the company a decent market share. Nevertheless, high quality is not exceedingly rare in the segment, competitors such as Trinchero Estates, Kendall Jackson and many other traditional European wineries also produce quality wines. â⬠¢History Robert Mondavi founded the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery in 1966. As early as the late 1960s, Robert Mondavi Winery helped introduce to California such fine winemaking techniques as the use of cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and French oak barrels. The history is the valuable and intangible source of the company. But since most of Mondaviââ¬â¢s competitor also have remarkable histories, it is not rare in comparison with others. â⬠¢Process innovation Robert Mondavi became one of Americaââ¬â¢s most innovative winemakers by introducing many new methods and techniques. These techniques included cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and the use of small French oak barrels as a way to age fine wine. He also enhanced the company by working with NASA to apply remote-sensing and digital mapping techniques which in turn helped enhance the vineyard. The company also developed a capsule-free, flange-top bottle. Mondavis innovative process is very valuable, because it keeps his company at the top of the industry. For example, in 1972 his 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon was named the best wine produced in California. Assuming these techniques are firm specific, Mondavis process is very rare and costly to imitate. Overall, the new inventions and innovative processes have allowed the company to be successful and earn money throughout the years. Alternative Solutions â⬠¢Merger Mondavi is currently competing in a market were consolidation has become theà new norm within the past decade. Many of Mondaviââ¬â¢s competitors have been aggressively consolidating, and the results have been profitable for them. An optimal merger partner would be with a well- established firm that already has a market presence in different geographic regions, such as Constellation. The advantages of this strategy would be the opportunities that would arise from entering new markets and regions, as well as the opportunity to become more cost effective. By consolidating like operations in both firms, such as accounting, the firm can reduce costs and increase the bottom line. Another advantage of merging would be that the new consolidated company would have a viable presence in more market segment. The disadvantages of this strategy are possible public disapproval, as well as loss of independent reputation. Another disadvantage would be the initial costs involved with consolidatin g like operations, and other predictable costs of merging. To stay competitive in the industry and to gain market share in new geographic regions, it would be beneficial for Mondavi to consider the consolidation strategy â⬠¢Global expansion Mondavi sells 90.5% of its wine domestically, but the United States is only ranked ten in wine consumption worldwide. For this reason, Mondavi should consider a global expansion strategy. The advantage of a global expansion strategy is the increased market share, and exposure to a larger customer base. Only 12% of Mondaviââ¬â¢s customers consume 88% of their wine. Mondavi must increase their customer base to stay competitive in the long run. The disadvantage of this strategy is the risk and costs involved when entering new markets. It is very expensive to not only place a product in a new market, but to also market the product and build brand awareness. Global expansion also takes a major time commitment and investment in human capital. These costs make it a very risky venture with no guarantee for success, because early-mover competitors, such as Southcorp and EJ Gallo, already have significant market share and resource advantages in these foreign markets. For the necessary reaso n of increasing their customer base, Mondavi should consider a global expansion strategy. â⬠¢Sale of the firm The entire Mondavi reputation and history are built around the legacy of Robert Mondavi. When Robert Mondavi is no longer active in the business, it may create financial distress for the company. Mondavi built his winery from the perspective of a family business that produces high quality products with innovative processes and environmentally friendly methods. Over the years, Mondavi introduced new techniques to the California wine industry, and he also hosted concerts, art exhibits, and other cultural events at the winery. Mondavi has built his reputation and customer loyalty by producing award winning products and being involved with the community. If Robert Mondavi is no longer here, then his reputation and history may die with him. For these reasons, Mondavi might want to consider selling the company as an exit strategy. Recommendation and Implementation Overall, we recommend Robert Mondavi Company to merge with another well-established firm such as Constellation that holds significant market shares in both domestic and international markets. The new consolidated company would have the opportunity to enter new market segments and geographic regions. Cost effectiveness would be another huge benefit when operations and processes are consolidated. This option of merger is superior to global expansion in term of cost and time efficiency. Merger is also better than sale of the firm because it will keep the core competencies of the company rather than abandon the entire business. Once all the formalities of the merger are complete, the new company must start an integration process. The company must decide what name to keep, as well as what to do about the shareholders. If the company that Mondavi merged with is a public company, they must decide on how to convert the shares. If the company is a private one, they must make a decision on issuing more shares or buying out the current shareholders. The newly merged company must also start consolidating like operations as soon as possible to benefit from the forecasted cost savings. Finally, the new company must decided which brands will sell in which market, along with the appropriate enter and exit strategies.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Effectiveness of Teaching Program on QoL of Elderly Patients
Effectiveness of Teaching Program on QoL of Elderly Patients CHAPTER ââ¬â 1 INTRODUCTION ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s not how old you are, itââ¬â¢s how you are old Live your life and forget your ageâ⬠Older adults recognize that they have less time in which to continue achieving their goals, so they face their challenges with resilience and determination. Gerontologists are increasingly recognizing that older adults who are aging successfully possess wisdom, which includes factual knowledge, problem- solving strategies, and the ability to manage uncertainty. Because many of the challenges of older adulthood involve health and functioning, older adults need accurate information, not only about aging, but also about interventions to promote wellness. Nurses are ideally positioned to teach older adults about health and aging and empower them to implement problem-solving strategies directed towards wellness, improved functioning, and quality of life (Blazer, Brugman, 2006). With increases in life expectancy, delayed onset of morbidity, and higher expectations for old age, interest in well-being in later life and how to achieve it has intensified. ââ¬ËSuccessful ageingââ¬â¢ has come to the fore as a goal for the ageing population. While an agreed definition of successful ageing remains elusive, there is broad agreement that core constituents include physical health and functioning, psychological wellbeing, and social functioning and participation. As the older population surges both in absolute and relative numbers, well-being in old age has also become a focus for policy-makers as a key indicator of the physical and psychological health, social integration and economic security of the older community (Bowling A, Dieppe P Dec 24). Despite the adverse changes that occur with increasing age, older people typically report high levels of well-being. Most feel younger than their actual age and maintain a sense of confidence and purpose. In the HeSSOP (Health and Social Services for Older People) surveys of older people in Ireland, conducted in 2000 and 2004, over three-quarters of community-dwelling older people scored high on morale (Garavan R, Winder R, McGee H. ; 2001, Oââ¬â¢Hanlon A, McGee M, Barker M 2005). In fact, older people are more likely to report satisfaction with their lives than younger people (Strine TW, Chapman DP 2008). Old age, it appears, brings with it an ability to adapt to age- related changes and stresses. One study found, for example, that physical decline did not have an impact on older peopleââ¬â¢s satisfaction with life, suggesting that they regard it as a normal and relatively acceptable part of ageing (Steverink N, Westerhof GJ .2001). Moreover, older people recognize benefits in old age, such as increased wisdom and maturity, with opportunities for growth and lessening of demands upon them. Research has come to emphasize that ageing is highly specific to each individual, which implies that the pathway of old age is not predetermined. While growing older unavoidably entails losses, some individuals cope better with these losses than others. With this in mind, it aims to shed some light on the personal, material and social circumstances that influence how well people cope. ââ¬Å"Successful ageingâ⬠refers to those cases where ageing people are free of (acute and chronic) diseases, do not suà ¯Ã ¬Ã¢â ¬er from disability, are intellectually capable, possess high physical à ¯Ã ¬Ã tness and actively use these capacities to become engaged with others and with the society they live in. Concepts which have been used in gerntological research and which emphasize dià ¯Ã ¬Ã¢â ¬erent aspects of the ageing process are healthy ageing (Ryà ¯Ã ¬Ã¢â ¬, 2009) Gerontology has seen many dià ¯Ã ¬Ã¢â ¬erent conceptions of active ageing. A classic deà ¯Ã ¬Ã nition of active ageing was presented by Rowe and Kahn (1997) who used the term successful ageing: ââ¬Å"We deà ¯Ã ¬Ã ne successful ageing as including three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with lifeâ⬠(Rowe Kahn, 1997, p. 433; Rowe Kahn, 1987). ââ¬Å"Successful ageingâ⬠refers to those who are free of (acute and chronic) diseases and do not suffer from any disability, aged who are intellectually capable and those who possess high physical fitness and actively use these capacities and engage with others and the society they live in. Concepts which have been used in gerontological research and which emphasize different aspects of the ageing process are healthy ageing (Ryff, 2009), productive ageing (Morrow-Howell, Hinterlong, Sherraden, 2001), ageing well (Carmel, Morse, Torres-Gil, 2007). There is a strong normative element in the definition of successful ageing. Successful, healthy and productive ageing are evaluated as the more desirable as ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠or even ââ¬Å"pathologicalâ⬠ageing processes. Most people want to grow old without being affected by chronic illnesses and functional disabilities. Despite the efforts are to increase the proportion of healthy life expectancy, a substantial part of the old, and the very old population will have to face dependency and frailty. Hence, attention have to be paid to the fact that normative definitions of ââ¬Å"active ageingâ⬠should not lead to the degradation and a discrimination against individuals and groups who do not reach the positive goal of ââ¬Å"active ageingâ⬠. (Fernà ¡ndez-Ballesteros, 2008). The WHO deà ¯Ã ¬Ã nition of active ageing was more inclusive in respect to dià ¯Ã ¬Ã¢â ¬erent ageing trajectories and the diverse groups of older people: ââ¬Å"Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health and participation and security in order to enhance quality of life of aged peopleâ⬠(WHO, 2002) The Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the UNECE members express their commitment to enhance the social, economic, political and cultural participation of the older people and also to promote the integration of older people by encouraging their active involvement in the community and by fostering intergenerational relations (UNECE, 2002). Old age often bring decreasing functional capacity and health problems which may affect the individualââ¬â¢s sense of wellbeing.The goal of health for the elderly in the society may not be free from diseases but the possibility of having a good life despite of illness are in decreasing capacities (Lawton, 1991; Nordenfelt, 1991b; Sarvimaki and Stenbock-Hult, 2000). The Quality of life of the people in a developed country with chronic health condition will have a lower impact rather than the patients with the same disease in a low income country where the resources to ameliorate the disability may be scarce. The subjective and the contextual nature of Quality of life inform the World Health Organizationââ¬â¢s definition as: ââ¬Å"an individualââ¬â¢s perception of his/her position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which he/she lives, and in relation to his/her goals, expectations, standards and concernsâ⬠(The WHO QUALITY OF LIFE Group, 1995). Thus Quality of life reflects a extended view of subjective wellbeing and lifeââ¬â¢s satisfaction that encompasses physical and mental health, material wellbeing, interpersonal relationship within and without the family, personal development, work and activities within the communities, and fulfillment and active recreation (Niemi et al., 1988). There is an important consideration in studying the factors associated with the Quality of life of the elder persons is the multi-dimensional nature of the construct and the possibility that determines from one dimension may be different from those of the other dimension. (Patel et al., 2007). NEED OF THE STUDY Little is known about factors that determine the Quality of Life of the elderly persons living in the developing societies and who are undergoing rapid social changes. Quality of life has become increasingly important as an outcome in medical research. The influence of health status is often emphasized, but other dimensions are important. In order to improve quality of life, there is a need to know what people themselves consider important to their perception of quality of life. The studies that are conducted among the groups of elderly persons have shown that Quality of life and the subjective evaluation of the life satisfaction are determined by several factors (Jakobson et al., 2007). Other than the demographic features such as age and financially status, the health, including social support functional disability and networks are often found to be important in the elderly personââ¬â¢s assessment of their Quality of life. (Bowling, 1994;Low and Molzahn, 2007;Richard et al., 2005 ). Other than functional impairments and the health problems to which most of the elderly persons are vulnerable (Clark and Siebens, 1993), old age may also predispose to some social and economic problems. The ccess to health care is severely limited both by manpower and paucity of health facilities and by out-of-pocket payment arrangement. Traditional family support is decreasing and social network is dwindling as migration and urbanization take the young members of the family away. Social changes are also affecting the position of the elderly in the society and leading to a reduction in their social status and influence in the community (Gureje and Oyewole, 2006). All of these factors affect the Quality of life of elderly. (Hickey et al., 2005) Quality of life is the central concepts in the ageing research. Two different traditions can be distinguished in this respect: Concepts which define quality of life in terms of objective living conditions, and concepts which define quality of life in terms of subjective evaluation (Noll, 2010). Similar distinctions have been made in the context of social gerontology. Objective quality of life can be measured by the extent to which the elderly has access and command over the relevant resources like income, health, social networks, and competencies that serve the individuals to pursue their goals and direct their living conditions. Hence, objective quality of life is high in those cases where the health is good, income is high, social networks are reliable and large and the competencies as achieved by the educational status are high. Objective quality of life can be measured by the external observers (Erikson, 1974). Subjective quality of life, in contrast, emphasizes an individualââ¬â¢s perceptions and evaluations. Individuals compare their (objective) living situation according to different internal standards and values. That means the elderly people with different aspiration levels may evaluate the same objective situation differently. Subjective quality of life depends upon the individual person ââ¬â and lies in the ââ¬Å"eye of the beholderâ⬠(Campbell, Converse Rodgers, 1976). Hence, high subjective quality of life can be defined as subjective well-being (high life satisfaction on, strong positive emotions like happiness, and low negative emotions like sadness). Quality of life has become increasingly important as an outcome in medical research. The influence of health status is often emphasized, but other dimensions are important. In order to improve quality of life, there is a need to know what people themselves consider important to their perception of quality of life. The study was of 141 randomly selected people aged from 67 to 99 years that formed a control sample for a study of suicide among older people. They were interviewed in person about their health, socio-demographic background and, using an open-ended question, what they considered to constitute quality of life. Their answers were grouped into eight categories. In addition, they were asked to choose from a ââ¬Ëshow cardââ¬â¢ three items that they regarded as important to quality of life. Functional ability was the most frequently selected domain, followed by physical health, social relations and being able to continue to live in ones present home. It was found that socia l relations, functional ability and activities influence the quality of life of elderly people as much as health status. ( Katarina Wilhelmson ,Christina Andersson, et al., 2004) Since 1970s cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, cardiovascular mortality rates have been declined in many high-income countries Age is an important risk factor in developing cardiovascular diseases, though it usually affects the older adults. It is estimated that 87 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 60 and older. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s important that this vulnerable group of people doesnââ¬â¢t get overlooked so that they are properly assessed and they receive the best treatments to improve their quality of life.â⬠Newcastle University,British Heart Foundation, (Professor Bernard Keavney, July 25, 2012) A study wasrecently carried out376heart scans calledechocardiogramson 87- 89 year olds in their homes. The results revealed that around a quarter hadundiagnosed heart problemsand are missing out on treatments, which could improve their symptoms and theirquality of life. (Newcastle University,British Heart Foundation, Professor Bernard Keavney, July 25, 2012) The purpose of the present study is to identify the effectiveness of structured teaching program on awareness of quality of life among elderly patients with cardiac disorders, at GKNM Hospital, Coimbatore. The researcher strongly believes that, the result of the proposed study can be used to enhance nursing initiatives, and to establish a teaching strategy for elderly patients attending cardiac and cardio thoracic opdââ¬â¢s at GKNM Hospital and thereby improve their quality of life. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Program on the Awareness of Quality Of Life among Elderly Cardiac Patients at G.K.N.M Hospital, Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES To assess the quality of life of elderly cardiac patients To assess the effectiveness of structured teaching program To find the association between the pre- test level of scores and selected demographic variables OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Effectiveness: It refers to the outcome of the planned teaching program in terms of awareness gained Structured Teaching Program: It refers to the systematic information provided to the elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. Awareness: It is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, and sense data confirmed by an observer. Quality of life: It is the personal satisfaction with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which a person lives. Elderly cardiac patients: Patients above 60 years of age and having cardiac disorders. HYPOTHESIS H0: There will be no significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test awareness scores of elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. H1: There will be significant association between the demographic variables and the pre-test awareness scores of elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. ASSUMPTIONS The elderly patients will not have adequate awareness regarding Quality Of Life. The structured teaching program will enhance the quality of life of elderly cardiac patients.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)