Fast food vs home food Essay Example for Free

Fast food vs home food Essay This generation has many people of all ages which are becoming more obese simply because they are eating more fast food than home food. Restaurants and many other fast food places have foods that contain high in fat, sugar, and salt. Having a healthy regular diet at home will keep you away from many health problems. Also having fast food only on special occasions is fine as well. We all need food to survive, but we should learn to make wise decisions in what we eat for the sake of our health. In today’s society people are making it into a habit of getting their hands on fast foods rather that home foods. Fast food can attract people more than a home cooked meal. This is a very bad habit to make because we are showing our children that it is alright to eat fast foods. For many young teens it is hard for them to say no to an attractive menu with such low cost. America’s children are known to be obese and it is not because of the fast food industry, but because the parents are those not teaching the importance of eating the right foods. For many people fast food can be the only way that they can go on with their busy lives because they are always busy, on the go, and do not have the time to prepare a home cooked meal. Many people can just go to a drive thru after a long day of work and be able to feed their whole family in no time. Little do they know that the fast food industry is considered unhealthy and can lead to many health problems in their future. There are those, like me, who grew up in the tradition of eating home foods. Home food is much healthier than going out to eat to a fast food restaurant. It is healthier because it contains way less calories, sugars, sodium, fats, and carbohydrates. Plus when cooking your foods you are able to use good quality ingredients. Eating at home gives you options of different variety, and you are able to make the food in how you like it. In addition, when eating a home cooked meal you are able to use the freshest ingredients and not worry about bad condiments that the food may have. Even though people eat food at home, that does not mean that they are considered healthy. You always want to watch what foods you buy and the nutritional value of the product. When going to shop for groceries we have to be aware of the nutrition fact labels. This will give you a better understanding of what kind of ingredients you will be putting into your body. Other than fast foods, you have no idea what kind of ingredients that the food may contain. There is a big difference with the calorie intake of a home cooked meal than eating fast food. For example, if I were to make fries at home I would know to use a healthy kind of oil that way it will not have a ton of calories. Other than a fast food place the fries are usually fried with cheap oil that is high in calories yet very tasty so that the customer will come back for more. Eating fast food every once in a while I believe will not hurt you but too much of it can cause serious health problems. Many fast foods are known to consume the cheapest kind of ingredients, which can put many people’s health at risk. On the other hand when having a home cooked meal, you feel much better because you will enjoy your meal without thinking about the health risk. Many people love the idea of going out to eat because the food is really tasty and looks very delicious. There are many fast food restaurants that have value meals and it makes it even more affordable so people can buy. Also many people who do not like to cook would rather go to a fast food stop. Where I live there is a fast food restaurant nearly every 5 miles or to the exit of mostly every neighborhood. This makes it convenient for a lot people because it is close by. These fast food chains are known to have foods that contain high in fat and sodium which can lead to obesity. In the US 1 out of 3 people are considered obese. The fatter you get, more likely you are to be at risk in having chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, and arthritis. These high levels of fat and sodium can also contribute to heart disease and can cause your blood cholesterol levels to rise and your arteries can lead to build ups of plaque. Preparing meals at home benefits in many ways. Creative cooking skills are bound to improve remarkably as you learn delightful ways to cook with flavorful and healthy ingredients. I know many people do not cook simply because they do not how. Which is a bad thing because most likely they are to go and get a fast food meal. Also when you eat more home cooked meals it can help trim the waistline of many obese people. Children who eat home food are likely those who grow up with healthy eating habits. This is beneficial because they can also learn to limit their portion size and also know how to use the different ingredients and healthy products. Parents should consider in teaching their children the importance of eating right that way they grow up with the dynamics of healthy eating. In conclusion, we know what is best for our health we should consider keeping it as a lifestyle to eat the right foods. Both fast food and home cooked food have their differences. Fast food may seem more affordable and convenient but a home cooked meal is made with much better quality. I personally believe that home food is much superior to fast foods. Eating home food will keep my mind from thinking of all the health problems. Promptly it is up to us to choose the right foods to eat. I would much rather go with home food that way I will live a long healthy life.

Biochemical and Mineral Changes in Coconut Fermentation

Biochemical and Mineral Changes in Coconut Fermentation Changes in biochemical and mineral composition during natural fermentation of freshly collected coconut inflorescence sap Abstract Fresh, unfermented coconut inflorescence sap is a natural, hygienic, nutritious liquid extracted from inflorescence of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.). Studies conducted to establish changes in biochemical (pH, total sugar, reducing sugar, proteins, amino acids, phenolics) and mineral (sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper) content during natural fermentation of freshly collected coconut inflorescence sap revealed that the freshly collected coconut sap was rich in biochemical’s like total sugar (16.78 g 100 mL-1), protein (116.91 mg 100 mL-1 ), amino acids (210 mg 100 mL-1 ) and phenolics (19.9 mg 100 mL-1); macro minerals like sodium (103.92 mg 100 mL-1 ), potassium (177.66 mg/100 mL-1), soluble phosphorus (2.16 mg 100 mL-1); and micro-minerals like iron (68.55  µg 100 mL-1), copper (32.75  µg 100 mL-1) and zinc (15.60  µg 100 mL-1). Natural fermentation caused consistent decrease in pH, total sugar, amino acids, iron, copper, and zinc significantly ove r the time with increase in protein and soluble phosphorous. Natural fermentation was found to cause reduction in the biochemical and mineral nutrients except sodium and potassium, making the sap sour to taste. Introduction Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), belongs to the family of Arecaceae (Palmae), is an important member of the monocotyledons, found grown throughout the tropic and subtropic regions, is known for versatile uses of its different parts. It is part of the daily diet of many people. Oyster white, and translucent coconut sap extracted from unopened inflorescences of coconut palm is reported as a natural and non alcoholic beverage, high in nutritional value and an instant thirst quencher. It requires neither mechanical crushing, as in the case of cane, nor leaching like that of beet-root. This palm sap is widely consumed in India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar (Mahanandi, 2006). Coconut sap is considered as nutritious and delicious drink with agreeable flavour. The chemical composition of sap varies, depending on various factors, viz. place, age and type of palm, mode and season of its collection. Sap contains a number of minerals and salts and is high in protein. It contains acids like ascorbic acid (one form of vitamin C), nicotinic acid (vitamin B3 and vitamin PP) and riboflavin (Rosengarten and Frederic, (2004)). The method of tapping and collection of sap vary from country to country and also different regions within these countries. In India and Srilanka, sap is collected mostly in earthenware pots/bamboo receptacles. The earthen pot/bamboo sac is connected to the spadix, to be tapped. Lime is coated from inside the pot to prevent fermentation of the sap. In this method of collection, the sap quite often gets contaminated by trapped insects dust particles. At Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, a simple device has been developed to collect fresh and hygienic sap from coconut palms. The sap so collected can be used either as ready to serve drink or can be used for the preparation of natural coconut honey, jaggary or coconut sugar without the addition of any chemicals. Limited information is available with regard to the biochmecianl changes in coconut sap upon natural fermentation and no reports were availble about the changes in mineral contents in the sap. Thus t he objective of the present study was to findout the extend of changes in biochemical and mineral constituents in freshly collected coconut inflourecence sap as well as naturally fermented sap. Materials and methods Coconut sap collection: Fresh, hygienic, unfermented, fresh and clean inflorescence sap was collected by tapping of unopened spadix of the palm tree Cocus nucifera L. (WCT x GBGD hybrid) in the CPCRI Experimental Farm, using the device developed at CPCRI, Kasaragod, Kerala, India (Patent File No. K.B. Hebbar2425/CHE/2013). Initial pH of the over night collected fresh sap was measured and the one set of sap was stored at -20 ºC and other 10 sets of sap samples was kept under room temperature (25  ± 2 ºC during the study period) to for natural fermentation. Each set of sample was taken at different time, then pH and other biochemical and mineral constituents were measured. Estimation of total sugar and reducing sugar: Total sugar and reducing sugar content in the fermented sap was determined using phenol-sulphuric method (Dubois et al., 1956) and Nelson-Somogyi’s method (Somogyi, 1952), respectively. In both methods glucose was used as a standard. Estimation of protein and free amino acids: Total protein and total free amino acids present in the sap was determined using Lowry’s method (Lowry et al., 1951) and ninhydrin method (Moor and Stein, 1948) respectively. Bovine serum albumin and leucine were used as a standard for protein and amino acid estimation, respectively.. Estimation of Phenolics: Total phenolics content of freshly collected coconut inflorescence sap was measured by Folin–Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent (Singleton and Rossi, 1965). Gallic acid in 50% (v/v) methanol solution in concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg 100 mL-1 was used as a standard. The content of total phenolics was expressed as mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 ml of fresh sample. All samples were analyzed in triplicate. Estimation of soluble phosphorus: Soluble phosphorus present in the sap was determined by molybdivanadophosphoric acid method described by Kitsonand Mellon (1944). An aliquot of 10 mL of sap was taken in a 50 mL flask and 10 ml of vanadomolybdate reagent was added and volume was diluted to 50 mL with double distilled water and the color developed was read at 470 nm after 10 mins. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate was used as a standard. Mineral analysis: Mineral content was determined according to official analytical methods (AOAC 1990) using a GBC make Avanta PM atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) equipped with a D2 lamp background correction system using an air-acetylene flame. Determinations were carried out in duplicates of each independent sample of each pH. For the analysis of minerals, coconut sap solutions at different pH were filtered through quantitative ashless filter paper and used. The samples were analyzed using AAS calibrated with related minerals in different concentrations for different macro (potassium and magnesium) and micro-minerals (copper, iron and zinc). All the chemicals used in this study were of analytical grade and the standard solutions of minerals for AAS were purchased from Merck, Germany. The detection limits for minerals were 3  µg/100 g for K; 0.3  µg/100 g for Mg; 3  µg/100 g for Cu; 6  µg/100 g for Fe and 1  µg/100 g for Zn. Statistical analyses: All statistical analyses were performed using of Statistical Analysis Software system, Version 9.2 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) (SAS 2009). Analysis of variance, using PROC GLM was used to determine significant differences among the fermented sap samples for biochemical and mineral constituents. Simple linear correlation analysis was performed to indicate the measure of correlation and strength of relationship between variables studied. Results and discussion: The coconut inflorescence sap collected using device developed at CPCRI, Kasaragod, Kerala, India was analyzed for biochemical and mineral constituents at initial level immediately after collection, and at different time intervals after allowing for natural fermentation under room condition. Significant differences were observed for all biochemical and mineral constituents, except sodium and potassium, with respect to natural fermentation (Table 1 and Table 2). Linear correlation (r) between time, biochemical parameters and minerals studied in coconut inflorescence sap due to natural fermentation were given in table 3. Changes in pH: The pH of the coconut sap samples decreased from 7.57 to 3.95 by the end of 4 hrs due to natural fermentation and observed significant negative correlation with time (r = -0.991, at P Changes of total sugar and reducing sugar content: At initial time, the total sugar and reducing sugar content in the sap was about 16.78 g and 0.48 g 100 mL-1, respectively. At the end of 4th hr, the total sugar content reduced to 8.9 g 100 mL-1 and reducing sugar content increased to 3.5 g 100 mL-1. Xia et al., (2011) reported that sucrose was the predominant sugar in the fresh sap; reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose were in negligible amount in fresh unfermented sap. Once the fermentation starts, the total sugar level was drastically reduced and at the same time there was a sharp increase in reducing sugar content, which meant that the content of fructose and glucose increased but sucrose decreased. This is due to sucrose being converted into fructose and glucose during initial fermentation. At the same time, the broken down glucose and fructose was utilized by the microorganisms at later stages. This may be the reason for the overall reduction in total sugar content fr om 16.78 g to 8.9 g 100 mL-1. Significant positive correlation between pH and total sugar (r=0.912, at P r= -0.914 and -0.926, respectively, at P Changes of total protein and free amino acids: The protein content of the freshly collected coconut sap was about 116.91 mg 100 mL-1, when the fermentation progress, there was a significant increase in the protein content and it reached 839.21 mg 100 mL-1 at the end of 4 hrs, and it was negatively correlated with the free amino acid content. At initial stage the free amino acid content was about 210 mg 100 mL-1 sap. Free amino acid content decreased drastically due to fermentation and reached to 77.76 mg 100 mL-1 sap at pH of about 4.7. Correlation study showed that there was a significant negative correlation between total protein and free amino acids (r= -0.715, at P The phenolic content in fresh sap was about 19.9 mg 100 mL-1. There was a difference in the phenolic content upon fermentation; the change in phenolics content didn’t showed any trend. Upon fermentation, the content of phenolics starts decreased for up to 90 mins, there after there was a steady state. The results are against the earlier study which showed there was drastic increase in phenolics content due to the release of phenols from polyphenols by the action of microbial fermentation (Xia et al., 2011). Earlier studies showed that there was a steady state between hydrolysis of polyphenols and the action of polyphenoloxidase; processes that generate and oxidize, respectively, leads to no drastic change in phenolic content (Cruz et al., 2013). The major biochemical changes occurring in the fermenting sap indicated that a natural fermentation of coconut sap consist of initial lactic acid fermentation, a middle alcoholic fermentation and final acetic acid fermentation. It also appeared that activities brought about by micro-organisms of early phase helped the activities of the micro-organisms in each of the later phases (Atputharajah et al., 1986) Changes in mineral composition by natural fermentation: Mineral composition of coconut inflorescence sap and their changes during natural fermentation were given in the table 2. Potassium (177.66 mg/100 mL-1) was the major mineral nutrient present in the fresh sap followed by sodium, which was about 103.92 mg 100 mL-1. In the present study, there was no significant differences were found for the changes in potassium and sodium content in the fresh sap and fermented sap. Soluble phosphorus content in the fresh sap was 2.16 mg 100 mL-1.There was significant differences were found for the soluble phosphorus content in the sap upon fermentation. The soluble phosphorus content was found to increase to 6.41 mg 100 mL-1 at the end of 4th hr due to microbial fermentation, which increases the solubility of the phosphorus. Earlier studies, Lopez et al. (2001) found thatlactic acid bacteria present in sourdough enhanced acidification, leading to increased magnesium and phosphorus solubility. Freshly collected coconut sap was rich in micro-minerals like iron (68.55  µg 100 mL-1), copper (32.75  µg 100 mL-1) and zinc (15.60  µg 100 mL-1). Once the fermentation starts, the level of micro-minerals present in the sap starts declining and the changes was significant. There was a significant negative correlation found between time and all micro-minerals studied (r= -0.948, -0.930 and -0.890 for iron, copper and zinc, respectively, with time). Microorganisms require several micronutrients like manganese, zinc, cobalt, nickel and copper are available in nature, have many roles in the cells as a part of enzymes, cofactors that make to catalysis of reaction and maintenance of protein structure. This leads to reduction in available micro-mineral contents in the sap during fermentation. Conclusion The biochemical studies revealed that the freshly collected coconut inflorescence sap was rich in biochemicals such as sugar, protein, free amino acids and mineral nutrients such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper and zinc. Due to natural fermentation there was a drastic change in the above said nutrients except sodium and potassium. In most cases, the natural fermentation reduces the available nutrients in the sap and make the sap sour to taste. Thus, there is a need to find out suitable methods to prevent the natural fermentation of coconut sap without affecting its nutritional quality and make it as a delicious health drink. Table 1. Changes in pH and biochemical composition in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation Table 2. Changes in mineral constituents in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation Table 3. Linear correlation (r) between the biochemical parameters and minerals studied in coconut inflorescence sap due to natural fermentation TS – total sugar; RS – Reducing sugar; AA – amino acids * indicates significant at P=0.05 Figure 1. Changes in pH, total sugar and reducing sugar contents in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation. The results are representative of three replicates and values are expressed as mean  ± SD. Figure 2. Changes in protein and free amino acids content in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation. The results are representative of three replicates and values are expressed as mean  ± SD. Figure 3. Changes in sodium, potassium and phosphorus contents in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation. The results are representative of three replicates and values are expressed as mean  ± SD. Figure 4. Changes in iron, copper and zinc contents in coconut inflorescence sap due to fermentation. The results are representative of three replicates and values are expressed as mean  ± SD. Acknowledgement References J Agric Food Chem.2001 May;49(5):2657-62. Prolonged fermentation of whole wheat sourdough reduces phytate level and increases soluble magnesium. Lopez HW1,Krespine V,Guy C,Messager A,Demigne C,Remesy C. Jaqueline Fontes Moreau Cruz, Paula Bacelar Leite, Sergio Eduardo Soares and Eliete da Silva Bispo. Assessment of the fermentative process from different cocoa cultivars produced in Southern Bahia, Brazil Vol. 12(33), pp. 5218-5225, 14 August, 2013 Colorimetric Determination of Phosphorus as Molybdivanadophosphoric Acid R E. Kitson,M G. Mellon Ind. Eng. Chem. Anal. Ed.,1944,16(6), pp 379–383

our town :: essays research papers

Our Town   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our Town, by Thornton Wilder is a play that takes place in a small fictional town of Grover's Corner, New Hampshire; beginning in 1901 and ending in 1913. The play takes the audience through the cycles of life, with the purpose of getting a message across stating that life shouldn't be taken for granted. Emily Webb, one of the most important characters in the play, is Wilder's character in which he uses to show the audience a message that anyone would understand and relate to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emily is a character that is normal enough so that the audience could relate to her; and be different in little ways that makes people love and admire her. These cycles makes her common, thus relatable to the audience. Without going through common events in life, the character would seem distant and likeable to the audience. Similarly, when Emily said that she expects a man to be perfect, it makes her special. Wilder put in that scene because he believed that even though there is a basic image of an average person, to be truly average, the character must have a difference to separate the character from the crowd. If the character doesn't have any differences, then the character would be faceless; impossible for the character to take a major role in the play. Emily is portrayed uniquely in her own way, and yet is still within the boundaries of everyone else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The character Emily plays a crucial scene in the play, the part where Emily went back to her twelfth birthday. At first, Emily wanted to go back and relive the happiest day of her life, but Mrs. Gibbs stopped her and told her to visit a normal day instead. Mrs. Gibbs knew what would happen to Emily if she had relived a joyful day in her life. If Emily had went back to a special occasion, she would've been overwhelmed by the all the beauty that she didn't pay attention to. Therefore, Emily went to relive her twelfth birthday, but wasn't as happy as she thought she would have been.

Older Woman Essay -- essays research papers

Older Women - Hidden Sexual Abuse Victims Although other forms of violence within the family have received increasing attention from professionals and the media over recent years, including the physical abuse and neglect of children, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence, elder abuse remains relatively hidden. This is especially true of sexual abuse of older persons. While there are some references to stranger rapes of older women, the topic of elder sexual abuse within the family is rarely addressed in the professional literature, and seldom confronted by social workers, medical personnel or advocates. This is partly true because sexuality is usually associated with younger people. Yet, if sexual abuse is a function of power and control, frail older persons, who often have little power and may be dependent on others for care, can be extremely vulnerable to sexual mistreatment. Elder sexual abuse is defined as coercing an older person, through force, trickery, threats, or other means, into sexual contact against her or his will. It often begins with covert activities such as inappropriate remarks and threats, and escalates to more severe types of mistreatment, including: the offender forcing the victim to view pornography or to listen to explicit sexual accounts; sexualized kissing and fondling; oral-genital contact; digital penetration; vaginal rape; anal rape; rape by objects; exploitation (e.g., prostituting or swapping the victim); sadistic acts, and ritualistic abuse.1 The prevalence of elder sexual abuse is not known because no systemic study has been done to determine how widespread the problem is. Where it is uncovered, it is usually by adult protective services workers who are called to intervene in other types of mistreatment of older persons, such as physical abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. In the first study of its kind, Holly Ramsey-Klawsnik, Ph.D. in 1991 examined twenty-eight (28) Massachusetts cases in which sexual abuse was identified by elder abuse case workers. All the victims resided in the community (not in nursing homes or other institutional facilities). All were female, ranging in age from 65 to 101, while all but one of the offenders was male. Four out of five of the offenders were care givers to the victims, the vast majority of whom had significant impairments which made them totally dependent on others for dai... ...e services will reduce the victim's dependence on the abuser and will also reduce her isolation, both of which contribute significantly to vulnerability to abuse. The rape crisis center and local adult protective services programs should cooperate on other interventions such as legal remedies in order to avoid duplication of effort and to reduce the confusion to the client. Vulnerable older persons need and deserve the skilled attention of all those with whom they come into contact in order to reduce their vulnerability to sexual abuse. Work Cited 1 Ramsey-Klawsnik, Holly, Ph.D. "Elder Sexual Abuse: Preliminary Findings." Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect. Vol. 3(3), 1991. 2 Ibid. 3 Holt, Malcolm G., CSS "Elder Sexual Abuse in Britain: Preliminary Findings." Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect. Vol.5(2), 1993. 4 Russell, Diane E. Rape in Marriage. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1990. 5 Ramsey-Klawsnik. 6 Illinois Department on Aging, Elder Abuse and Neglect Program: FY 1995 Annual Report. Springfield, Illinois, 1996. 7 Groth, A.N., "The Older Rape Victim and Her Assailant." Geriatric Psychiatry, 203-215, 1978, as cited in Ramsey-Klawsnik. 8 Ramsey-Klawsnik

Difficulty In Making An Important Decision :: essays research papers

Difficulty In Making An Important Decision Assignment: Describe a particular time in your life when you had difficulty making an important decision. During the course of our lifetimes we make many significant and difficult choices that affect us. These choices affect our personal and professional lives. Therefore, we make these choices with much thought and care. One of the most difficult and important decisions I have made was changing careers. Changing careers at this stage of my life, mid-life, was very difficult. Preparation for my new career required me to resign my job. The former position was providing a major portion of my family's income and most of the medical benefits. Some means of earning a living while preparing for a new career was foremost on my mind during this stage. If I spent to much time and energy pursuing a job to provide a means for supporting my family while retraining, I might not do a sufficient job of retraining for a new career. Another difficulty equally as important as the the financial one was the possibility of failing at a new endeavor or not being able to find a new job. These possibilities made me feel uncomfortable and insecure. If I failed or could not find a new position, what would my family think of me? Failing at a new career would also cause me to lose confidence in myself. These concerns, failure and financial, and not finding a new job made this decision very difficult. The decision to choose a new career was an extremely important one. The sole function of a career is not just to provide a means to make a living; it should have a larger purpose. The work I was doing did little for others, and in fact, served only a small, special interest group. In addition to pursuing a meaningful career, a career should be satisfying, and make some

Principles for implementing duty of care Essay

Explain what it means to have a duty of care in own work role. As a care assistant, I have a Duty of Care that is a legal requirement/obligation, requiring that I adhere to a good quality & standard of care when providing care & support to my service users. Every individual should be supported & enabled to live in an environment which is free from prejudice & safe from abuse. My responsibility under the duty of care is to do everything reasonable within my job role description & in conjunction with my employer’s policies & procedures to make this happen. It is part of my job role to care for individual’s, ensuring that the individual’s needs & well being are looked after. As individual’s, all service users have a right to be treated with respect, given choice, treated fairly & equally & not to be mistreated or subjected to any form of abuse. Taking on the role of a care assistant, I have agreed to provide a duty of care to the individual by following: â₠¬â€œ the codes of practice (outlined by HASWA), following company policies & procedures, undertaking the necessary training & conducting myself in a respectful, professional & competent manner. Following these guidelines empowers me with the knowledge, skills & competence to carry out my day to day tasks whilst ensuring that all who I come into contact with during my working day are protected from harm, injury or abuse: i.e. the service user, their family & friends, fellow work colleagues etc†¦ Explain how duty of care contributes to the safeguarding or protection of individuals. In my current role, I have a duty of care to ensure that all service users are safe. I have a duty to raise any & all concerns I have about any facet of my job e.g. inadequate working conditions, poor equipment, poor training, bad practice by other staff members, raising concerns about potential abuse & situations of neglect. My duty of care contributes to the safeguarding & protection of the individual, by ensuring that individuals are safe from any sort of harm such as: illness, injury or abuse. It is my responsibility to work within the codes of practice & my employer’s policies & pr ocedures. This involves the recording & documenting of all information when an accident or incident occurs & pass this  information immediately on to my superiors & other relevant persons i.e. doctors & social workers. Know how to address conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between an individual’s rights and the duty of care. Describe potential conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between the duty of care and an individual’s rights. It is my duty of care to support my service users to take their medication that has been prescribed by a doctor & to ensure that they are in good health. If a service user refuses to take their medication that is their right, however, this could be detrimental to their health. I would ask the individual as to why they did not want to take their medication, as there may be an underlying issue such as: the individual has developed a problem swallowing or is finding the tablets too large to swallow. In each case I would call a doctor & explain the sit uation. The doctor may say the individual has tonsillitis & can prescribe smaller tablets. I would then record this information & report it back to my manager. If a service user just refused to take their medication because they did not feel like taking it, i.e. because they were in a bad mood, they still have the right to do so. At this point I would try to encourage them to take the medication by explaining to them that it has been prescribed to them by a doctor for a reason, therefore you must require it. If the service user still refused, I would make a record of it, report it to my manager, leave the individual & return 30 minutes later to see if they had become more receptive to taking the medication. If the individual still refused to take their medication I would record this & call my manager as I have a duty of care to the individual to report it. Another example of a dilemma could be if a service user who is unsteady on their feet, refuses to use their walking aid. The individual i s at risk of falling causing injury to themselves or others. I have a duty of care to encourage the individual to use their walking aid by explaining the possible consequences of what could happen as a result of their actions. However, it is the individual’s right to make that choice & I cannot force or pressurise them. Describe how to manage risks associated with conflicts or dilemmas between individual’s rights & the duty of care. Managing conflicts & dilemmas of this nature, is best achieved by working with the individual to put risk assessments in place to try & make the situation as safe as possible, but still allowing the individual the freedom & right to do as they  choose. A risk assessment is not carried out to remove the risk, but rather to put in place actions that will help reduce the risk to stop the possibility becoming reality, looking at situations where there is a risk & considering what can be done to reduce it. An example of this could be an individual refuses to take their prescribed medication for whatever reason. The individual has the right to decline taking the medication, but this would then create a risk to the health & well-being of the individual. I would ask the individual as to why they did not want to take their medication, as there may be an underlying issue such as: the individual has developed a problem swallowing or is finding the tablets too large to swallow. In each case I would call a doctor & explain the situation. The doctor may say the individual has tonsillitis & can prescribe smaller tablets. I would then record this information & report it back to my manager. If however, the individual just refused to take their medication because they did not feel like taking it, i.e. because they were in a bad mood, they still have the right to do so. At this point I would try to encourage them to take the medication by explaining to them that it has been prescribed to them by a doctor for a reason, therefore you must require it. If the individual still refused, I would make a record of it, report it to my manager, leave the individual & return 30 minutes later to see if they had become more receptive to taking the medication . If the individual still refused to take their medication I would record this & call my manager as the individual has now created a risk & I have a duty of care to the individual to report it. Describe how to manage risks associated with conflicts or dilemmas between individual’s rights & the duty of care. If a situation ever arose where I required additional support in resolving conflicts/dilemmas, there are numerous sources at my disposal. I.e. Work Colleagues – who may have had to deal with a similar situation & can provide me with advice & support that I require. Policies & Procedures – my employers have strict guidelines which can be found in the policies & procedures handbook. If I am ever unsure of how to deal with conflicts/dilemmas I can refer to this handbook. Trade Union – they are experienced in dealing with conflicts/dilemmas & can easily provide information or support on dealing with various conflicts/dilemmas. Training – my job role requires regular & consistent training in all aspects of  my role, including having to deal with conflicts/dilemmas. This means I can refer to my handouts & notes given to me during my training. Management – any serious conflicts/dilemmas that I cannot resolve I can immediately contact my organiser or higher management who can then support & advise me on the correct course of action to take. Know how to respond to complaints Describe how to respond to complaints. I would respond to any complaint an individual had by firstly, sitting down with them & asking what the complaint is. If the complaint was of a minor nature & something I could resolve without support, I would ask the individual if they would like me to do so. If the complaint was of a more serious nature & of greater concern that may require further investigation, I would show the individual the complaints procedure located in their red folder which is in all the service user’s homes. I would then ask the individual if they would like me to read it to them & ask the individual if they understand. I would then show them the complaints form & ask if they need assistance to complete it. I would have to inform my manager of all the information relating to the complaint. Explain the main points of agreed procedures for handling complaints. Ensure the individual understands how to use the complaints procedure – this would involve asking the individual whether they understood how to use the complaints procedure. If their response was no I would advise & refer them to their red folder. Explain to the individual how the procedure works & when they could expect a response. This involves providing the individual with a time scale on when action will be taken e.g. an initial response to the complaint should be received within three days, then anything up to 28 days for resolution to the complaint; if the complaint is of a more serious nature a formal investigation may be required which will take from 3 – 6 months in total; there may be an informal stage where consultation with the complainant can resolve the complaint fairly quickly. Take the individuals complaint seriously, listen to their complaint, be polite & respectful. This involves; focusing on the individual (making eye contact); do not be judgmental; assure individual complaint will be reported immediately. Offer assistance if the individual requires help filling out the complaints form,  e.g. where the complaints forms can be obtained; they may not understand how the form should be filled in correctly; the individual may not be able to read or write, could be blind, or have very poor English language skills Report the complaint to my organiser. Some complaints are of a very minor nature & can be dealt with effectively there & then, but should still be logged & reported to my manager. For those complaints that are more complicated or serious, my manager or next available senior needs to be made aware of the complaint as soon as possible so that the necessary steps can be taken quickly & efficiently, satisfying the needs & expectations of the complainant. Unit 2 – SHC33 SHC33.1.1 – Explain what is meant by Diversity. Diversity means mixture, variety, difference, be it in whatever way, shape or form. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance & respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique & recognising our individual differences. These differences can range from, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, religious belief, political belief & many more. Diversity is positive & should be respected, valued & nurtured, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. Telling them that being different from everybody else makes us all unique & that we must value this diversity & difference that surrounds us, in order to work together to make our society a positive place to live. SHC33.1.1 – Explain what is meant by Equality. Equality means everybody receiving the same privileges, opportunities & respect as everybody else regardless of their shape, colour or beliefs. Equality states that because we are all human, then we must all be equal. Equality is about fostering & promoting the right to be different, to be free from discrimination & to have choice & dignity & the right to be valued as an individual. SHC33.1.1 – Explain what is meant by Inclusion. The term inclusion is seen as a universal human right & aims at embracing  all people, irrespective of race, gender, age, disability, medical or any other need. It is about providing everyone with equal opportunities, choice & access & getting rid of discrimination & intolerance. SHC33.1.2 – Describe the potential effects of discrimination. A prejudice is an attitude or way of thinking based on an unfounded, unreasonable pre-judgement of an individual, particular group of people or situation, rather than on a factual assessment. Prejudices can be positive or negative. If we are positively prejudiced towards someone, we think well of them. On the other hand, if we are negatively prejudiced against someone, we tolerate them less. In the main, negative prejudices develop against people who are different in some way. Discrimination happens when we act out our negative prejudices. Discriminatory behaviour results in unfair, unjust treatment. The people most likely to be discriminated against are those who are different in respect of their: _ Age. Age discrimination, or ageism, isn’t only targeted at elderly people – youngsters can also be on the receiving end of bullying, harassment and undeserved criticism. Sex. Men and women continue to be treated unfairly in certain walks of life, in particular in the workplace. Discrimination based on sex is known as sexism. _ Nationality, ethnic background, religion. Some people consider themselves superior to those from different backgrounds and faiths. Victimisation, bullying and harassment of people for such reasons is known as racism. Ability. Barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing the same opportunities as able-bodied people and the ignorant acting out of negative prejudices against physically or intellectually disabled people , for example through name-calling and damage of their property, is known as disablism. Size. Some of us are guilty of judging people by their size and treating them unfairly as a result. This behaviour is known as sizeism. Financial status. Discrimination against people on the grounds of their income, for example treating people living in poverty as inferior, is known as povertyism. There are two forms of discrimination, direct and indirect. Direct discrimination occurs when someone is intentionally treated unfairly, for example harassment on the basis of skin colour or religion. Indirect discrimination occurs when rules or guidelines meant to apply to everyone unintentionally affect one group of people more than others. For example, a company policy requiring everyone to work night shifts indirectly  discriminates against single parents or people who care for elderly relatives, and menus that fail to offer a selection of food indirectly discriminates against people with specific dietary needs or preferences. SHC33.1.3 – Explain how inclusive practice promotes equality & supports diversity.Inclusive practice is about the attitudes, approaches and strategies taken to ensure that people are not excluded or isolated. It means supporting diversity by accepting and welcoming people’s differences, and promoting equality by ensuring equal opportunities for all. Inclusive practice is best practise. Health and social care workers demonstrate inclusive practice by working in ways that recognise, respect, value and make the most of all aspects of diversity. Having a sound awareness of and responding sensitively to an individual’s diverse needs supports them in developing a sense of belonging, wellbeing and confidence in their identity and abilities. And it helps them to achieve their potential and take their rightful place in society. In addition, inclusive practice involves having an understanding of the disastrous impact that discrimination, inequality and social exclusion can have on an individual’s physical and mental health. Having such an understanding ensures appropriate, personalised care and support, thereby enabling an individual to develop self respect and maintain a valued role in society. Because people who fail to support diversity or promote equality are usually entirely unaware of their attitudes and the impact of their behaviour, inclusive practice involves reflecting on and challenging ones own prejudices, behaviours and work practices. It also involves challenging those of colleagues and other service providers, with a view to adapting ways of thinking and working and to changing services to build on good practice and to better support diversity and promote equality. Discrimination is an injustice and has devastating effects. The UK has in place numerous pieces of legislation (laws), rules, regulations, guidance documents and statutory codes of practice, all of which are intended to promote diversity, ensure equality and end discrimination. In other words they are in place to promote everyo ne’s right to fair and equal treatment, regardless of their differences. SHC33.2.1 – Explain how legislation & codes of practice relating to equality, diversity & discrimination apply to own work role.In England and Wales, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) is responsible for ensuring that standards within the social care  sector are of the highest quality. It has developed Codes of Practice for all care workers that include information on how to protect and promote the rights of individuals using the service. The Codes of Practice provide a guide to best practice and set out the standards of conduct that workers are expected to meet. The General Social Care Council (GSCC) Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers directs social care workers to treat each person as an individual; respect and, where appropriate, promote their individual views and wishes; and support their right to control their lives and make informed choices. Whilst a health or care worker might not agree with the beliefs and values of the people they work with, nor share their preferences, inclusive work practice involves respecting and promoting: The right to freedom of thought and religion i.e. their beliefs The right to freedom to express their beliefs as they wish The right to freedom of conscience i.e. to personal values and a sense of right and wrong Respecting, promoting and responding to personal preferences. SHC33.3.3 – Describe how to challenge discrimination in a way that promotes change. Talking to people about discrimination does not ensure that they will change their mindset and, as a consequence, their behaviour. Similarly, the existence of legislation, policies and procedures and Codes of Practice does not guarantee that people using services receive fair treatment and that their rights are upheld. If attitudes and behaviours are to change, discrimination needs to be challenged effectively. Another tried and tested method of challenging workplace discrimination and making change happen is by analysing the reasons why a worker behaves in a discriminatory way. Informal discussions, during a coffee break or as part of a training session, provide useful opportunities to reflect on the dire effects of discrimination. Most people using health and care services are liable to have experienced discrimination at some time or another. Indeed, their experience of discrimination may be the reason they are in need of care now. Talking through these issues, especially with people who have been victims of discrimination, and imagining how it must feel to experience unfair, unjust treatment, can have powerful effects on thinking and behaviour. There is no definite way to challenge inappropriate behaviour and no doubt you  will find your own approach to challenging effectively. The following may be useful to consider. Don’t punish or blame – say what is better. Understand your audience. Think about your role in the situation and consider this in your approach. State your position: ‘That’s disrespectful; we don’t talk about people/children like that.’ Understand the situation. Do you challenge there and then, or quietly at a later date? What will bemost effective for the person involved/for those witnessing the incident?

Plato Book V Is Plato a Feminist

In book V of Plato’s republican Plato is very clearly a feminist although he does not hold women completely equal to men. In fact Plato states that the majority of women are inferior to all men, but not all women were inferior. Plato was indeed a feminist, but his feminist views were as a result of decisions made for what he thought was in best interest of the good city. A feminist is a described as an advocate for women’s rights and legal protection. Within book V of the Republic, Plato advocates equality in different features of life within the good city for women. The equal education of man and woman is one feature of the good city which Plato desired to put in action. Plato felt this was necessary not based on feminist views, but due to the fact that women were potential guardians of the good city so they should have equal education as the male guardians. Due to the fact that Plato calls for equal education of the two sexes clearly classifies him as a feminist. Plato states in the Republic that the majority of women are inferior to men, he later states that some women may be capable of being equal to or even superior to some men. With this fact being, Plato feels that women must also be given an equal opportunity to govern the state due to their potential superiority over men. Therefore/ Plato called for equal education of men and women in the good city (Is Plato a Feminist? ). Another topic discussed in Book V of the Republic was the Nature of a human’s soul. Plato felt that just because women had inferior physical features then men did not mean that women should be ruled disregarded from their nature. In other words, if a man and woman both had guardian nature, the woman should not be neglected due to her gender. Plato’s feminist views are greatly expressed when he explains that women could be well-suited to govern the good state. In the best interest of the good city Plato felt that potential guardians or politicians of the good city should not be limited based upon their gender due to his belief that all humans have a certain nature within them regardless of their sex (Is Plato a Feminist? ). Once again this feminist belief portrayed by Plato was not accredited to his passion for women’s equality, but is represented by his opinion in preserving the good city. Plato would not be considered the ideal feminist; his decisions in giving the women of the good city equality were not made in the best interest of the women. Plato feminist decisions were made as a result of what he thought would be in best interest of the good city. Throughout the Republic Book V Plato expresses his views and opinions on different issues relating to the good city. Although Plato states that does not hold women equal to men in mainly all aspects measurable he is still undoubtedly a feminist. The main aspect of Plato’s feminism is that he gave women rights for what he thought was in the best interest of the good city, not the women. Even though Plato would not be considered the ideal feminist he is evidently a feminist nonetheless. Plato would not be what many consider to be an ideal feminist. But, when answering the question if Plato is a feminist or not, he and decisions he made regarding the good city are undeniably feminist. Plato’s views of feminism are not a direct result of concern of women’s rights, but are directly related to Plato’s idea of the ultimate good city.