Silencing the Editor Within

SILENCING THE EDITOR WITHIN One of the most difficult parts of writing – even if you write all day, every day – is learning to ignore your internal editor when you’re working on a first draft. Even now, as I start writing, I can hear the nagging voice of doubt that makes it difficult to put words on paper. My particular voice of doubt looks a bit like my ninth-grade English teacher: She’s got a sour expression on her face, and she’s wearing necklace made of little wooden apples. She knows everything. She hates experimentation. She stands behind me, reading over my shoulder and shaking her head. She makes little noises of disapproval as I work; the tap of my fingers on the keys punctuated every so often with notes of discouragement: â€Å"Oh, you can do better than that, can’t you?† â€Å"Well. That’s not very interesting, is it?† â€Å"I just don’t get it.† Writing, well, isn’t always easy. Fighting the urge to engage in too much self-editing is even harder. There’s nothing wrong with having high standards. But, if you fret too much about getting it right the first time, you’ll wind up with a migraine and a blank page. Maybe your first draft is dreadful. So what? Throw it away, hit the â€Å"delete† key, bury it in the backyard in a shallow grave – whatever makes you feel better. And keep going. Experiment a little. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You’ll have plenty of time to revise and let your internal editor go crazy after you’ve gotten your ideas written down. But, when you’re trying to write a first draft, you have to ignore her and concentrate on what you’re trying to say and how you’re trying to say it. You can’t grow as a writer until you learn to stop worrying about perfection.

The Complete Guide to a Geology Essay Writing

The Complete Guide to a Geology Essay Writing Students will often be required to complete essays in the course of their careers. It can be intimidating or frustrating when a student does not understand how to complete an essay that can be appealing to the target audience. There is no need to worry as essays are quite simple and easy to write compared to other types of geology papers, such as term papers, research papers, and reports. However, there are some basics that students need to know in order to write an essay that is logical, flowing, and easy to comprehend. There is a high possibility that you cannot impress the audience if you do not follow these basic elements. That is why professors provide students with guidelines on how to complete various types of papers. Writing assignments, and in this case, essays provide an effective way of testing how students can link various concepts that they have learned in class. For example, the professor might want to seek whether you have grasped important ideas on the sequence of events that lead to the formation of a tsunami. A student who is able to connect the concepts shows that he or she can have wider perspectives about many different geologic processes. It is important to consider these aspects when planning and writing an essay so as to meet the expectations of your professor. This step-by-step geology essay guide can help you in the process of writing an appealing geology essay, from choosing the right topic to proofreading and referencing. Choosing a Topic for a Geology Essay: 5 Characteristics of a Strong Title The field of geology is wide and it is not possible to cover all concepts in a single essay. Hence, students have to choose a topic that can be covered comprehensively. The topic should not be too wide to the extent that it might not be possible to cover all ideas in a single essay. A topic such as â€Å"The Impact of Mineral Mining and Processing on the Environment† is a wide topic for an essay. The topic can be narrowed down into â€Å"The Impact of Oil Mining on Underground Water.† However, students might wonder how they can reach the most suitable topic. Here are some of the important geology essay tips that can help students during the process. Students should read through and understand instructions offered by a professor. They should cover all the materials in the syllabus and conduct online research where appropriate. If the instructor has asked for a specific topic for the essay, the student needs to focus on that topic. Moreover, they should understand whether there are specific points that should be covered in the essay. They should not stray away from these requirements. In case the instructor needs you to come up with your own topic, you should ensure that the selected topic is narrow enough to be covered within the limitations of the assignment. It is vital to stay open-minded and critical when brainstorming ideas for an essay. They can be obtained from a variety of sources, such as geology books, journal articles, research papers, etc. Taking into account all the previous points, you should be able to select the most suitable topic for the essay. They will now be ready to move to the next step and start planning the essay. Examples of possible geology essay topics: Environmental Effects of Coal Mining in Northeast Wyoming; Impact of Volcanic Activities in Hawaii; How to Undertake an Effective Landslide Risk Assessment; Effects of Groundwater Abstraction on Wetlands; How to Restore Self-sustaining Coastal Ecosystems. Getting Down to Writing: The Essential Steps Our Writers Also Make So, when the topic is chosen, the next step is to plan the essay. This step is generally focused on providing an overview of the main ideas. Otherwise, poor planning will lead to an essay that is incoherent and pointless. Students are recommended to be careful with this stage as it sets the foundation. At this point, they should pick an appropriate title and write a concise thesis statement. A Title for the Essay The title of an essay should be very specific, which means that students might have to refine the title of the topic that they choose. However, the same wording can be used in case it meets the requirements of an effective title. Although the title should be brief, it needs to be representative of the information in the essay. Word order is critical in conveying the intended meaning of the title. An example of a suitable title is â€Å"The Social and Economic Effects of Volcanic Eruptions in Hawaii.† This title is specific as it clearly shows that the reader should expect the essay that is limited to the social and economic issues. Selecting Suitable Sources to Support the Main Ideas After picking the title, students should focus on identifying sources that will be used to support the ideas that will be presented in the paper. For an academic essay, it is important to select sources from credible and reliable sources. Some of these sources include peer-reviewed journal articles, books, mainstream news media, government websites, etc. The sources should be relevant to the topic and contain information that is current and appropriate. Students should be able to extract ideas from these sources and understand how they will be linked to support the topic. A combination of ideas from the selected sources will result in the formulation of an appropriate thesis statement. Write a Concise Thesis Statement The thesis is considered a foundation of an essay as it presents a summary of the ideas that the author is presenting. It is important that you choose the strongest ideas that can be used to support the chosen topic. It is vital to note that these are ideas that will support the essay based on the evidence obtained from outside research. A thesis statement should not only provide a narrow focus on the topic but also the concepts that the essay will present. An example of a thesis statement is â€Å"The volcanic eruptions in Hawaii have led to the displacement of people, damage to property and infrastructure, and deposition of lava on the landscape.† This is a clear thesis that shows the main ideas that will be discussed in the essay and supported by outside research. The statement should be included at the end of the first or introductory part of the essay. Once all the elements are defined, a student should be ready to write the initial draft based on the outline provided in the following section. Meet the General Format for the Essay and the Instructor’s Demands At this point, students should have acquired all the vital skills that are needed in the writing of an effective geology essay. Since they have a clearly defined topic, this is the time you should put the ideas down using an appropriate essay format. The structure of an essay is quite similar to other types of papers as its main components include the introduction, main body, and conclusion. The content that is presented under each of the three elements is what differs. The outline presented below offers a detailed analysis of each segment. Introduction The introduction part of a geology essay is important as it can influence the audience to read the entire essay. Hence, it is a responsibility of the student to create a compelling introduction that can hook the reader. In other words, the introduction should orientate the reader to the idea of the essay in a manner that will capture his or her interest. After grabbing the reader’s attention, the introductory part should define the focus or purpose of the essay. These are statements that can enable the reader to understand the relevance of the essay. Hence, it is vital for the student to provide some background information about the topic. This is followed by information that offers an outline of the purpose of the essay. The final part of the introduction is the thesis statement, a brief summary of the objective of the essay. The formulation of a thesis was discussed in the previous section. Main Body The main body of the essay contains a series of paragraphs that are used to communicate the main ideas indicated in the thesis statement. Actually, the paragraphs should be a direct reflection of the statement. It would be important to balance the number of words in each paragraph and ensure that the entire essay remains within the word limit. Otherwise, exceeding the recommended limit can result in downgrading. Each paragraph should have three important components, including topic sentence, supporting details, and concluding the sentence. The topic statement introduces the main idea discussed in the paragraph. The supporting details are the concepts supporting the claims or ideas in the topic sentence. The supporting information is usually obtained from external sources that are relevant to the topic. The final part of a paragraph is the concluding sentence that provides a summary of the ideas discussed in the paragraph. All these components should be connected in a coherent manner and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs. Conclusion The conclusion is the last part of a geology essay and offers a summary of the main points and how they can be perceived in the larger sense. For example, it can show the implications of the entire idea or issues that are yet to be addressed. Besides, the conclusion can suggest the next steps after the thesis statement is discussed and proved. The information offered in the concluding sentence should enable the reader to reach a logical conclusion about the issue. Generally, the conclusion needs to repackage the thesis and assist the reader to recall the journey through the essay. The last sentence of the essay should be captivating to make the audience want to read the essay again. Moreover, this part of the assignment is to make the reader remember the main concepts of the essay and relate them to the bigger picture. Overall, this section should restate the thesis and close with a broad general statement related to the topic. Finalizing the Essay: Help Your Essay Stand out from the Crowd Proofreading The first draft of the essay can contain errors that might not be apparent during the writing process. It is an important process that can lead to the elimination of errors and ensure that everything is properly written and organized. It is not advisable to start proofreading immediately; it might not be possible to have the right amount of concentration to notice all the mistakes. A student should put the work aside for at least a day. In this case, proofreading would be more effective. Do not turn in the first draft make sure you have determined the grammar, stylistic, punctuation, and spelling errors. Besides, it is also important to remove unnecessary or repetitive words that make your paper difficult to read. Check the flow of ideas and ensure that they are connected in a smooth and logical manner. Referencing Referencing is vital for any information that is borrowed from external sources. As indicated previously, academic papers need credible and reliable sources of information. Students should avoid copying information directly from the sources. Instead, they should paraphrase it and apply the concepts. They should not just restate the information but integrate the ideas into the overall flow of the essay. It is important to avoid plagiarism as it can lead to a disciplinary action. The use of direct quotes should be limited; ask your instructor concerning the extent to which these quotes can be applied. In general, academic essays should have less than 20 percent of the cited information. Mind that all the citations in the text should have corresponding references at the end of the paper. References: OBrien Moran, M., Soiferman, L. (2013). A students guide to academic writing. Toronto: Pearson Canada. Pritchard, L., Roberts, L. (2006). The mature students guide to higher education. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press. Ravelli, L., Ellis, R. (2005). Analysing academic writing. London: Routledge. Soles, D. (2003). Writing an academic essay. Taunton: Studymates. Warburton, N. (2007). The basics of essay writing. London: Routledge.

A Medication Daivonex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Medication Daivonex - Essay Example Daivonex is not recommended for children under 6 years of age. Children 6-12 years of age cannot be given more than 50g a week of the medication, and for children over 12 years of age, no more than 75g a week of the medication may be given to them. This medicine should also not be used in patients who have the allergy to calcipotriol or to any other components of the medication. Patients with disorders of calcium metabolism should not use this product. Those with severe widespread psoriasis cannot be given this medication. Patients with high blood calcium levels or who are taking calcium and/or Vitamin D supplements cannot take this medication. For breastfeeding women, this medication should not be applied to their breasts. Proper consultation with the doctor should be done before this medication is to be prescribed and used on children (Medsafe Consumer Information, 2004). In adults, not more than 100 grams of cream or ointment should be used in a week and not more than 60ml of scalp solution can be used in a week. In cases where there is a need to use the combination of the preparations for psoriasis, not more than 60ml of the solution plus one 30 gram of the ointment or cream tubes may be used in a week or the limit is 30 ml of the solution and two 30g tubes of Daivonex. The medicine must be applied on the psoriasis plaques forming the visible coating over the affected area. Accidental application of the medicine on the normal skin must be washed with water because it can cause irritation in the unaffected area. It must not be applied on skin folds, on the face, and on the genitalia (Medsafe Consumer Information, 2004). The recommended dosages are set in place because more than 100g weekly of Daivonex can cause elevated serum calcium. The use of scalp and cream solutions in children has yet to be fully established; hence ointment is the preferred formulation of the medication in children.  

Analyzing Martin Luther Kings' "A Letter from Bermingham Essay

Analyzing Martin Luther Kings' "A Letter from Bermingham Jail" - Essay Example While his idea that peaceful demonstrations are essential in exerting pressure on the government to pay attention to discrimination issues has been widely accepted, there are those who criticized the demonstrators for failing to give the government enough time to respond to the matters. From a critical point of view, there is evidence that Luther is right on the idea that the government has consistently ignored the plight of the black Americans and that peaceful demonstrations are crucial to push the government to look at these issues. This article seeks to analyze critically the arguments of Martin Luther King in his article in Birmingham jail. Luther’s idea that discrimination is an urgent issue that the government has ignored for a long time is sound and has garnered a lot of support. The discrimination of black Americans in the US has been a serious issue for a long time. Evidently, the Blacks were discriminated in all areas including employment, courts, and other public areas. The victimization of Black Americans, referred to as â€Å"negroes,† was common as the authorities perceived this minority group as criminals. A good example is the case in Ferguson when a white police officer, Darren Wilson, shot an unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, after suspecting him as a potential criminal. Later, it was proved that the teenager was innocent, but the court justified the action of the white Policeman. The BlackLivesMatter movement points out that a black person is shot every 28 hours period by a white policeman and that more than 25 percent Black Americans live in abject poverty. These statistics support the idea of Luther that â€Å"justice too long delayed is justice denied† (2). From this angle, Martin Luther’s letter in Birmingham jail presents the true picture of the injustice perpetrated against blacks in the US. Secondly, Luther presents the idea that the US government has been adamant to handle the issues of the Black people is debatable (4).

Teaching career Essay Example for Free

Teaching career Essay Source A is a memoir written by Elizabeth Makinson, who finished her teaching career in Bradford 1913. A memoir is a collection of memories based on a certain theme. This source would have come into existence, because Elizabeth will have reached a certain age and would want to review her childhood experiences and her early teaching career. Elizabeths memories are based on her education in a Board School called Belle Vue, and her early teaching career in Drummond Road, which was another Board School. Bell Vue was mainly for lower middle class children, as rich upper class children would have Governesses or would go to College. This particular school was on Manningham Lane, which at the time was a very desirable place to live. The education wasnt free, as the children would pay 6 pence per week. This wasnt considered expensive as the children would receive a high standard of education. They would learn a wide range of subjects, these were Arithmetic, Euclid (Greek), Geography, History, Drawing and Painting, Songs, Tonic Solfa (Singing in Ranges), English Literature, Physiography, Physiology, Cookery and Domestic Science, French, Elementary science, Practical and Theatrical Chemistry. This school was well funded as there was expensive equipment including Bunsen Burners, Crucibles, Test tubes, Retorts, Beakers and Small, Brass Balances. The school was funded for gym kits and other gym equipment such as climbing frames, vaulting horse, parallel bars, ropes and dumb-bells. The Headmistress Miss S. L. Beszant would take the children on school outings to the Bradford Destructor, Esholt Sewage works, and to the Theatre Royal to see the matinee showing of Romeo and Juliet, featuring the famous actress, Ellen Terry. In the next paragraph of the memoir she describes the school where she worked called Drummond Road Board School in the infants department in 1900. She received a place in this school when she passed the Teachers Entrance Examination. This school would not have been well funded and would have probably been free for lower class and working classes, who attended. This source would be quite useful to a historian who is studying schooling, because it illustrates what types of schooling were in use after the 1870s Education Act and the quality of education in these schools. However, as it is a memoir Elizabeth tends to remember the good points rather than the bad. This would therefore cause the source to become less valid, but in looking at other sources we can see how reliable this source is. Source B is a photograph of a Board School in 1894. This photograph was possibly taken, because towards the late nineteenth century photographs were taken to demonstrate poverty; therefore this photograph could have originally been taken for this purpose rather than education. This source tells us that there were only nine pupils, which is a very small class. This was because some of the pupils would have been half-timers, which means that they would work six hours in the mill and then attend school afterwards. The children in the photograph are frowning, however this does not necessarily mean that they did not enjoy going to school. This is because in Victorian times photography was a very long process; therefore it was easier to frown rather than smile. This source could be slightly unreliable, because photographs can be set up and arranged in order to gain a desired opinion. However this statement does not necessarily mean that the source is completely unreliable, because by looking at other sources we can see how true it is.

King Tut Essay examples -- essays research papers

King Tutankhamen The Boy King King Tutankhamen ,or King Tut, was one of the youngest kings to reign over any country. “The Boy King'; is best remembered for his magnificent funeral treasures, including his elaborate golden burial mask. King Tut achieved a measure of immortality through his glittering burial treasures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   King Tut was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty who reigned from about 1348 to 1339 BC. His name can be spelled a variety of ways including Tutankhamen, Tutankhamon, or Tutankhamun. There is an enigma, though, surrounding his name. Researchers have no idea where it came from because his parents are unknown. He became king during the period of readjustment that followed the death of his father-in-law, the pharaoh Akhenaton. The boy king married Akhenaton’s third daughter to strengthen his claim to the throne and took the name Tutankhaton meaning “gracious of life is Aton.'; After less than three years of residence at Akhetaton he changed his name to Tutankhamen. Because Tut was only nine or ten when he became pharaoh the direction of the state was devolved onto an older official named Ay. ( He succeeded Tut when he died.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Tut was alive, however the Egyptians had a flair for playing games and telling stories. All Egyptians enjoyed contests and stories, but the wealthy pursued those pastimes with an elegant flourish. Royalty such as Tut, was portrayed on the walls of his tomb playing the game senet, which reenacted the quest for eternal fulfillment after death. This game is played on a checkerboard table with thirty squares arranged in three parallel rows. Each of two players has an equal number of counters (ranging from five to seven) in two series of different shapes. The counters are moved with sticks or small bones.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The goal of the game is to get across the board with your counters following an S-shaped path while outrunning or blocking those of your adversary; the game is won when you get all your counters off the board. The fifteenth square and the last five squares bear images or hieroglyphic inscriptions that denote a special status, either favorable or unfavorable, for the counter that lands on them. Winning this game allows the deceased to overcome any difficulties involved during his journey and to &... ...khamen’s name meant. Imn = Amun, Tut = Image, Ankh = Living. This is the meaning of his last name, Living image of Amun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   “Can see anything ?'; “Yes,'; Carter replied, “wonderful things.'; Such were the words of Howard Carter on February 17, 1923 as the archaeologist peered into the 3500 year old darkness of Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s burial chamber and forever altered the scope of man’s imagination. Carter and his team of the world’s most eminent archaeological experts uncovered what are undoubtedly among the greatest riches of this or any known time. The name Tutankhamen, in reality a relatively insignificant young king, has become legendary and has furthermore assumed a position in our vocabulary and cultural ethos rivaled by few other figures of ancient history. Of the events which directly followed that momentous day in 1923, we are utterly baffled. By 1929, twenty-two people who had been either directly or indirectly involved in the exhumation of Tut and his treasures were dead, in most cases, of undiagnosable causes. Was this just a flook or was it the curse of King Tutankhamen.

Critical Review of Dementia Service User’s Experience of Care

Title: A 3000 words essay critically reviewing a service user’s journey through their experience of care In this essay I will critically evaluate a resident by the name of Tom Journey with dementia. He suffers from Alzheimer's dementia and lives in sheltered housing. I will explore issues surrounding nutrition intake, wandering, communication, incontinence and the environment that affect the client, family and staff. I will then look at the assessment process, care planning, implementing and evaluation.I will explore patient safety, intervention and the processes that managers and professionals have to undertake when managing individuals with dementia. These interventions and approaches adopted are vital when planning person centred care. In addition, due to the policy of confidentiality I would not mention the name of the organisation and persons involved. The essay will end with a conclusion and a summary. According to Mathers and Leanardi (2000), â€Å"Dementia is a syndro me caused by a range of illnesses and currently many are incurable, and cause progressive, irreversible brain damage.They include Alzheimer's disease (the most common cause), vascular disease, frontal lobe dementia and Lewy Body disease. Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, difficulties with language, judgement, insight and failure to recognise people, disorientation, mood changes, hallucinations, delusions, and the gradual loss of ability to perform all tasks of daily living†,( Mathers and Leanardi, 2000). Mace and Rabin (1999) highlighted that, â€Å"the word dementia originated from two Latin words which mean â€Å"away and mind†. This can indicate a loss of memory inability to function effectively, which can result in mental confusion†.Jack is a seventy year old man with dementia. He lives in sheltered housing. He has four children two sons and two daughters. He was moved from his home into sheltered accommodation after the death of his wife Mary. Hi s condition deteriorated very rapidly and he needed extra support to live at home safely. The family was unable to adequately provide for Jack’s needs, so they decided to re-house him. The family brought Jack with them to view the flat before he was moved in. This allowed Jack the opportunity to meet the staff and get familiar with the new environment. He was brought in by is son and daughter, but his son stayed with him in the guest room for a few days to get him settled and feel comfortable. Jack was showing early signs of dementia as his communication was not clear at times and often his speech was muddled. Furthermore, his memory was poor at first as he kept asking for his wife repeatedly for examples, † where am I†, â€Å"whose house is this†, and â€Å"why am I here†. Also his nutrition was an issue as he was not eating his meals and often said he was not hungry or he would eat later. He would sometimes say take it away and feed the pigeon.Food would turn up in various places like bins, in drawers and even in his bed. Mace and Rabins (1999) mentioned that eating alone can contribute to or worsen their confusion. Incontinence was also a big concern for staff as he was constantly wet and soiled with faeces. He would choose places not suitable to use for toileting, removing his protective clothing. He was also hiding dirty soiled clothes in inappropriate places. Moreover, getting his personal care done was a big task as he was not cooperative. Beatie et al, (2005) stated that people with dementia do not know that they are not being cooperative with certain basic tasks.This could be related to my client as I observed these issues on many occasions. All these conditions have been highlighted by (Kitwood, 1997). With regard to incontinence, Parker (2000) supported that because of the dying of the brain cells, a person like Jack will not be able to independently identify the message the brain is conveying about the bowel. This p roblem was identified with Jack. Jack, as supported by Parker (2000) should be encouraged to use the toilet before and after consuming meals and drinks and should also have a regular pad change.Parker 2000 also cited that when any person in a state like that of Jack is constipated or having sluggish bowel movement, they should be offered medication like suppositories and if this does not work they should be supported by observation. When dealing with Jack who does not have mental capacity it is important to observe his actions. When he is in need of toileting he can exhibit the following actions which are non verbal such as pulling down or removing pants, or opening his fly. These actions are likely to suggest that he wants to use the toilet.Mace and Rabins (1999) argued that it can be very difficult for practitioners to achieve appropriate assessments when they are dealing with persons who are living in an independent setting. My assessment highlighted many problems such as persona l care, poor memory, poor nutrition intake, urinary incontinence, poor communication and wandering about all the time. However, this was more pronounced in the evenings. Morris and Morris (2010), Kitwood, (1997) and Algage (2006), have highlighted this problem to be â€Å"sundown syndrome†.According to Leblance (2011) he described this as onset of confusion that occurs in late afternoon and night time. Algage (2006) further stated that wandering is a way of communicating in a non verbal form by using action to correspond with others. Moreover Beatie et al, (2005) argued that patients with dementia may not be able to read signs. For example factors like the environment may cause them to be distressed and might put them at risk, (Hodgkinson et al, 2007). Some residents like Jack may have limited communication ability to verbalise what they want to do, so they just show action as a way of communicating.For example, the sign posts, symbols and photographic pictures might not appe al to them because of their limited ability to focus on details, (Hodgkinson et al, 2007). Beatie et al, (2005) and Fox and Wilson (2007) have highlighted that living in a sheltered housing environment can be a lonely experience for many patients and this can make them feel isolated. More so, Beatie et al, (2005) mentioned that these factors might cause a patient to wander because if they feel lonely and anxious for a long period of time. They might want to find something to engage in.A person with dementia might find it difficult to sit down. For example in my observations I feel that Jack was living in a community where he had friends and family to socialise with and moving to a new place was somehow upsetting for him. Likewise changes might have caused Jack’s more loss of memory and this could be another reason why he failed to adjust to his new surrounding as cited in Mace and Rabins (1999). Moreover, in this sheltered housing there are no facilities like shops and recrea tional facilities as it is in a secluded area.Knockers (2000) mentioned about daily living activities that could have been useful to a patient with dementia like Jack. In my opinion, this would have given Jack the opportunity to engage with other residents. This would have been a great way of socialising, chatting, enjoyment and given him a purpose in life and most of all engaging his time and stop him from wondering so frequently. According to Cheston and Bender (1999) and Innes et al, (2000) the DCM (Dementia Care Mapping) is a precise framework that is important to assess patients with dementia.The DCM (Dementia Care Mapping) is an observational tool which is used in a professional setting. This tool could have been useful to Jack if he was living in suitable housing that meets his needs (Kitwood 1997, Shels 2007 and Fox and Wilson, 2000), Mace and Rabins (1999) mention that MME (Mini Mental Examination) also known as the â€Å"mini mental† is one of the tools that are use d to screen an individual’s mental ability at the onset of dementia. This tool is also known as the performance tool that allows five minutes to perform a set of precise tasks.This entails a maximum score of thirty answers to questions given. â€Å"Some of the questions are, do you know what day it is, date, month and the time, do you know what country you live, and the town. Can you spell the word â€Å"world† backwards, can you write a sentence†. Likewise, In Jack’s case he was assessed using this tool to get a precise answer to see what he can independently do for himself. In addition, Fox and Wilson (2007) argued that the assessment processes should be compiled into a feedback statement. This information should be given at the beginning and end of the assessment.Chester and Bender (2000) mentioned that feedback should be given in both oral and written statement. This is necessary for the patient and their family to adjust and come to terms with their illness, and deal with their emotions. According to Carmody and Forester (2003) the main areas of care planning are assessment, planning, evaluation, implementation and evaluation. Care plans are legal documents which should be reviewed on a regular basis for accuracy. Jack’s care plan contains some important information such as his name, date of birth, address and all information recorded was signed and dated.Likewise, May et al (2003) mentioned that a care plan should be compiled and put together the persons needs and deeds. Jack’s care plan was fully supported and some of the information included was his life history, lifestyle, health, personality, and preferences, present and future wishes. Jack’s capacity, cognitive ability and the stages he was at present were documented. Jack’s care plan contains three columns. The left column was to record Jack’s needs, the middle column gives precise information for cares to comply with, whilst the right column is to record information, sign, date and reviews (May et al, 2003).May et al, (2003) proposed that the enriched care planning was developed from the enriched model of dementia by (Kitwood, 1997). Jack care plan consists of five core areas which are reviewing, profiling, implementation, identifying needs and documenting needs. Jack care plan was fully supported by the carers. In Jack’s case his care plan was reviewed with the social worker, general practitioner, occupational therapist, dietician, warden, care manager and family and myself who is his key worker. This set out clear instructions for staff on how to personalise care for Jack.This includes, monitoring and assessing changes in his toileting, nutritional intake, communication, health and wandering. Four main calls were put in place for his main meals and regular checks to stop him from feeling lonely. Jack care plan was reviewed and implementation of safety devices was put in action to keep Jack safe. This inv olves the implementing of sensory aids and equipment that will help to keep him safe at all times and especially during the nights. This included a bed sensor and door activator that goes off when he gets out of bed and when he leaves his flat.This equipment was most useful during the nights. Reflective lighting was also put into place. It would come on at a certain time in the evening. The door bell flashing light let him know when someone was entering his flat. Picture coding colour was put on his fridge door and bedroom door to remind him where to go and what to do. Jacks’ family were in complete denial about his condition and they would often get very upset with him. They thought that their dad was trying to get back at them for moving him. One daughter was constantly fussing over him and telling him off.This made it quite difficult for staff and management to get the assessment process started. The other barrier was the staff members that were not able to support Jackâ⠂¬â„¢s family appropriately, as they were not trained adequately in dementia care. Jack’s condition deteriorated rapidly and staff was finding it quite difficult to cope with his demanding and stressful behaviour. Jack was given tablets to keep him calm, however, this medication in my observation was too strong for him and often he would sleep for long periods of time.Staff would have to wake him up for meals and before he finished his meals he would be fast asleep. In work places which are independent based, these facilities are not designed to accommodate people with certain forms of dementia and for this reason it took a longer time for Jack’s needs to be reassessed. Jack’s needs were finally met and then he was admitted to a dementia unit where he was housed, (Carmody and Foster, 2003, Jacques and Jackson, 2000). These factors can become a barrier for professional when implementing care for people living with dementia, (Jacques and Jackson, 2000).In Jackâ₠¬â„¢s case he could have benefitted from the evaluation tool to stimulate communication between staff and himself. This would have prompted his alertness and encouraged communication at meal times as observed by Shiels (2007). With reference to evaluation this process is necessary to get a direct result of Jack’s illness. This will establish how far his condition has deteriorated and the extent of his impairment and functioning. Moreover, this will identify other health problems, so that the necessary treatment and planning can be put in place to address his needs, (Mace and Rabin 1999).Jack had to undertake this evaluation and many tests such as CBC (Complete blood count) which includes a blood chemistry test, checking the liver and kidney for signs of diabetes, vitamin B12 and thyroid level . The VDRL check for syphilis and LP (lumbar puncture) investigates the central nervous system. EEC (electroencephagram) measures the brain activities. CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, SP ECT scans which are all important tests can identify the presence of a stroke. Jack was also given a neuropsychological test or the cortical test where they test his memory for writing and reasoning ability, and coordination (Mace and Rabin 1999).A psychiatric and psychosocial evaluation was also conducted by way of interviews with Jack’s family and his friend. This was vital to planning and development of care and this was also supported by a family evaluation to assess and to address their emotional, financial and physical needs, (Carmody and Forster 2003). Jack‘s condition has deteriorated even further and he has started leaving the premises through the back door. There is sensory equipment which is now in place in order to monitor his movements.Jack sometimes presses the button and it raises an alarm with the central control office. The control room staff will then contact the staff on duty to go and attend to Jack and see whether there is anything he needs. In most cases when the staff gets there, Jack will be trying to leave the premises not properly dressed. Examples being dressed in his pyjamas and bed room slippers, wearing a vest without his shirt or wearing his trouser inside out. When the staff try to get Jack to return to his flat he becomes very aggressive, shouting and hitting the staff and refusing to go back.The police on many occasions are called to search for him. AGASE (2006) indicated that wandering is associated with risk factors of getting lost and falls. As highlighted by Hodgkinson et al ( 2007) â€Å"gridlines placed on front door exits, door handles, panic button bars might be an effective way to addresses Jack’s wandering and reduce the risk of escaping†. Carmody and Forster (2003) suggest that a person like Jack can benefit from ADL (Activities of Daily Living) as this will help test his functioning abilities and performance.With regards to communication and Jack’s outburst Phillips and Penhale (19 96) argued that some people with dementia like Jack might have poor memory, limited communication ability with others. Jack is unaware of his aggression towards staff. This is not done intentionally as his brain cells are dying. Jack is unaware that he is causing harm to any one as he is simply trying to communicate. Jack will be trying to say why are these people stopping or preventing me from going to see my friends. In my observation Jack was finding it difficult to say the right word, as he was not able to understand what is being said to him.Carmody and Forster (2003) Fox and Wilson (2000) highlighted that the person who is undertaking a communication assessment needs to be a good listener and a competently trained professional. This person needs to have experiences of in dealing with different cases of dementia and know the differences between the different types. Fox and Wilson (2000) mentioned that a person with counselling skills might be able to address the needs of a pers on with dementia more efficiently. In my opinion, these skills are important when working with customers with dementia.In Jack’s case this would have been more beneficial if staff dealing with him had appropriate counselling skills. They would have been in a position to understand how to communicate with Jack as to achieve effective results. In the long run Jack was finding it more difficult to cope with every day activities. He had suffered a relapse and his condition deteriorated very rapidly and he needed more specialist care. He was not coping well and his health and safety was at risk. Jack needs were reassessed and he was no longer capable to live independently any more.Management and social worker were in the process of getting him relocated when he suffered a fall. He was taken to hospital and then he was moved into a residential home that cares for people with dementia. In conclusion, the government acknowledges dementia as a growing problem and has put strategies in place to care for people with dementia. To address Jack’s needs appropriately his care should be person centred. Jack was moved to a new home and this might have contributed to his wandering. His new setting was secluded and he had no friends to communicate or socialise with.This factor could have led to further confusion and made him feel lonely and even depressed. Although Jack was fully supported by the planning, assessment, implementing and evaluation process, his needs were slow to be addressed by the family and this posed as a barrier to Jack getting the care he required. However, the assessment procedure and progress for independent living have to be organised by many professionals. It appears in Jack’s case it was not recognised and dealt with appropriately at times. For example, the process to get a person assessed for dementia in independent housing took a long time.There were other issues and barriers that Jack faced on his journey, even though the governme nt had put these strategies in place to address the needs of people with dementia. 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