Personal and Professional Health Care Communication Essay

Personal and Professional Health Care Communication - Essay Example Health care groups are deemed to be amongst the most effective preventive building block in any society. In health care institutions one of the most common things that we come across are community based projects that deal with many issues including substance abuse, reproduction health etc. In order to extract the maximum amount of benefit from these settings, effective health care communication need to be encouraged amongst the doctors, patients who are being treated, as well as various pharmaceutical companies which are producing drugs. Health communication is also very much relevant as it is through proper communication that people get to know of various health issues. It is a result of communication between health care professionals and the patients that both get to hands on to new information (Northouse & Northouse, 1998). The patient gets to know from the doctor about various medical conditions and how to deal with them. Whereas during such a process the doctors themselves often come across new medical cases and they can then use such cases to enhance their own knowledge and carry out further research. There is a deep link between proper and timely health care communication and health care outcomes / results. When there is no proper communication between the health care professionals and patients, no proper treatment can be carried out at all. To take a very simple case if the patient is himself unable to explain to the doctor correctly what problems he's facing, then the doctor would so not be able to prescribe him the correct medicine or be able to carry out the correct treatment and, therefore, the patient would have no visible health benefits. Patients need to be taught to open up the doctor completely and tell them the problems they're facing, without hesitating or thinking what the health care professionals might feel of them. It is only then that correct treatment could be carried out. Consequently, even doctors need to give proper time to patients and explain them how to deal with problem until and unless the patient's concept. Often times doctors need to put in an extra effort while explaining the problems to patients who are illiterate and lack medical knowledge, to those patients who have a problem understanding the doctor's language or they themselves are of another language. It is in such cases that miscommunication results the most. When multiple people are present in an interaction, the chances for misunderstanding and disagreements increase by a significant margin. Problems also occur when proper health care communication does not take place between the two parties. For instance, the doctor may advise a patient to stay in the hospital, whereas the patient might disregard the doctors advice and decide to go home. Such a scenario can lead to depression for the patient. All this could have been avoided if the patient had communicated properly with the doctor and asked him his rationale for asking him to stay back (Kavana gh and Kennedy, 1992). Therapeutic communication refers to the use of communication to bring out a beneficial result for the client / patient. The main aim of therapeutic communication is to bring about a betterment is the patient's ability to lead a proper and problem life. Further on, therapeutic communication develops connectivity between the client and a health care professional, and this is something that can never be replaced by technology as it lack emotions. Therapeutic

General Strain Theory (GST) Application to Rehabilitation

General Strain Theory (GST) Application to Rehabilitation Abstract   A staggering number of African-Americans are incarcerated for a variety of criminal offences. Without having to review criminal statistics, African-Americans appear to lack the ability to adapt and/or become productive members of society compared to other races incarcerated. This is more than a stereotype and coincidence, other countries besides the United States have documented this phenomenon. Applying Agnews (1992) General Strain Theory (GST) to the emotional and social psychological development of African-Americans, society may better understand the motive, causation, and circumstances of crime pertaining to the African-American criminal thought process. I hypothesize this thought process to be a psychological condition requiring identification and intervention by the criminal justice system and correctional facilities. Investigation started by analyzing strains upon the African-American culture detailing afterwards the treatment of mentally ill African-American inmates as observ ed by the General Strain Theory and current physiological testing. A variety of social programs is available with positive interpersonal exposure and rebuilding of social skills/mindset, rehabilitating inmates to recognize, understand, and cope with strain. General Strain Theory and Rehabilitation of Mentally Ill African-American Inmates A staggering number of African-Americans are incarcerated for a variety of criminal offences. Without having to review criminal statistics, African-Americans appear to lack the ability to adapt and/or become productive members of society compared to other races incarcerated. This is more than a stereotype and coincidence, other countries besides the United States have documented this phenomenon. Applying Agnews (1992) General Strain Theory (GST) to the emotional and social psychological development of African-Americans, society may better understand the motive, causation, and circumstances of crime pertaining to the African-American criminal thought process. I hypothesize this thought process to be a psychological condition requiring identification and intervention by the criminal justice system and correctional facilities. Investigation started by analyzing strains upon the African-American culture detailing afterwards the treatment of mentally ill African-American inmates as observed by the General Strain Theory and current physiological testing. A variety of social programs is available with positive interpersonal exposure and rebuilding of social skills/mindset, rehabilitating inmates to recognize, understand, and cope with strain. Literature Review Kaufman, Rebellon, Thaxton, and Agnew (2008) produced an informative article that applied Agnews General Strain Theory to analyzing the motivational processes of African-Americans, beyond age, sex, or community, which leads them to criminal activity. This article evaluated the lives of African-Americans in totality and hypothesized a lack of coping mechanisms and outlets for daily and unrelenting stresses or strains. A considerable amount of statistical information contained herein was gathered from various web sites and journals. The U.S. Department of Justice (2006, 2007) and the U.S. Department of Labor (2008) collected facts pertaining to crimes and the races in which they occurred within. While Elliott Voss (1974), Williams Gold (1972) did not find significant racial crime connections, Kelley, Huizinga, Thornberry, Loeber (1997) with Snyder Sickmund (2006) showed juveniles were prone to violence. Broadhurst and Tonry (1997) with Doone (2000) confirmed that other countries besides the United States experienced elevated criminal and correctional issues with indigenous populations of African-American decent. African-American plight can be traced back to mid-19th century by Du Bois (1899, 1904), Hawkins (1995). Without the contributions of Hirschi (1969), Akers (1998), (Cohen Felson, 1979) and others, theories such as the lifestyle theory, Walters (2005, 2007) Criminal Thinking Styles, and Dolls Ajzens (1992) theory of Planned Behavior, a comparative analysis would be incomplete. Credit must also go to Scobbie, Wyke, Dixon, (2009), Birgden (2004), Fallot (2001), Condelli, Bradigan, Holanchock, (1997) for contributing their knowledge and research utilized in this report exploring mentally illnesses. Criminal Statistics African-Americans have excessively represented a majority of the criminals in the U.S. since the mid-19th century (Du Bois, 1899, 1904; Hawkins, 1995). In 2006, the U.S. population was comprised of approximately 13% African-Americans, however they accounted for 28% of all offence arrests, 39.3% of violent crimes, 56.3% of robberies, and 50.9% of homicides (U.S. Department of Justice, 2007). The U.S. Department of Justice (2006) reported that victims perceived 25.3% of singular criminals and 33.9% of criminals in multiple offender victimizations to be African-American according to the most recent statistics from the National Crime Victimization Survey. In robberies, offenders were perceived as African-American 47.7% of the time and 22% of the time with assaults (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006). Disregarding the fact of perceived or speculative information obtained under the high stress of a criminal act by a victim, victimization data continued to parallel current arrest data. Early self-reports did not convey significant findings between race and crime (Elliott Voss, 1974; Williams Gold, 1972), but recent reports show youths prone to violence (Kelley, Huizinga, Thornberry, Loeber, 1997; Snyder Sickmund, 2006). Canada, New Zealand, and Australia also report abnormally high offenders from indigenous populations and African-Americans decent (Broadhurst, Tonry, 1997; Doone, 2000). Accounting for bias and discrimination, the overwhelming statistics of African-Americans to other races incarcerated do not coincide. General Strain Theory The GST offers an exemplary causation explanation of social and environmental factors contributing to African-American delinquency. The GST examines disproportional stressors/strains upon African-Americans as causations of criminal behavior whereas similar theories only provide for negative sociological (Hirschi, 1969) or poor acquaintance associations (Akers, 1998). Typically, hypotheses focus upon one factor as the causation of delinquency, the GST accounts for multiple strains upon an individual to explain criminal behavior. A broad range of strains, according to Agnew (1992), can occur from failures or removal from positive outcomes, or the anticipation of negative stimuli, could possibly result in a criminal action to pacify the emotional trigger. Recent empirical testing showed strain and anger influencing violence (Agnew, 2006; Mazerolle Piquero, 1997; Mazerolle, Burton, Cullen, Evans Payne, 2000). African-American may experience higher levels of strain compared to other races, but it does inevitably conclude in crime. Variables such as coping skills, social support, and mental conditioning of an individual allow for escape from and defusing strain. Individuals whom possess exemplary social control (Hirschi, 1969) or whom do not associate with delinquent social circles (Akers, 1998) will be less likely to utilize criminal activity to cope with strain. Predominate Strains Agnew (2001) recently clarified strain is most conducive to crime when it was viewed as unjust e.g. excessive discipline, criminal victimization, and unpredictable parental supervision, particularly when combined with economic, educational, criminal, and discriminatory strains. These types of strains create the conditions for coping to occur through criminal activity. Economic strains are prevalent amongst African-American communities with African-Americans likely to be of lower class income employed in the secondary labor market or unemployed (Conley, 2000; DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Smith, 2007; Gittleman Wolff, 2004; Sullivan, 1998; U.S. Department of Labor, 2008). Robbery is the highest crime disproportionally observed among the African-American culture (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006, 2007) and possibly explains the situational need for supplemental income. Economic strain can be potentially interrupted as unjust, blamable upon society, and other external factors beyond an individuals control, contributing to the continued plight of the African-American culture. Family, educational, criminal, victimization, discrimination, and community strains rank amongst the top stressors of the African-American culture next to economic strain. These strains are so prevalent in occurrence it is understandable and reasonable to conclude there is little escape or relief from these strains. Family strain is contributed to residency in impoverish areas, economics, secondary labor employment, and diminished family bonds contribute to the probability of poor parenting practices e.g. inappropriate/inconsistent discipline (Agnew et al., 2000; Patterson Fergatch, 1990; Patterson, Reid, Dishion, 1992). This breakdown can contribute to diminished parental bonds with children with juvenile delinquency becoming the strain relief mechanism (Agnew et al, 2000; McLoyd, 1990; Patterson, 1982). U.S. school systems contain a percentage of educators with low expectations of lower class student success (Cooper Moore, 1995) with the placement of students, according to race, in lower educational programs without consideration of the individuals academic ability (Irvine York, 1993). This is a considerable strain upon developing African-American youths. Low rate educational programs alone effectively lessen mental development. These educational programs contain inferior curricula (Epps, 1995; Oakes, 1985). Associated/resulting from substandard educational practices of African-Americans are poor grades, unfair discipline, and poor/negative interpersonal relations with educators and students contributing to strain. These strains are observable with white students attending minority-segregated schools as their academic scores reflect substandard grades compared to white students in predominately-white schools (Bankston III Caldas, 1996). Criminal victimization pertains to crimes committed against African-Americans as compared to other races. Victimization amongst African-American compared to whites was 37.3% higher (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006) with 49.5% accounting for murder and non-negligent manslaughter (U.S. Department of Justice, 2007) of which 58% of murders occur before the age of 30 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006). African-American children between the ages of 12-19 experienced violent crimes such as murder, rape, or robbery, 48% higher than white children of the same age (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006). The burglary rate of African-American households was 22.4% higher than whites (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006). Regardless of location, inner city or suburbia, the levels of victimization are consistent among African-Americans (Logan Stults, 1999). Discrimination is a strong negative that African-Americans experience frequently compared to whites and on many levels such as buying a house, car, seeking employment, education, or walking down the street (Ayres Siegelman, 1995; Farrell Jones, 1988; Feagin, 1991; Forman et. al., 1997; Kirschenman Neckerman, 1991; Yinger, 1995). African-Americans reported discrimination 34% greater than whites with 70% of African-Americans discriminated against at least once in their lifetime (Forman, Williams, Jackson, 1997). Discrimination may be the most conductive of strains eliciting negative emotions and crime-provoking behavior (Agnew, 2001). Homicide rates, at the micro level, were related to discrimination (Messner, 1989) with high rates of crime amongst African-Americans in racially segregated locales (Messner South, 1986; Shihadeh Flynn, 1996). At the micro level, positive associations existed between discrimination and juvenile delinquency (Simons et al., 2003). Negative experiences with law enforcement officers include discrimination (Miller, 1996), with frequent contact in high crime locals with unfavorable experiences (Parker, Onyekwuluje, and Murty, 1995). African-Americans were shot and killed more often by police officers compared to whites (Walker, Spohn, DeLone, 2000). While this fact showed negatively upon police officers, it also showed the high frequency in which African-Americans have extreme negative contacts with police officers. General Strain Theory and the Mentally Ill The Encyclopedia Britannica (2010) defines a mental disorder as, anyillnesswith significant psychological or behavioral manifestations that is associated with either a painful or distressing symptom or an impairment in one or more important areas of functioning. Disregarding recognizable mental illnesses such as schizophrenia; cannot a majority of the African-Americans incarcerated be classified as having a mental illness? African-Americans, over years of mental strain, may suffer from and require support rebuilding and coping skills with coping resources and social support (Agnew, 1992). Problem solving competences with self-esteem and self-efficacy guidance may help to reduce and recover from the effects of strain (Agnew, 1992). Utilization of tests such as the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (Walters, 2005) or the Theory of Planned Behavior (Doll Ajzen, 1992) may help in determining emotional distress, worldview, and criminal thinking methods of African-Americans. The state of New York utilized the Wilcoxon test to assess psychological changes (Ward, Bradigan, Holanchock, 1997) finding intermediate care programs containing professionals such as clinical psychologists, social workers, and occupational/recreational therapists served to avoid hospitalizing inmates via therapy (e.g. group recreational therapy, skill training, educational/vocational instruction, and crisis intervention). Religious recovery described by Fallot (2001) utilized spirituality as a potentially positive role in psychiatric rehabilitation. Scobbie, Wyke, and Dixon (2009) reviewed goal-setting theories to identify those that offer the best potential results in clinical practice. Scobbie, Wyke, and Dixon (2009) concluded five main theories of social cognitive theory, goal setting theory, health action process approach, proactive coping theory, and self-regulatory model of illness behavior showed results in patient outcomes. These theories can overlap and intertwine to help identify issues and aid in rehabilitation. The common theme pertaining to rehabilitation of inmates, mentally ill or not, starts with recognizing a mental illness. While prisons are for punishment, the treatment of psychological illnesses starts with recognition by the correctional facility or guards. Birgden (2004) stated the use of correctional staff is instrumental as potential therapeutic agents (p. 283) with rehabilitation programs depending upon correctional officers support. The chance to deter future criminal activity depends upon the criminals will to succeed with the guidance of councilors and therapy. Seriously mental ill inmates account for 8% to 20% of state prison inmates costing approximately $245 million with county estimates placed at approximately 7.2% to 15% with a cost of $58.4 million. Conservative overall estimate of approximately $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion went towards the care of inmates in the state of California in 1993-1994 (Izumi, Schiller, Hayward, 1996). The number and costs associated with the care of mentally ill inmates could be considerable lowered with the proper application of intermediate care programs to recognize and rehabilitate criminals. Conclusion Theorists typically suggest inadequate socialization as one of the overall causations of deviance behavior (Bandura, 1969). There are a number of theories psychologists consider when classifying and diagnosing mental illnesses e.g. psychodynamic theories, operant conditioning, moral development, and social learning theory. The rational choice theory states criminals make a conscious, rational, and at least partially (Schmalleger, 2006, p.118) while the lifestyle theory states criminal thinking is hierarchically organized and that certain features of an individuals general world view should correspond with specific criminal thinking styles (Walters, 2007, p. 184). The general choice theory utilizes many factors aforementioned, evaluating strain specifically upon the African-American culture. Care of African-American mental illness, while incarcerated, requires substantial emotional and possibly professional treatment and support. Correctional guards are the first step in recognizing and referring strained African-Americans requiring professional guidance, and to aid in the rehabilitation process with positive interactions and socializations. Realistically, lesser needs may go untreated due to priority inmates with severe psychiatric needs. Cases with lesser, treatable, mental conditions can go untreated (Olley, Nicholls, Brink, 2009). While severe patients take priority, the needs of lesser cases should be the primary focus of correctional facilities. The breaking of the criminal behavioral cycle is the focus of such rehabilitation programs. Currently there is no catchall racial explanation for the causation of crime or mental conditioning amongst African-American; Kaufman, Rebellon, Thaxton, and Agnew (2008) suggested the GST offered an additional and complementary explanation that highlights the importance of emotional and motivational social psychological processes (p. 432).

Crop Rotation and Soil Sustainability Essay -- Agriculture Farming Pap

Crop Rotation and Soil Sustainability Agriculture is responsible for providing food for an ever-growing population, and as it becomes clear that yields cannot continue to rise without limit, sustainability of agricultural practices becomes an increasingly important question. The soil is a precious resource in which all of agriculture has its base, and careful management of this complex system is essential. Crop rotation is one of the most important management practices in a sustainable agriculture system, both as a means of conserving soil and of maintaining its fertility. "A well-thought-out crop rotation is worth seventy-five percent of everything else that might be done, including fertilization, tillage, and pest control" according to The New Organic Grower (Coleman, 1989, p. 50). Crop rotation is by no means confined exclusively to organic farming, although much of what is considered in planning a rotation sequence encompasses the concerns of the organic farmer. The difference is primarily one of sustainability. "The organic farmer is essentially turning part of his potential income into renewal of the soil (by adding organic matter) in order to assure sustainability of future crop production. The conventional system maximizes present income and is not as concerned about viewing soil as a long-term investment" (Poincelot, 1986, p.23). A varied sequence of crops provides benefits that a monoculture cannot. A monoculture is an unnatural system; the relationship between soil, plants, and climate is designed to be balanced by diversity. A carefully planned rotation that considers as many aspects of this relationship as possible is a significant step toward establishing sustainability. Although not all the effects of rotatio... ...ress, 245 p. Lal, R., A.A. Mahboubi, N.R. Falsey, 1994, Long-Term Tillage and Rotation Effects on Properties of a Central Ohio Soil: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58: 517-522. Loomis, R.S. and D.J. Connor, 1992, Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems: New York, Cambridge University Press, 538 p. Meek, B.D., D.L. Carter, D.T.Westermann, R.E. Peckenpaugh, 1994, Root-Zone Mineral Nitrogen Changes as Affected by Crop Sequence and Tillage: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58: 1464-1469. Meek, B.D., D.L. Carter, D.T. Westermann, J.L. Wright, R.E. Peckenpaugh, 1995, Nitrate Leaching Under Furrow Irrigation as Affected by Crop Sequence and Tillage: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 59: 204-210. Poincelot, Raymond C., 1986, Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture: Westport CT, AVI Publishing Co. Inc., 241 p.

Development from Birth to 19 Essay

Physical:- 0-3 Physical development from birth is usually very quick, within the first few weeks of being born a baby will smile and start responding to sounds and environments. Gradually their muscles start to develop and by 6 months they will start reaching for and holding objects. Around the time a baby reaches one year they are beginning to crawl, and can roll from front to back. Using furniture to aid themselves in standing or using adult support to start taking some first steps. They are now able to sit unaided. Hand eye coordination starts improving as they pass objects between both hands. Teeth may start to show and more solid food will be introduced to them. As they move towards the age of two a child will begin walking and using toys to push and pull while they are walking. Picking objects up in different ways, building small towers and starting to show a preference for one hand. Pointing at their choices and waving and using their head to tell you yes or no. Between two and three they will start making marks on paper and developing their fine motor skills. Gross motor skills will develop, kicking balls and throwing them. 3-7 From three years gross motor skills will start advancing, such as jumping and running, stairs will become easier. They will gain more independence. Fine motor skills will be easier and they can start to dress and undress themselves with a small amount of assistance. By the time a child gets to four girls and boys become slightly different. Boy’s gross motor skills will be developed further when it comes to throwing, catching, climbing pedalling etc, however for girls their fine motor skills will be more developed with use of scissors, pens/pencils and threading beads. When children reach the age of five they will have more control with pencils, copying letters and shapes. Gross motor skills will keep on developing and they are able to kick with an aim, learning to hop on one leg and then the other. By six children will start taking risks with jumping from heights and will start riding bikes better as their confidence increases. They learn to do buttons while dressing thems elves and begin to learn laces. 7-12 At seven years old children can walk along a thin line with arms out to the side for balance. They will start riding a bike two-wheeled or possibly roller skates. Stamina will have increased showing in some activities such as swimming and gymnastics. They start to assess their environment when running avoiding objects that are in their way. Catching becomes better, and may even use only one hand when doing so. They are more competent with their writing skills, incorporating colours with their drawings, such as green at the bottom of the page for grass. Children aged eight and nine have a quicker reaction time and their body strength will have increased. They enjoy participating in sports and energetic games. They can control over small muscles and can draw and write with more skill and dexterity and start joining letters in their handwriting. At ten and eleven years girls and boys begin to differ again, girls experience puberty earlier than boys, generally girls are two years ahead of boys. Body proportions become more like those of adults. Writing has become established and they will now have a writing style, usually with joined up letters. 12-19 Physical becomes very different in each child from the age of twelve upwards as they are now in adolescence. Boys and girls have a big difference. Boys will become bigger than girls, body shape will change, muscles will develop and body hair will grow. Strength and coordination will increase. Other changes that happen within puberty will start such as their voices getting deeper, testicles and scrotum will begin to grow. With Girls body shape will change and start to round and become curvy. Their breasts will start to develop, menstruation will start however this can range from eight years until late teens, and the average age is around thirteen. Some girls may become physically mature by the age of fifteen and close to their adult height, however some may still develop larger breasts and a fuller figure. Intellectual:- 0-3 When a baby is born intellect is very simple by imitating and trying new ways of behaviour. For example, imitating adults when opening their mouth and sticking out their tongue. They start to make eye contact and recognise their primary carers and cry in expressive ways. Begin to understand the meanings of words such as bye and mama. By the time they are turning nine months old they will understand their daily routines and follow simple instructions. They will watch a toy be hidden and then look for it (object permanence) and also look in the correct direction for a falling toy. By one year old children will use the trial and error method to learn about objects. They understand simple instructions such as ‘clap hands’ or ‘wave bye’. They will start to learn body parts and will point to them and refer to themselves by name. By two years children begin to understand the consequences of their own actions and of those around them. They follow simple instructions and give empathy to other babies cry and try to provide comfort. Vocabulary will grow to about 1,000 words and will start to put phrases together. 3-7 At three years old children are able to match two or three colours, following instructions will have grown and are fascinated by cause and effect often asking ‘why’. They have grasped the concept of one and lots. At four years old children will talk about things in the past and in the future, their memory skills have increased and can often confuse fact with fiction, they can give reasons and solve problems, and are able to sort objects into groups. By five years old, a child can produce drawings with great detail, they become interested in reading and writing. By six years old, children think in a more co-ordinated way and can hold more than one point of view at a time. They are able to know the difference between reality and fantasy but may still be frightened by supernatural characters. They develop concepts of quantity such as length, volume, capacity and weight. Cultural conventions influence their drawing and writing. 7-12 At seven years old, children will start to become better with technology, using computers for simple word processing using the mouse and keyboard. They start to challenge themselves by using new materials for experiments. They enjoy learning mathematical and scientific concepts and can perform simple calculations in their heads and telling time. Children develop a logical way of thinking but are still limited compared to an adult. At eight and nine years old children have an increased attention span, they understand complex sentences and are able to speak and express their ideas. They learn to plan ahead and evaluate what they do. At ten and eleven, they begin to devise memory strategies, they understand the motives behind the actions of another. Children may become curious about alcohol, tobacco and drugs and want to understand more about them. 12-19 During adolescence teenagers become more responsible for their own thoughts, words and actions, they think about possibilities and their future, occupations and relationships etc. Teenagers form their individual identity with guidance from education, parents and peers. They think through hypotheses and by using their ability they think about situations that are contrary to fact. They use imagination when solving problems and they approach a problem with a systematic method. Communication and language:- 0-3 A child’s language development usually begins within their first three months, babies will watch faces and mouths and try to copy other people’s movement and sounds. They will coo, gurgle and cry in expressive ways, they smile in response to speech. They laugh and vocalise with increasing tone and intensity. At around six months babies babble spontaneously, talk to themselves and squeal with delight. At nine months babies enjoy communicating with sounds, they understand and obey the command ‘no’. At the age of one, children will speak two to six or more recognisable words and show that they understand many more. At twelve months deaf babies stop babbling and begin to learn the special manual gestures of sign language. They start to learn a few body parts. At eighteen months the vocabulary grows to six to forty recognisable words and understand many more than that, using gestures alongside these words. Singing is enjoyable as well as listening to songs and rhymes. At two years old children speak over 200 words and learn new words rapidly, but can understand many more words than they can speak. Phases are used as telegraphic speech some phrases can mean more than one thing. Naming things becomes fun and they spend a great deal of time doing this. ‘Why’ becomes a favourite word and questions are constantly being asked. As a child reaches three years old, they will join in and remember both words and actions to songs, speech progresses into longer sentences and can easily learn new words, names, places and so on. 3-7 As children grow at three years old, if more than one language is being spoken around them they will learn more than one language. They can carry on conversations but often miss link words like ‘the’ and ‘is’ During their singing and speaking they will use pitch and tone. At four years old, children start to talk in past and in the future. They begin to recognise patterns in the way words are formed and apply these when talking however they are unaware that many common words have irregular forms, they may say ‘I runned’ or ‘I goed’. Jokes and play on words become enjoyable. At five years old children will talk with a good knowledge of tense, using the past, present and future in conversation. They are fluent in speech and grammatically correct for the majority. Questions are asked about abstract words like ‘beyond’. Children at six years old gain confidence when they speak and remember and repeat songs and nursery r hymes. They may alternate between wanting stories read to them and reading books themselves. 7-12 At seven years old children understand that words have more than one meaning. Expressing themselves becomes easier in speech and writing. They use compound and complex sentences, and can carry adult-like conversation. At eight and nine, children use and understand complex sentences, they are very verbal and enjoy making up and telling jokes. Spelling becomes understood, and using simple punctuation becomes consistent. They use writing for different purposes, for both imaginative and factual. They use books to find out answers, reading independently for long periods of time, sometimes using the help of adults. Through the ages of ten and eleven children can write moderately lengthy essays, to do this they may use dictionaries, school libraries or the help of an adult to gain the correct information. They will look at work they have done and try to correct punctuation and revising their own writing. 12-19 During adolescents, language skills may still be developing, but with a more complex manner. They may start using sarcasm and wit the older they get. They will have a fast legitimate style of handwriting and will communicate in an adult manner, including increased maturity. Teenagers are able to process text talk and abstract meaning, understanding abstract language and the meaning, figurative language and metaphors. Emotional and Personal:- 0-3 From birth babies respond to adults especially their mother/father’s faces and voices.. At one years old children may show distress or separation anxiety. Objects such as blankets or teddies will be used for comfort. They become emotionally liable, meaning that they are likely to have variable moods throughout the day. From two years old, children want to please adults and become much more independent, but frustration will show when they are unable to complete some tasks without the help of an adult resulting in tantrums. Jealousy begins to show when they are not receiving attention, sharing may become hard for some children, this can be with attention from adults or even some toys. Frustration is now shown more because of not being able to express themselves. Children may also show toilet needs by restlessness or words. 3-7 From three years old, children will begin to learn to share better with other children. They feel more secure are able to cope in new surroundings and new adults for a longer period of time, but still need routine and structure to feel safe. They like to do more things independently and unaided. Affection is shown to siblings whether it be older or younger. Using the toilet independently and dry throughout the night but may still have accidents, although this may be different with each child. Fears may develop for example of the dark, this is because they are capable of pretending and imagining. At four years old children can eat skilfully with a spoon and a fork. Dressing themselves and doing things like brushing their teeth, washing and drying their hands can be done independently but still need help with buttons and laces. Children at five years old have definitive likes and dislikes, but may have small apparent logic, for example they may eat on food when it is only cut a certain way. From the age of six children begin to compare themselves with others around them, thinking that they are like others but in a different way. They carry out simple task and like to get rewarded for doing so, some people may use reward charts to do so. 7-12 At seven years old children learn how to control their emotions, learning that they can keep their emotions to themselves and hide their true thoughts and feelings. Who they would like to be becomes thought about and can be critical of their own work. Children at eight and nine years old can easily be embarrassed, can be discouraged easily and take pride in their own competence. They can become argumentative and bossy however can still be kind and approachable. The feelings and needs of others may not be fully understandable to them but they do begin to see things from somebody else’s point of view. Through the ages of ten and eleven, children have an increasing ability to understand the needs and opinions of others, developing a more defined individual personality. They can become gradually more self-conscious and are able to identify and describe what they are feeling to others. For girls especially those who start puberty early they may have sudden dramatic or emotiona l changes. 12-19 As teenagers go through adolescents through the ages of twelve and sixteen they may feel misunderstood, they may become self-conscious or anxious about their physical appearance and often compare themselves to others, needing a great deal of reassurance. They may alternate between behaving like a child and behaving as an adult, this is because they will experience big emotional changes and may find them difficult to control. Recognition from peers becomes important to teenagers feeling the need to be accepted, this may influence their clothing styles and interests. Through sixteen and nineteen teenagers may begin to explore their own sexuality, they can start to question their own family’s beliefs, values and attitudes and develop their own. Their peers have less influence on them as it becomes less important to them. Social and Behavioural:- 0-3 From Birth babies enjoy feeding and cuddling. They enjoy the company of others and games like ‘peek-a-boo’ become one of their favourites. They will become shy around others and look to their primary carer for comfort and reassurance. They begin to show a particular temperament, they can be placid or excitable. At around six months babies become more wary of strangers and show distress when their mothers leave, they smile at familiar faces and strangers. From one year, children help with daily routines, such as getting washed and dressed, they enjoy socialising at meal times, trying to master feeding themselves.. They may repeatedly throw objects on the floor during play or because of rejection. Playing by themselves contently but may prefer to be near a family member or familiar adult. At two years old children become curious about their environment and are eager to try new experiences, they like to play with other children but may not like sharing their toys. 3-7 From three years old children can see things from someone else’s point of view and family meal times become very enjoyable. They are willing to share their toys with their peers and begin to take turns when playing, it is interesting to make friends and having them. They are more cooperative with adults and like to help them. At four years old children like to be independent and are strongly self-willed. They like to be with other children but often show sensitivity to others. When a child reaches five years old they are able to amuse themselves for longer periods of time, for example looking at a book or watching a DVD, they show sympathy and comfort to friends who are hurt and are able to choose their own friends. At six years old children choose their friends from their personalities and interests, they hold long conversations with them naturally taking it in turns to speak and listen. 7-12 Children from seven years old start to form close relationships mainly with those of the same sex as them, however adult help may be needed in resolving arguments. Speaking up for themselves becomes easier for example when visiting people like the dentist or doctor. Around this age it is important for children to understand boundaries and why they are there. At eight and nine children make friends rather casually and may change quickly, the majority of friends are still the same sex as them but begin to show interest in the opposite sex. They start to join informal clubs formed by other children themselves but also like to join adult led groups like brownies or cubs, and start to show a sense of loyalty to these groups. Through the ages of ten and eleven children have stronger relationships with friends and usually have a best friend, the friendship will also last longer, these friendships will be formed on the basis of a mix of different shared interests and things that they have in common. Children fall into peer pressure and want to talk, dress and act like their friends, they prefer to spend time with friends and still continue to enjoy belonging to small groups of the same sex. 12-19 During adolescents teenagers start to identify more with friends and the relationship with parents becomes weaker. Because of the emotional need of feeling accepted from their peers, friends influence their interests. Teenagers become more socially skilled and become better at resolving conflicts with others. As they reach the age of sixteen to nineteen relationships with parents become strong again as they can have much more of an adult relationship with them. Friends and others around them influence their behaviour less as they become less important to them.

Female Acceptance into a Computer Based Society Essay

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advancement on technology had brought different changes into the society. These aims to provide additional comfort and making things work more efficiently. But there are changes that people cannot prevent to happen. These are biological changes such as getting old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People respond to the aging process as a negative thing. Misconceptions arises that lead to common negative behavior towards the aging process. Getting old is a natural process. Anti-aging solutions are invented to prevent physical changes that it may cause like gray hair and wrinkles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It’s no secret that our bodies change as we age. Physical as well as psychological changes as effect of aging can be experienced.   Some changes are obvious, while others are more subtle. Others, may experience the effects of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, which can gradually diminish their abilities to participate fully in activities. While there are still people age comfortably and remain active, alert and vibrant throughout their lives. Their physiologic age may be quite younger than their chronological age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the negative connotation on the process of aging, women who are known to be more conscious than men generally find it an issue to accept aging as a natural process of life. OBJECTIVES This study aims to discuss the impact of aging to the female group given in a modern and more advance society. This will provide description on how female cope, adapt and react to the aging process. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research covers the issue of aging on female point of view. . It also provide an overview on what is aging and the physical and mental changes it bring to a person. This also identify some misconceptions about aging. SIGNIFICANCE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study is significant to discuss the impact of aging to women. It identifies the reasons on how the female gender response to the stage of aging. It discusses the common misconceptions regarding aging that can be properly addressed. This study is also significant for future researches related to the topic. RELATED LITERATURE Misconceptions on Aging There are a lot of misconceptions about getting old. It is a negative connotation that aging means getting near to the end of growth. And that old age is a lonely stage of life. It is also a misconception that when one is old, he/she believes that there are only limited to certain activities especially in the physical aspect. One fears getting old because of the fear of loosing independence. Another misconception is that people think that the happy days of their lives were experienced when they are young. According to a recent study shown, these several misconceptions vary from the reality regarding the issue of aging.   The research was conducted by VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and University of Michigan researchers to 540 adults who were between the ages of 21 and 40, or over age 60 . They were asked to rate their level of happiness through answering questions. The results are published in the June issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies, a major research journal in the field of positive psychology. There is a stereotype existing between the old and young in the society. One thinks that the happy days of his/her life happens only when he/she is young.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In another research by Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D., the concept of ageism was examined between younger and older men and women in the present study. It was entitled â€Å"Effects of Age and Gender on Perceptions of Younger and Older Adults†. The study discusses the older adults are perceived more negatively than younger adults. Through gender interaction effect, a significant age by was found. Both younger and older men rated stimulus older adults significantly less positively than stimulus younger adults. However, older women rated stimulus older adults significantly more positively than they rated other stimulus-age groups. Older women were the only subject group that did not exhibit a consistent negative bias against older adults. Conversely, younger women rated stimulus older adults more negatively than any subject group. Biological   Effects   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of aging are obvious on the body. Our body is made up of cells and tissues that keep on regenerating and replenishing to keep our body sustaining. As we grow old, this process decreases where replacement of old to new cells are slowing causing the signs of aging to appear.   Physical changes like poor hearing and declining vision takes place. The strength of muscles lessens due to soft tissues like skin and blood vessels that became less flexible are some general changes that occur in the human body as it ages. Skin starts to become dry and wrinkled. It looses its elasticity and the glands function less so sweating occurs lesser than the usual. Moreover, there is an overall decline in body tone that can be observed. The body’s performance becomes less efficient. Not all people experience decreased organ function to the same degree—some individuals are healthier due to good diet and exercise when they are younger. Aging also affects the immune system of a person. Human antibody lessens their act against free radicals. The immune system also changes with age. The antibodies, disease-fighting proteins, protect the body against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful agents in a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system also prevents the growth of abnormal cells, which can become cancerous. With advancing age, the ability of the immune system to carry out these protective functions is diminished—the rate of antibody production may drop by as much as 80 percent between age 20 and age 85. This less-effective immune system explains why a bout of influenza, which may make a young adult sick for a few days, can be fatal for an elderly person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For females, these changes on the body due to the advancement of age have a greater issue.   Aging causes changes on the physical aspect of a person and one of the major effects of aging occurs in the female reproductive system. With aging, a woman’s breasts lose tissue and subcutaneous fat, reducing breast size and fullness. There is also a decrease in the number of mammary ducts. The breasts lose support. Aging breasts commonly flatten and sag, and the nipple may turn in slightly. The areola (the area surrounding the nipple) becomes smaller and may nearly disappear. Loss of hair around the nipple is common. Breast cancer risk increases with age. Women should perform monthly breast self-examinations. However, because breast self-exams do not always pick up early stages of breast cancer, women should also talk to their health care providers about mammograms. It also affects the fertility cycle of a woman. Menopausal stage takes place on about age 45 to age 55 of a female where the ovaries does not longer produce egg cells. This means that she can no longer bear a child. This is also the end of the menstrual cycle since there is no longer the release of sexual hormones that motivates the cycle. Although the average onset of menopause occurs in the early part of the sixth decade there is an observable, real and significant decline in the 10 to 15 years before menstruation ceases. Scientific studies on natural populations (those with high marital rates and no birth control) and on â€Å"infertility populations† all confirm the presence of an age related decline in female fertility independent of all other factors. This effect becomes most prominent after age 35.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging cause loss of female fertility. Although menstrual irregularities generally begin to show in the last half of the 5th decade (a time termed perimenopause) there is a marked decrease in fertility in the 10 years preceding this that appears to be independent of male or pelvic factors and despite the occurrence of regular menstrual cycles and ovulation. Similarly a decrease in success rates for IVF is seen in this population as well. The discussion then seems to focus on whether this decrease in fertility is due to ovarian factors, uterine factors or both. In other mammals there does appear to be a host of age related uterine changes that do limit fertility however, initial studies in humans failed to show consistent aging changes. Furthermore it now seems that the endometrium of an ovulatory older woman with appropriate levels of estradiol and progesterone should be able to be appropriately receptive to and supportive of implantation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The catch here is that as we age, even while still regularly menstruating, there are subtle shifts in hormonal patterns that may make the endometrium less receptive. As an example, luteal phase defect is far more common at the edges of reproductive life (very young, very old, newly delivered) but progesterone supplementation, which in theory should overcome the defect, does not appear to have made a significant difference in pregnancy rates for older women. More compelling support for the idea that the problem is primarily ovarian in nature comes from the fact that pregnancy rates for younger women and older women undergoing IVF with donor eggs are quite comparable. There are however, still some questions about uterine receptivity and study is ongoing in attempts to isolate out the effect of the â€Å"older uterus† from the effect of aging eggs of poor quality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bottom line for now seems to be that although everyone agrees that egg quality and ovarian reserve definitely decline with age and are perhaps the primary factors causing an age related decrease in female fertility, there may be uterine factors in play as well. Further study to elucidate the mechanisms at work and, hopefully, to devise new treatment options are indicated. A number of other studies investigates the effects of aging. Scientists have found, for example, a possible explanation for why women have longer average life spans than men. The difference seems to be biologically determined, and male and female sex hormones are probably responsible. The blood levels of female sex hormones drop sharply during menopause. At that time, the incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure in women increases to match the incidence in men, suggesting that the presence of female sex hormones offers some protection against heart disease. Aging Population   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In developed nations, life expectancy has increased more in the 20th century than it has in all of recorded history. A person born in the United States in 1995 can expect to live more than 35 years longer than a person born in 1900. Today more than 34 million Americans are 65 or older, accounting for about 13 percent of the population. By the year 2030, their numbers will more than double: One in every five Americans will be over age 65. A person who lives 100 years or more—a centenarian—was once a rarity, but today about 60,000 Americans are 100 years or older. By the year 2060, there may be as many as 2.5 million centenarians in the United States. The number of supercentenarians—people 105 years of age and older—will probably be as commonplace in the next century as centenarians are fast becoming now. How to Counteract with Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knowing what to expect and taking steps to counterbalance the effects of aging can help you maintain a young spirit and an independent life. A healthy diet, regular exercise program and positive attitude can help delay the onset and slow the progression of many age-related changes. Many of the changes in our musculoskeletal system result more from disuse than from simple aging. Fewer than 10 percent of Americans participate in regular exercise, and the most sedentary group is over age 50.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stretching is an excellent way to help maintain joint flexibility. Weight training can increase muscle mass and strength, enabling people to continue their daily routine activities without maximal exertion. Even moderate amounts of physical activity can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Much recent research has been conducted on the effects of exercise on aging. In all of the studies described above, exercise had positive effects on aging. It has been found to increase reaction time, assist in predicting â€Å"good† aging, and improve psychological well-being. Factors such as health, social support, efficacy, and motivation are indicators of the maintenance of exercise. One should acknowledge the factors influencing exercise, recognize the numerous benefits of exercise, and take action at any age in order to live a more healthy and happy life now and in old age. Long-term regular exercises may slow the loss of muscle mass and prevent age-associated increases in body fat. Exercise also helps maintain the body’s response time, as well as its ability to deliver and use oxygen efficiently. Just 30 minutes of moderate activity, incorporated into your daily routine, can provide health benefits. An exercise program doesn’t have to be strenuous to be effective. Walking, square dancing, swimming and bicycling are all recommended activities for maintaining fitness into old age. The 30 minutes of moderate activity can be broken up into shorter periods; you might spend 15 minutes working in the garden in the morning and 15 minutes walking in the afternoon. It all adds up. But if you’ve never attempted an exercise program before, be sure to see your doctor before starting one now. Psychological Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behavioral medicine research over the past several years has identified a umber of psychosocial characteristics that affect the development and course of a wide range of life-threatening illnesses. Included among these psychosocial risk factors are hostility, depression, social isolation, high job strain, and low socioeconomic status. The specific mechanisms whereby these factors influence the patho ­genesis and prognosis of major causes of death such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer have not been identified yet, but considerable research points to accompanying health behaviors (smoking, dietary habits, and alco ­hol consumption) and biological characteristics (altered functions of the sym ­pathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems [SNS, PNS], of the hypothal ­amic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, and of the immune system) as likely mediators. Finally, research evaluating interventions targeting psychosocial risk factors in groups of patients with CHD and cancer offer considerable promise that secondary prevention will be shown to have an important place in the treatment and rehabilitation of major chronic diseases . Anti-aging can be a difficult topic to address. A war is currently being fought over the meaning of â€Å"anti-aging† (as research, medicine, brand, or simply adjective) and thus even mentioning the term is likely to prejudice many readers. Defining Anti-Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like it or not, â€Å"anti-aging† now has a number of quite different common meanings and connotations. Each is championed by a particular group or loose coalition of interests, but advocates for these groups have a way of diving into the fray without defining their terms. This makes reading about anti-aging techniques, technologies, medicine, products, and debates very confusing for the newcomer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the scientific community, anti-aging research refers exclusively to slowing, preventing, or reversing the aging process. There is, as of 2007, no medical technology that allows this to be done – although the jury is still out on calorie restriction in humans. Nor is there any currently available method (short of waiting for people to die) to accurately measure the effects of an alleged anti-aging therapy. In the medical and more reputable business community, anti-aging medicine means early detection, prevention, and reversal of age-related diseases. This is quite different from tackling the aging process itself, and a wide array of strategies and therapies are currently available. Calorie restriction, for example, is a demonstrated way to lower risk for a wide range of age-related degenerative conditions. The wider business community – including a great many fraudulent and frivolous ventures – views â€Å"anti-aging† as a valuable brand and a demonstrated way to increase sales. At the worse end of the scale, this leads to snake oil salesmen, â€Å"anti-aging† creams that may or may not make your skin look younger, and infomercials that tout the â€Å"anti-aging† benefits of exercise machines. Broadly, and very charitably, we can look at these varied definitions of anti-aging as meaning â€Å"to look and feel younger in some way† – which has no bearing on how long you live or how healthy you actually are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The confusion of most interest is between the first two definitions. Many interventions lengthen life span for individuals by preventing or curing specific age-related diseases that would otherwise prove fatal. For example, ask yourself whether preventing heart disease or diabetes is anti-aging medicine. This would have no effect on the aging process, but it would help many people to live longer, healthier lives. Is this anti-aging research? Scientists say no, some medical and business groups say yes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging is such a bad word in our society. We don’t want to see old people, much less sit next to them. Even old people don’t like to be around other old people.But maybe the reason that many seniors can’t embrace their golden years is that they have never had it modeled for them. People today just live longer. The fastest growing segment in today’s society is those 85 and older. It’s a whole new ballgame for seniors today. A lot are unsure what to do or what’s expected of them. In some ways, we’re pioneers showing younger folk what to do and what they can do when they are this age. Indeed, the work of a person growing old is that of becoming an elder, discovering spiritual treasures and passing them along to others. Despite physical limitations, there are many positives about aging, including more time to be spent in meditation and prayer, working on a closer connection to God and selves. That meditative work can encourage elders to review their lives, see how they made a difference as well as bringing up old wounds and pains. It’s here that seniors need to work on forgiving others, themselves and God as they let go of past hurts, grudges and pains. AGING ON FEMALE’S PERSPECTIVE Response to Physical Changes It is a much issue for women when they feel they get old considering females to be a more conscious gender when it comes to the physical aspect. After discussing the physical changes that it can bring, without proper caring, one’s body can be a total wreck. Another issue that aging brought is that it lessen one’s self esteem. Women are conscious of their age. Youth implies beauty. Something that one tries to preserve while she is still has the youthfulness. That is why anti aging creams, pills etc. are in demand to most women. For example, there is a preference of choosing a younger female.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As women age their concerns about health grow—and rightfully so given that women are at greater risks for some health conditions. For example, according to the Illinois Department on Aging, heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause of death among older women. Women are twice as likely as men to die within the first year of having a heart attack. The second leading cause of death for women is cancer—specifically lung and breast cancer—and the third leading cause of death is stroke. Women who have hypertension or diabetes are at greater risk for heart disease and strokes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like all women, lesbians are at risk for health problems associated with aging. Some evidence suggests that they may even be at greater risk for some age-related health problems. For example, because lesbians as a group are less likely to have been pregnant, more likely to drink alcohol and smoke—and more likely to be overweight—their risk of breast cancer may be greater than the risk among women in the general population. However, we need much more research before we can say much of anything for sure about lesbians’ risks for breast cancer or the other leading causes of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study we are collecting information about these and many other health concerns of lesbians. We are happy to report that, in general, the 450 lesbians in our study are overall very healthy—in fact, when we first interviewed them in 2000-2001, 74% of them rated their health as good or excellent; only 7% said that their health was poor. Very few women in the study reported being diagnosed with breast cancer , heart disease, or diabetes. However, 17% said that they have high blood pressure (hypertension). One of the reasons for these low rates of problems is that the women are relatively young—the average age of the women in the study is 39 years (only about a quarter of them are over 45 years old). As they get older, lesbians, like other women, face higher risk for these serious health problems. Because we have not yet discovered the cure for aging it is important that we take care of ourselves in order to reduce these risks and improve our overall quality of life. Among the most important ways that we can take care of ourselves include getting regular exercise, not smoking, and using sodium (salt) and alcohol in moderation. Some misconceptions of women and the truth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the worse my body will feel. The increasing stiffness and aches & pains that often come with age are not a result of age, but are due to lack of movement. Although there are some changes in the tissues in the process of aging, one can continue to remain remarkably flexible and free of pain through something as simple as regular stretching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It’s too late to start taking care of myself †¦ it won’t do any good at this age. A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important factors in how people age. Improvements in lifestyle (with the 3 key areas being good food, exercise and regular relaxation and rest) will bring improvements at any age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I’m getting too old to learn new things Research shows that older people can, and do, learn new things. Attitude plays an important role. People who believe they can learn new things do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sex is only for the young. People can, and do, continue to enjoy sex well into their senior years. People are sexual beings throughout the life cycle, but sexuality is experienced differently at different ages. Changes in hormones affects the experience of sex, and one may need to find different ways to be intimate. Relaxation is key here so that we don’t panic when things don’t happen the way they used to. Aging does not imply that they are too old for sex but simply they need to give themselves some breathing room to become familiar with our changing physiologies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the less attractive I become. There is nothing more attractive than someone who has aged well. There is a special radiance in a elderly person who is at peace with themselves and life. Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with age. It’s never too late to change the two most important ingredients to graceful aging – attitude and lifestyle.   At the risk of sounding like a broken record to those of you who’ve read my previous articles – there are two very simple but essential lifestyle ingredients for successful aging -relaxation and stretching.       References: http://www.hope.edu/academic/psychology/335/webrep2/ageexercise.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/ageismwoolf.html http://www.seniorwomen.com/articles/articlesElginOld.html http://www.riversidehealth.com/articles/aging.htm http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=224&topcategory=Wellness http://infertility.about.com/cs/femalefactors/a/femaleage.htm