Aravind Eye Hospital, India: Mission and Vision

Aravind Eye Hospital, India: Mission and Vision Aravind Eye Hospital:Â  Improving Lives One Eye at a Time A Brief Introduction Imagine having the world as you know it cease to exist, the things you once saw be erased, and having no hope to gain control of your life. This is how life for many people in India once was, and how it still is for some even today. A cataract, a curable infliction of the eye, has attacked men and women of every age, sparing no one, not even a child. They build up in size over time, and leave many blind. Once struck, the individual in question can no longer work, and has no way to take care of themselves, making them entirely dependent on their family for support. Living in an already impoverished area, blindness has dire consequences, resulting in many cases of premature death. There is a simple procedure that can reverse the effects of cataracts and return sight to the user. However, this surgery is too costly for some to afford. In India, a country with an extremely high poverty rate, cataracts had become a major problem for the inhabitants. Cataracts have left millions to suffer with an unnecessary disability, but one man came about to challenge its hold on the people of India. Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy revolutionized the medical field of eye care, and built a health institution that would allow everyone afflicted to get the help they needed, despite their ability to pay. This case analysis examines that institution, how it came into existence, how it operates, its creator, and the general background of the country of origination. Poverty and Healthcare in India Poverty is one of the biggest social issues in India. According to the Indian government, of its nearly 1 billion inhabitants, an estimated 260.3 million are below the poverty line. More than 75% of these poor people reside in impoverished villages (Azad, 2008). The causes of rural poverty include inadequate and ineffective implementation of anti-poverty programs, and the unavailability of irrigational facilities. The poor irrigation systems result in crop-failure and low agricultural productivity, forcing farmers into a debt-trap. Economic development since independence has been lopsided. There has been an increase in unemployment rates that have forced many people into a state of poverty, and the population continues to grow at an alarming rate (Economy, 2009). Overpopulation of an already scarce job field has kept many individuals trapped by poverty. India has a Universal Health Care System operated by the government, like many other industrialized countries. The governmental hospitals offer health care to the masses at the tax-payers expense. The Indian government set up the health care system to help people who are below the poverty line, but many people have problems using the hospitals. One reason for this is the fact that there are an extremely low number of medical practitioners available for the people. Another reason is that most public hospitals are inefficient, and provide poor quality medical services to their patients. Quality could be better, but public hospitals generally only provide basic treatment, and have lower quality equipment to perform with. Inefficiency in the system is caused by the imbalance between medical providers and the needy population. For example, although India requires more than 74,000 hospitals to satisfy demand, it just has about 37,000 health care centers (Liberty, 2009). Due to the impoverished peoples lack of resources, they cannot afford to go to a private eye hospital to get their cataracts removed. And because of the limited availability and help from government hospitals, and their inability to perform eye surgery, most individuals are left with no choice but to remain blind. This in turn adds to the increasing rate of unemployment, as it is difficult for a blind person to get or maintain a job. And that leads to having even more people below the poverty line, as it is not only the individual in question, but their entire family as well. If there was a place they could go to be treated, it would help stop the cycle of poverty, and give them a fighting chance to live. Enter the Vision, Aravind Eye Hospital Aravind Eye Hospital has risen from its humble beginnings to promote eye health not only in India, but also throughout the world. Doctor Govindappa Venkataswamy, along with his sister and brother-in-law, started Aravind in 1976 (Maurice, 2001). This eye hospital was first opened in a rented house that contained only ten beds. The three founders were the only doctors at Aravind when it first opened. Since then it has grown little by little each year. This hospital has grown into a five-story building that is located in Madurai, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This particular hospital now contains 1,900 beds. As of 2001, approximately 1.5 million blind people have left this one hospital with their sight completely restored. In addition to this, Aravind Eye Hospital has now expanded into a total of five hospitals throughout India (Maurice, 2001). The Aravind franchise includes a hospital created specifically to help restore sight to children (Maurice, 2001). The Internationa l Institute for Community Ophthalmology, which is a part of Aravind Eye Hospital, trains eye care workers from low-income countries. There is a medical research foundation as well as an eye bank that handles about 900 corneas a year that are associated with Aravind. Aurolab is a manufacturing facility that makes lenses, pharmaceuticals, and surgery supplies for Aravind (Maurice, 2001). Aravind Eye Hospital later branched out and opened Aurolab, despite disagreements from the Indian government, because imported intraocular lenses, IOLs, were too expensive for low-income patients to afford (Shah, 2004). Aurolab makes approximately 700,000 IOLs each year (Maurice, 2001). These IOLs are then sold, not only to Aravind but to eye care facilities in over eighty countries, for a price that is ten times less expensive than the same quality of IOLs used in western countries (Maurice, 2001). Aurolab also manufactures spectacles, sutures, and medications along with the IOLs, to sell to the hosp itals for reduced costs (Chang, 2004). The Aravind group worked with approximately 1.3 million patients in 2000 (Maurice, 2001). This is about 85-90% more than most other hospitals in India. Also, Aravind holds mobile eye camps throughout the year to raise eye care awareness in India (Maurice, 2001). These eye camps screen villagers on a Sunday, then bus the patients into Aravind in the evening (Chang, 2004). The surgeries are then performed on Monday. There are usually 300-400 cases on Mondays, with the record being 500 cases (Chang, 2004). Most eye surgeons in the world perform less than 350 surgeries each year. At Aravind, the average number of surgeries per doctor is 2000 per year. Aravind looks to multiply its benefits by hiring and training local doctors and surgeons. Even though Aravind pays slightly more than the government hospitals, seven to ten doctors leave each year. The reason is, since Aravind is nonprofit organization, it is unable to compete pay wise with private practice institutions (Maurice, 2001). The Path to Aravind As previously mentioned, Aravind was founded by Govindappa Venkataswamy, who is commonly known as Dr. V (Maurice, 2001). Dr. V does not view his job as work, but rather as something that he is excited to be able to do. According to Dr. V, if there is something you can do, you should do it. Dr. V was born in 1918 and died at the age of 87 on July 7, 2006 (Govindappa, 2009). He received a Bachelors of Arts in chemistry from American College in Madurai in 1938. Then, in 1944, he received a doctor of medicine from Stanley Medical College in Madras. Finally in his education he received a doctor of ophthalmology from the Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Madras in 1951. From 1976 until his death in 2006, Dr. V was the chairman of Aravind Eye Hospital. In 1956 he was named the head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Government Madurai Medical College. At the same time, he was an eye surgeon at the Government Erksine Hospital. He held both of these positions for twenty years until his forced retirement from the government hospital in 1976 (Govindappa, 2009). Dr. V was partly influenced in the creation of Aravind by his mentor, the philosopher and mystic Sri Aurobindo, whom Dr. V was a disciple of for fifty years (Maurice, 2001). When Dr. V was asked about the influence of his mentor into Aravind, he made the following statement: You do your best in your job and higher ideas come to you, and then you try to realize those ideas too (Maurice, 2001). Dr. V was also motivated from his work at the government hospital (Shah, 2004). The government asked him to have four camps a year while he still worked with the government hospital in 1961. This also proved to be a part of his opportunity identification. He saw the number of patients attending rise each time the camp was held (Shah, 2004). The fact that eighteen million people are blind by curable cataracts worldwide is another part of Dr. Vs opportunity identification (Chang, 2004). This number is growing at an alarmi ng, nearly epidemic rate. Blindness causes reduced life expectancy, and productivity is lost for both for the blind as well as for those that care for them (Chang, 2004). Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy: A True Social Entrepreneur Dr. V had entrepreneurial quality, which is one of the four categories used to evaluate Ashoka nominees (Bornstein, 2004). People with entrepreneurial quality seek to change an entire field, not just get something done locally. People with this trait not only want to express their ideas, but they want to go out and be a part of solving the problems by executing their ideas (Bornstein, 2004). Dr. V has shown entrepreneurial quality through his work at standardizing the procedures for cataract surgery because this allowed the change to spread throughout the field, not just at his hospitals in India. Another way he has shown entrepreneurial quality is through the training that Aravind does for doctors in other countries. Finally, the fact that Dr. V did over 100,000 eye surgeries successfully himself shows that he was willing to be a part in executing his idea (Govindappa, 2009). The Six Qualities of Social Entrepreneurship Dr. V has also demonstrated the six qualities of a successful social entrepreneur as laid out by David Bornstein (2004). These six qualities are as follows: the willingness to self-correct, the willingness to share credit, the willingness to break free from established structures, the willingness to cross disciplinary boundaries, the willingness to work quietly, and a strong ethical impetus (Bornstein, 2004). Dr. V asked for help from business schools to on how to keep doctors from falling back into complacency at their own hospitals after completing training with Aravind (Shah, 2004). This shows his willingness to share credit because he publicly sought their help. It also shows his willingness to self-correct because when he saw the problem of doctors becoming complacent, even after receiving Aravinds training, he took active measures to fix the problem. He also shared credit with the other doctors that work with him, acknowledging the fact that Aravind could never have become such a success without the hard work put forth by everyone involved. And as mentioned earlier, the government was against the creation of Aurolab (Shah, 2004). By creating the facility anyway, Dr. V demonstrated his willingness to break free from established structures. Dr. V was able to cross disciplinary fields from medical and into manufacturing when he opened Aurolab. Also, by working privately at creating Aurolab and making it affordable, Dr. V demonstrated his ability to work quietly (Shah, 2004). Dr. V has repeatedly demonstrated his strong ethical impetus. During an interview Dr. V said that the focus of Aravind was on honesty and respecting the patients (Shah, 2004). Also, he said he tries to choose compassion over cost. This is exemplified when they spend more than the fixed charge for a patient because they do not charge the extra cost to the patient. R.D. Thularsiraj, the executive director of Aravind, says that Dr. V instituted a system of values into the hospital that has the effect of guiding their work to wanting to help others and away from focusing too much on money (Maurice, 2001). Finally, Dr. V has capacity building programs that basically work to instill integrity and quality into new hospitals (Shah, 2004). Structuring Sustainability, the Core of Aravind Dr. V wanted to reach those who had not been reached before, and help the poverty stricken individuals, who without his help, would not be able to see. He removed barriers, promoted community involvement, and had a growing market model for healthcare. Even after his death, his dream is still living on. Aravind continues to explore new approaches to the primary eye care market, and continuously seeks new innovations to help the population. When opening the first hospital in Madurai, in Tamil Nadu, his sister and her husband, both eye surgeons, joined Dr. V in his efforts. To cut costs, all three doctors took significant pay cuts since bankers would not finance a clinic that, regardless of ability to pay, gives eye care to the rich and poor. Dr. V even mortgaged his house to get the necessary finances to start the hospital. Within a year, all the efforts paid off and the hospital quadrupled in size. There are now five Aravind Eye Hospitals, and all are self sustaining, thanks to a blueprint copying system that has allowed for easier knowledge transfusion throughout the hospital chain. Dr. V took the unusual step of asking even poor patients to pay whenever they could, believing that the volume of paying business, which amounts to approximately 30% of clients, would sustain the rest (Aravind, 2007). Two thirds of patients receive the free outpatient services, while paying patients receiving additional amenities, such as private rooms for extended recovery, and hot meals. The profit made from every one paying customer covers the costs of two patients that cannot pay. Aravind is famous for its fee structure. The consultations are free for poor patients while others pay 50 Rs (their currency, approximately $1 US). Impoverished patients can be expected to pay as little as nothing, or up to 250 Rs, which is as much as they can spare. A subsidized rate is 750 Rs (approximately $15 US). The regular patient fee, which is aimed for middle income patients, is 3,500-6,000 Rs. For a Phaco surgery, the rate is 6,500-12,000 Rs (Saravana,2002). This is a need based transparent financial system, and it is this kind of trust and care Aravind has built that attracts paying patients. The lower than market cost for even the paying patients, at least 25% lower, attracts them also. The Business Model of Aravind Aravind Eye Hospital operates with a business model unlike that of any other business in the health care industry, bearing striking similarities to the fast food industry instead. Dr. V. was impressed with how a chain like McDonalds could offer the same quality product no matter where you went, and still get it to you quickly (Health, 2007). He became adamant about the fact that a hospital could be run under the same principle, and trained his employees to treat large amounts of people without sacrificing quality. Today, Aravinds network of hospitals has the distinction of being the most productive eye care organization in the world in terms of surgical volume and the number of patients treated. The success of Aravinds business model is dependent on numbers, as it is the high-volume of low cost procedures that offsets the costs associated with delivering such a high quality service. In order to reach more patients, Aravind Eye Hospital advertises its services heavily, and is benefite d by the positive word of mouth that has quickly spread about them. They have also implemented technology that allows his staff to serve people that are not able to come to the hospital; they do this by video conferencing, instant messaging, online patient questionnaires, and through the use of web cams. One example of how they have used technology to help their business can be seen through the internet kiosks the place in remote villages. Here, they have women trained to take pictures of the patients eyes using a webcam, then they send the images to the Doctor along with the filled out patient questionnaire. The doctor then receives the file via e-mail almost instantaneously, and is able to interact with the patient through an online chat program. This is made possible because of collaboration with the University of Berkeley Information Technology center, with a low cost Wi-Fi connection. This provides access to the patient, and a remarkable cost reduction. This also allows the sta ff to provide consultations with people who would otherwise not be able to make it to the hospital, and makes it easier for the team to transfer information between each other (Aravind, 2007). What Makes Aravind Different A core part of Aravinds model is to never turn away a patient due to economic reasons. In fact, it has even been recorded that Dr. V once accepted a chicken as payment for surgery. The goal of Aravind is to help as many people as they can, not to make a profit. Their business model is formatted in a way that provides a level of self-sustainability that allows them to use all income towards expanding their processes, improving their work, and keeping services free to those who need them. Dr. V set up this model believing that people will pay when they can, even if its months after their surgery. Aravinds business model originally focused on just eye surgery and care, but after time it expanded into manufacturing in order to create low cost lenses. This change in the model was necessary because importing the lenses from the West was too expensive, and in order to comply with their vision of providing eye care to the disadvantaged, they needed to come up with a way to lower costs. Anoth er way they have put into their system to help them reach more clients is by using a two tiered pricing structure. Wealthy people are expected to contribute more, and for every one paid surgery, Aravind can afford to do many free surgeries. And because Aravind is the best eye hospital in the region, wealthy people choose to go there. In order to maintain maximum levels of efficiency and resource usage, the hospital staff performs just their specific specialization, and the surgery procedures themselves are standardized. And to make sure that all who want to go to Aravind are able to, the clinic provides buses that pick people up in the morning, and then drive them back to their communities after the day is over (Shah, 2009). Before the patients are brought to the hospital, they must go through an eye screening at their local community, using one of the internet kiosks as mentioned earlier. They are then evaluated, and transported to the hospital if it appears that surgery or a live consultation will be necessary. This process is promoted, organized, and financially backed by local business leaders. In keeping staffing cost low, Aravind recruits locally. The majority of the staff is from local villages. Being trained and having grown up in the same community as they will be working, they share the dream of the hospital. And since local wages expectations and cost of living are low, the hospital can pay these individuals less than individuals coming from out of the country. The medical staff is also trained, not only for a job, but a prestigious life long career. For each surgeon, the hospital has four highly trained paramedics for support. Aravind Eye Hospitals ophthalmologists are linked with video conferencing with their Vision Centers technicians for each patient. Expanding their business model, Aravind ventured into lens production. They now have a factory that can produce parts at low-cost prices. Compared to the $200 for imported lenses, they produce these for about $5 at their home factory (Dan, 2008). Now, because of outside funding they export their products to over 80 countries. Their method to production lens was branched out to produce other products such as blades, instruments, sutures, and pharmaceuticals. They can produce these products for fractions of what the western world can, and make a handsome profit. This also cuts costs on buying them from somewhere else. The income gained from the paying patients contributes to approximately 20% of the budget. The other income comes from the production of manufactured products and the provision of training and consultations. In order to retain a sustainable operation Aravind is constantly looking to improve. Since they adopted many technologies earlier than other hospitals they are remain ing high in breakthrough technology. They utilize their technology to communicate easier with fellow staff members, patients, partners, and other hospitals across the globe. Aravind has regular reviews of their system, and follows up on executive decisions to ensure they stick to their intended model. But they are always looking for new ways to better themselves, and to grow. Scalability of the Aravind Model The Aravind System has a great approach to overcoming obstacles in the cataract surgery industry. The main characteristic of the Aravind model is that they provide quality care at prices that everyone can afford. They are self sustaining, yet still able to provide their services to the poor and rich alike. Their business model stresses a maximum use of all resources. This is all achieved by their high volume quality, and a well structured system. The Aravind model can be replicated in countries with inexpensive labor. For example, the model would work well in Asia or underprivileged areas in Africa. Their model will work well if you have a large population with a social need, and if you can find doctors who are willing to operate many times daily. Also, to be financially stable there must be enough revenue to cover the free services from the paying ones. The cost of the service cannot be too high. In order for the need-based service to work, there must be incentives to paying. The people at Aravind pay because they want to have a bed in a private room with air conditioning, or the other amenities that they offer. Aravind eliminated non-beneficial activities and wait time. By having standardized protocols of clinical procedures, activities, and administrative measures, it cuts down on the error count and makes procedures more efficient. The surgeons do not do tasks such as preparing patients, taking measurements, or diagnostic s testing, this is all done by trained assistants. Letting the surgeons focus on just the surgical procedure itself. It cuts down on transition time between surgeries. The state of the art technology requires surgeons to exhibit less energy, and allows them to operate more times per day. Since surgeons average 1700 more surgeries than the national average, there are many benefits to being an Aravind surgeon. Surgeons here do not only want to make a difference in the lives of the people, but by performing many more surgeries than they would otherwise, they are also bettering themselves. Aravind has reached over 200 hospitals through their consultancy process, and they hope to reach many more in the near future. The Aravind model makes scalability in developing nations limitless through their fee system, management techniques, high aspirations, and quality of care. From the David Bornsteins book example of blueprint copying, Aravind wants to be used as an example. They want their techniques, management protocols, and philosophies to be copied by others, as well as they have in making their hospitals across India. Just as the Grameen Banks idea of Micro-credit has spread to numerous lending programs, Aravinds basic model, a 250-bed hospital was adopted in Mumbai, Kolkata and Nepal hospitals. Also, the Indian government is adopting Aravinds medical protocol doctrine for their training centers around the country. Aravinds goal is to be an example of efficient management and inexpensive care to patients, since any ophthalmologist can provide eye care, but can only sustai n affordability to the masses as long as it is managed properly. This is their new focus called Managed Eye Hospitals. In the long term, according to their website, they want to affect a larger population, by exceeding 100 eye care hospitals spreading to other parts of the world. They want to be an example for other health care hospitals to become more efficient, and to grow and thrive. Aravinds ultimate goal is to join together with others to help eliminate treatable blindness entirely by the year 2020 (Aravind, 2009). A Bittersweet Critique It is hard to critique a social business, as we try to negate or justify the flaws in the system by contrasting it with the good it does for the public. However, a company, no matter how well intentioned, cannot grow to its full potential if not given the criticism necessary to improve their system. In this section, we will first explain the flaws we found within Aravind and how we believe they might negatively affect the company in the future. Then we will explain some of the great benefits or pros of Aravind, and how we believe they will perform in the future. The Bad The business model of Aravind, although scalable, is very reliant upon having a strong client base. In particular, it needs a constant influx of paying customers to negate the costs incurred by offering their services for free or for extremely reduced prices. The location of new ventures is also a factor of success for the model to work, as their structure involves hiring local residents to work in the hospitals. If the quality of workers is diminished in the area attempted, then the Aravind system will not run as efficiently or effectively as intended. Also, it would cost them more to bring in employees from outside the area, which would raise the overall cost level, and reduce their ability to offer their services to the impoverished people of the area. Another flaw in the Aravind system is the high turnover rate they must deal with. Doctors come from all over the globe to train in these hospitals, as they perform more surgeries in a day than they would otherwise perform in a few m onths time. But since Aravind is trying to operate on as small a cost budget as possible, they cannot afford to pay their staff rates that are high enough to compete with private practice firms. One final flaw we saw when examining Aravind, was the fact that they make staff members work even when they are sick. Although this is done to keep production up, it also makes room for errors, and contagion. The dedication seen by the employees is admirable, but when sick, you should not be performing any service in the medical field. The Good Aravind has greatly enlarged the social impact they have on society by not only providing a necessary service to meet one of their healthcare needs, but also by creating jobs and hiring locally. This is seen both with Aravind hospitals and with their manufacturing plant, Aurolab. Aravind could easily outsource to get employees and resources, but instead they choose to continue helping the social sector in their respective areas. And even though Aravind Eye Hospitals treat more patients than any other eye care facility in the world, they continue to advertise their service across the country in order to find and serve more individuals. They are actively seeking out their target market instead of waiting for them to come to them. Eye camps, kiosks, and bus runs have been created by the Aravind system to get them closer to their market, and physically bring their clients in. Their use of technology allows them to consult and share their practices with hospitals worldwide, and increases productivity among staff members, and allows them to reach the population that cannot make it into the hospitals. Aravind Eye Hospitals have created an efficient and effective service that best serves the social sector, and provides much needed help to the economically disadvantaged and blind population. And because Aravind is renowned worldwide for its innovation in the field, technical excellence, and operational efficiency, it attracts new ophthalmologists to the system. Once these new surgeons get trained in the Aravind way, it betters the surgeon himself because of the massive amount of surgeries he will complete, and it also extends the Aravind practice into even more hospitals across the globe. We believe that Aravind is doing an excellent job so far, and has a very sustainable model. They have been critical in their decision making thus far, and we feel confident that they will only become stronger as time goes by. This will hit a cap at some point though, as Aravind gets closer to reaching its vision of curing all the worlds treatable blindness, their market will start to decline. Once demand sinks low enough, the current model used by Aravind will become useless, and they will need to undergo some major revisions to their model. Overall though, it really is an excellent business model, and is doing a great deal of good for the people of India. Work Citations Azad India Foundation: http://www.azadindia.org/social-issues/poverty-in-india.html Economy Watch: http://www.economywatch.com/indianeconomy/poverty-in-india.html Reason For Liberty: http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html Bornstein, David. How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2004. Print. Chang, David F. Three programs offer hope. (Cover story). Ophthalmology Times 34.9 (2009): 1-43. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Govindappa Venkataswamy, MD (deceased). ASCRS: The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. 2009. ASCRS. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. Maurice, J. Restoring sight to the millionsthe Aravind way. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 79.3 (2001): 270. CINAHL. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Shah, Janat, and L. S. Murty. Compassionate, High Quality Health Care at Low Cost: The Aravind Model. IIMB Management Review 16.3 (2004): 31-43. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. Aravind Eye Hospitals: http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:-V-GZ0L9JZMJ:www.aravind.org/tribute/A%2520Man%2520Who%2520Saved%25202.4%2520Million%2520Eyes.pdf+aravind+eye+hospital+business+modelcd=7hl=enct=clnkgl=us Health Scribe Media: http://health.scribemedia.org/2007/01/03/aravind-eye-clinic/ Saravanan, S., Organisational Capacity Builting- A Model Developed by Aravind Eye Care System http://laico.org, retrieved on 11-29-2009, http://laico.org/v2020resource/files/capacity_build.pdf. Dan, Sorin A.,ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL:Assignment Public Managementhttp://www.people.umass.edu, retrieved on 11-27-2009. http://www.people.umass.edu/sdan/projectspapers/Aravind.pdf. Last opened 11/29/2009.

Nature-Nurture Debate Essay

Introduction In this report I will examine and explain effective communication by looking at the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in health and social care context, theories of communication, methods of communication (verbal, non-verbal and written communication), communication cycle, what is effective communication, formal and informal communication, differences between language and culture. Communication between people enables us to exchange ideas and information, but it involves much more than simply passing on information to others. Communication helps people to feel safe, to form relationships and develop self-esteem. Poor communication can make an individual feel vulnerable, inferior and emotionally threatened. Effective communication helps us understand a person or situation, enables us to resolve differences, build trust and respect and create an warm environment. The effective communication helps us improving communication skills in everyday live, business, relationships, but also in health and social care context. Learning and understanding the effective communication skills the people can better connect with the family members, friends, co-workers (by improving teamwork), people looked after in care homes. What is effective communication Effective communication combines a set of skills including verbal and non-verbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress, the capacity to recognize and understand your own emotions and those of the person you are communicating with . Effective communication is about more than exchanging information. It requires also understanding the emotion behind the information. It enables us to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating conflict or destroying trust. Effective communication-Methods of communication Verbal communication The basis of communication is the interaction between people. Verbal communication is the main way for people to communicate face to face. The components of the verbal communication are: sounds, words, speaking and language. Only people can put meaning into words; words alone have no meaning. As meaning is an assigned to words, language develops, which leads to the development of speaking. Over 3000 languages and major dialects are spoken in the world. The huge variety of languages creates difficulties between different languages, but even in one language there can be many problems in understanding. Speaking can be looked in two major areas: interpersonal and public speaking. To communicate effectively we must not simply clean up our language, but learn to relate to people. To be an effective communicator, one must speak in a manner that is not offending to the receiver. Listening Successful listening means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding how the speaker feels about what they are communicating. Effective listening can: -create an environment where everyone feels safe; -save time; -relieve negative emotions; -focus fully on the speaker, make the speaker feel heard and understood; -avoid interrupting; -show you interest. The communication cycle According to Michael Argyle(1972) skilled interpersonal interaction (social skills) involves a cycle in which you have to translate or â€Å"decode† what other people are communicating and constantly adapt you own behaviour in order to communicate effectively. Good communication involves the process of checking understanding, using reflective or active listening. The communication cycle supposes: -an idea occurs: you have an idea that you want to communicate; -message coded: you think through how you are going to say what you are thinking and you put your thoughts in to language or sign language; -message sent: you speak, or sign, or write, or send your message in some other way; -message received: the other person has to sense your message; -message decoded: the other person has to interpret or â€Å"decode† your message; -message understood: your ideas will be understood if all goes well. Non-verbal communication Non-verbal means â€Å"without words†, so non-verbal communication refers to the messages that we send without using words. We send these messages using our eyes, the tone of our voice, our facial expression, our hands and arms, the way we sit or stand. We can enhance effective communication by using open body language (arms uncrossed, standing with an open stance, maintaining eye contact with the person you are talking to). When we speak about non-verbal communication we actually mean: -posture; -the way we move; -facing other people; -gestures; -facial expression; -touch; -silence; -voice tone; -proximity; -reflective listening. As well as remembering what a person says, good listeners will make sure that their non-verbal behaviour shows interest. Skilled listening involves: -looking interested and communicating that you are ready to listen; -hearing what it is said to you; -remembering what was said to you, together with non-verbal messages; -checking your understanding with the person who was speaking to you. Written communication When people remember conversations they have had, they will probably miss out or change some details. Written statements are much more permanent and if they are accurate when they are written, they may be useful later on. Written records are essential for communicating formal information that needs to be reviewed at a future date. For the people who cannot see written scripts or who have limited vision there is a communication system known as Braille which uses raised marks that can be felt with the fingers and it’s based on the sense of touch. This system is now widely used for reading and writing by the people who cannot see written script. Theories of communication The verbal and non-verbal communication is not always straightforward. Effective communication involves a two-way process in which each person tries to understand the view point of the other person. According to Michael Argyle (1972) interpersonal communication is a skill that could be learned and developed. Skilled interpersonal communication, interaction(social skills) involve a cycle in which you have to translate or â€Å"decode† what people are communicating and constantly adapt your own behaviour in order to communicate effectively. The communication cycle involves a kind of code that has to be translated. The stages of communication cycle might be: 1. An idea occurs. 2. Message coded. 3. Message sent. 4. Message received. 5. Message decoded. 6. Message understood. Tuckman ‘s stages of group interaction Bruce Wayne Tuckman(1965) argued that communication in groups can be influenced by the degree to which people feel they belong together. Tuckman suggested that most groups go through a process involving four stages: 1. Forming refers to people meeting for the first time and sharing information. 2. Storming involves tension, struggle and arguments about the way the group may function. 3. Norming sees the group coming together and agreeing on their group values. 4. Performing means that the group will be an effectively performing group, once they have established common expectations and values. Formal and informal communication in health and social care Health and social care work often involves formal communication, which is understood by a wide range of people and shows respect for others. Usually care workers will adjust the way they speak, in order to communicate respect for different communities they address to, as the service users, visitors, colleagues. Formal communication is used in local authority social services and supposes proper English. It also shows respect for others (e.g.: if one went to a local authority social services reception desk, that person will expect to be greeted in a formal way like â€Å"Hello! How can I help you?†, and not informally, like â€Å"Hi! How’s it going?† In many situations such informal language could make people feel not being respected; so it is often risky to use informal language unless you are sure that people expect you to do so. The formal communication is also used in social care services with the manager and even between colleagues if they don’t know very well each other. Otherwise, when they know each other better, they will use informal language. Communication with people at work (between colleagues) is different, because care workers must communicate respect for each other. Colleagues, who do not show respect for each other, may fail to show respect for people who use care services. Colleagues have to develop trust in each other. It is important to demonstrate respect for confidentiality of conversation with colleagues. Care settings may have their own social expectations about the correct way to communicate thoughts and feelings. Communication between professional people and people using services involves the professionals being well aware of the need to translate technical language in to everyday language, when they work with people from other professions or people who use services. Professional people such as doctors or nurses often use their own specialised language, called jargon. It is important that people check that they are being understood correctly. Differences between language and culture Language There are many minority languages in the world. Some people grow up in multilingual communities, where they learn several languages from birth. Many people have grown up using only one language to think and communicate. People who learn a second language later in life find more difficult to express their thoughts and feelings in that language, and prefer to use their first language. Working with later languages can be difficult, as mental translation may be required. Different localities, ethnic groups, professions and work cultures have their own special words or phrases known as speech communities. Some people might feel threatened or excluded by that kind of language they encounter in these speech communities. The technical terminology used by care workers (called jargon) can also create barriers for people who are not a part of that speech community. When people who use services communicate with professionals there is always a risk of misunderstanding between people from different language communities, therefore the health and social care staff needs to check their understanding with the people communicating with them. Culture means the history, customs and ways of behaving that people learn as they grow up. People from different regions use different expressions. Also non-verbal signs may vary from culture to culture. In Europe and North America people often expect other people to look them in the eyes when talking. If a person looks down or away they think it is a sign of dishonesty, sadness or depression. On the other hand, in some other cultures (some black communities or Muslim communities) looking down or away when talking is a sign of respect. (E.g.: in social care settings a Hindu or Muslim person will not accept to be looked after by a person of the opposite sex). People from different geographical areas who use different words and pronounce words differently, they are often using a different dialect. Some social groups use slang (non standard words that are understood by other members of a social group or community, but which cannot be usually found in a dictionary). BTEC Level 3-Health and Social Care-Book 1-Beryl Stretch/Mary Whitehouse www.helpguide.org/effectivecommunication http://louisville.edu

Reflection On The Book Night - 1335 Words

NIGHT REFLECTIONS Even after seventy years, the Holocaust still proves to be the most horrific and haunting tragedy in human history. No one can ever forget the horrors, especially the lucky survivors of the tragedy whose memories are now the constant reminder of the pain, and terror inflicted upon them. Determined to never let the same thing happen again, many Holocaust survivors decided to transform their nightmares into heart wrenching account of hope, fear, and sorrow. Elie Wiesel is one of those brave men, and women who agree to share the dark time of his life in his heartbreaking, and utterly real memoir Night. In Night, Elie used his raw, and emotional experience to force the readers to reexamine the prominent roles that fear,†¦show more content†¦Like Elie, Rabbi Eliahou’s son has let fear dictate his judgement as he let his father die for a chance to survive. To him, the father-son bond has ceased to exist. His father has become an anchor pulling him down. Thus, when the chance comes, he let the fear of death took control and get rid of his father. Funnily how the butterfly effect works. As Rabbi Eliahou’s son’s fear causes him to desert his father, it also creates a new fear in Elie Wiesel: fear of treating his father the same Rabbi Eliahou was treated by his son. Upon realizing what the fear of death has done, Elie prays to God: â€Å"My God, Lord of the Universe, give me strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahous son has done† (87). It is clear to readers how important his father is to him. They have been together since the first selection at Birkenau. Elie shows many times throughout his memoir how his father is the only reason for him to continue surviving. In a way, Elie is using his father as a reminder not to lose all of his humanity. To Elie, abandoning his father means losing all his humanity, and whatever makes him human. Thus, the idea of deserting his father because of fear is frightening beyond the doubt. From the ex amples shown above, Elie portrays the fears and how they are used against humanity during the Holocaust. Silence is arguably one of the most developed theme in Night, and is shown throughout the book. Moshe the Beadle, after failing to convinceShow MoreRelatedReflection On The Book Night717 Words   |  3 PagesWhat would it do to a person to go to a concentration camp, see the horrible things, and come out alive? This book, Night, is about Eliezer Wiesel, who is both the main character and the author. Elie’s book is a memorial about his experience in Hitler’s concentration camps, what he went through, and how he survived. This paper is going to be about Eliezer’s horrific experience and the ways that it changed him. One of the horrific moments that Eliezer went through is the time the small boy gotRead MoreCritical Analysis: Starry Night over the Rhone Essay813 Words   |  4 PagesNorris Freeman Art Appreciation Professor Gadson 20 February 2013 Critical Analysis: Starry Night Over the Rhone Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch artist from the mid 1800’s who was considered to have created approximately 2000 artworks. Growing up, he was classified to be highly emotional and having low self-esteem. Within those depressed emotions, it helped him pioneer the path of expressionism in his art pieces. But as he got more into him artwork he came more mature with his artwork and causedRead MoreFrankenstein1009 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Concerning Human Understanding,† he talks about the idea that we as humans are all born with a ‘blank slate’ that contains no knowledge whatsoever and that we can only know that things exist if we first experience them through sensation and reflection. In Frankenstein, the monster portrays Locke’s ideas of gaining knowledge perfectly through worldly experience of learning his surroundings. Locke states â€Å"†¦from experience; in that all our knowledge is founded and from that it ultimately derivesRead MoreReflection Paper : Reflections And My Mental State Of A Man Who Has Not Gone Through My Life1468 Words   |  6 PagesReflections 8/6 From what I read, I am supposedly going to become a better person by following the guide of a man who has not gone through my life and has not borne witness to my suffering. I know that considering my background and my mental state that reading this book will only make me angry for it seems to be a mockery of myself, a teen. I am nothing like a ‘teen’ I have matured much faster than I should have and have never been in trouble or done anything that requires me to ‘straighten up.’Read MoreJoy Is Not Just Happiness1170 Words   |  5 Pagesa possession, always a desire for something longer ago or further away or still ‘about to be’† (Lewis 78). The fleeting nature of joy only adds to the intrigue, as it often comes at the most unexpected times. Lewis recognizes this, as he titled the book â€Å"Surprised by Joy.† Lewis also thinks that one’s definition of joy is constantly changing with our experiences. As he learned more abou t some subject, one that used to bring him joy to study, he â€Å"realizes that this was something quite different fromRead MoreManagement and negotiation1332 Words   |  6 Pagesrole plays, and related participative activities, enhanced by rigorous self review and introspection. Grading: Course grades will be based on the following components: Self- Reflection Papers 3 papers worth 40 points each (120 points) Prep Papers and Exercise 6 papers worth 15 points each (90 points) Group Book Report 30 pts. Scored Negotiations 2 worth 25 points each (50 points) Cross-Class Negotiation 25 points prep, 25 points outcome, 15 points process (65 points total) AttendanceRead MoreEssay About The Literacy Autobiography785 Words   |  4 Pageswritten word. Book club and I highly admired Marva Collins and how she changed the mindsets of adults and children regarding the power and pleasure of reading. I read her book at least twenty times. I followed Oprah Winfrey s book club and began to enjoying as an adult reader. I had a children’s book club where my bought in their favorite books. I started reading books and lifting vocabulary words from the text. I had my students write their own books and entering them in the district book fairs. MyRead MoreThe Destruction Of The Holocaust1203 Words   |  5 Pagespreserving this tragedy, yet at the same time preventing it. Elie Wiesel’s fulfilled his purpose of showing the heinous crimes of the Holocaust through the change of characterization of Elie before, during and after the events of Wiesel s 1940 memoir-Night. The Holocaust is remembered as a stain on history, where a massive genocide occurred. but we must also recognize the souls and personalities that were killed and burned. Wiesel trembling hands picked up these ashes, personifying their ebony remainsRead MoreFarnehiet 451 by Ray Bradbury727 Words   |  3 Pagesreal things happen. We need to know our surroundings and know how to act according to them. The book Fahrenheit 451 happens in the future when books are against the law. A fireman named Montag just so happens to undergo this situation of â€Å"waking up†. This essay will tell how he started to â€Å"wake up†, what things he needs learn, contrasts in cultures, and reflections on these contrasts. One night, while coming home from work, Montag meets a girl named Clarisse (pp. 3-4). She says she’s â€Å"seventeenRead MoreA Virtue Epistemology By Ernest Sosa987 Words   |  4 PagesEpistemology is the study of knowledge and justified belief.1 In 1991 he wrote the book Knowledge in Perspective and in 2007 he wrote A Virtue Epistemology. In both books he differentiates between animal knowledge and reflective knowledge. It defends virtue epistemology called virtue perspectivism. This is also known as the doctrine of reality. It is an individual’s perspective of reality at any given time. In his book, A Virtue Epistemology, he provides the first comprehensive account of his views

Modernism And Modernization In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery

Modernizing for most people means replacing old traditions with new practices fit for the current issues. For some, this is progression, and without this, civilization would be stuck in a primitive society, or as some would say, living inside of a cave (Jackson par. 33). This is what Shirley Jackson tries to encompass in her story, â€Å"The Lottery†. Practices were created out of a necessary during their time, but lived on as traditions that is more destructive than beneficial, and this is seen with various symbols in the â€Å"The Lottery†. The tradition in â€Å"The Lottery† calls for a yearly lottery where the household draws until a single individual of the family draws the losing paper, and it is that individual that is stoned to death, as seen†¦show more content†¦At this point, most readers saw their play with the stones as childhood innocence, of giving insignificant objects importance. Then the stones were used to stone someone to death. This can be seen as situational irony, as readers were unaware and assumed. A stoning is a community involvement where everyone shares the burden of the death, unlike an execution where the executioner or those in charge are to blame. Some of the lottery rituals were allowed to lapse as long as long as the core theme was kept the same. Mr. Summers, the official in the story, tried every year to change the ritual, such as getting a new box, but he was able to substitute the chips of wood for slips of paper (par. 6). Also, there used to be a† ritual salute, w hich the official of the lottery had had to use in addressing each person who came up to draw from the box† (par. 7). And there is confusion about what was used, as some believed that the official performed a tuneless chant, while others believed he stood at the front or â€Å"walk among the people† (par. 7). This shows that the villagers follow the tradition blindly, without necessarily understanding why it was created in the first place or the exactly how the ritual took place. Old Man Warner embodies the traditionalist view on life. He does not approve of the changes made, or how casual the community is to the tradition, and this is seen by his disapproving of â€Å"young Joe

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay - 1410 Words

â€Å"The lottery† ENGL 202: Literature and Composition Spring 2013 Turbian Style Thesis: Death is the main theme of both short stories and both authors portrayed this dark and dreary idea as a game the characters are playing. Outline: â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson vs. â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† by Richard Connell I. Introduction: a. Traditional acts and survival instincts is the key to win or lose the game of death b. Will one allow society or your own reasoning decided if one survives the game of death c. The battle of death is the game that no one knows the result of until the end II. â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson a. Jackson portrayed death as a fun family oriented game b. All people of the village,†¦show more content†¦In both stories, the innocent characters were fighting death at the hands of someone who found the idea of killing another human being to be a game. In â€Å"The Lottery† the game of death consumed an innocent life solely because a few individuals founded a tradition; and in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† the game of death consumed an innocent life solely because one person thought it was merely entertaining. Both authors p ortrayed the antagonist as friendly, warm and welcoming. In the Lottery, the antagonists were the families whom participated in the drawing of a name that lead to the stoning of another family member (which may or may not be their own family member). In â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† the antagonist was a well-off general who opened his luxurious home to guests who have gone astray from their original destination. Death is the main theme of both short stories and both authors portrayed this dark and dreary idea as a game the characters are playing. In â€Å"The Lottery†, Jackson portrayed death as a fun family oriented game. Jackson included children, family, friends and most importantly the tradition of playing â€Å"the lottery† to portray to the audience the commonality of the â€Å"game†. This game, known as â€Å"The Lottery† was an event that each family member of a small village participated in every year during the summer time. The famil ies gathered together in the square around mid-morning getting prepared for the game by the gathering of stones,Show MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1195 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† reads as a work of horror. There is a village that holds an annual lottery where the winner is stoned to death so the village and its people could prosper. Some underlying themes include: the idea that faith and tradition are often followed blindly, and those who veer away from tradition are met with punishment, as well as the idea of a herd mentality and bystander apathy. What the author manages to do successfully is that she actuallyRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson757 Words   |  4 Pagessucceed but many fail just like the main character Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. When someone hears the word â€Å"lottery†, he or she may think that someone will b e rewarded with prize. But â€Å"The Lottery† By Shirley Jackson is different than what one thinks. In the story, a lottery is going to be conducted not like Mega Million or Powerball one play here. In the story, the person who wins the lottery is stoned to death instead of being rewarded with the prize. TessieRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lottery† is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s approach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in which random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easilyRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson1504 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Th e Lottery† by Shirley Jackson In The Lottery Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even though some people have no idea why they follow these traditions. The title of the story plays a role in how Shirley Jackson used some literary elements to help mask the evils and develop the story. The title â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory. When people think of the lottery majorityRead More`` The Lottery `` By Shirley Jackson894 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Lottery†, author Shirley Jackson demonstrates Zimbardo’s concepts in three different areas: Authority figures, Tradition and Superstition, and Loyalty. The first concept Jackson portrays in â€Å"The Lottery† is the authority figures. Jackson indicates that the lottery is being held in the town center by one authority figure, Mr. Summers, annually on June 27th. Every June 27th, without fail, townspeople gather in the town square to participate in the annually lottery even though mostRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1510 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates several aspects of the darker side of human nature. The townspeople in Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† unquestioningly adhere to a tradition which seems to have lost its relevance in their lives. The ritual that is the lottery shows how easily and willingly people will give up their free will and suspend their consciences to conform to tradition and people in authority. The same mindless complacency and obedience shown by the villagers in Jackson’s story are seenRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson8 11 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† was published by Shirley Jackson. The story was true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their heinous competence in an annual village event for corn harvest . First, her used to word symbolized main point of the story. Second, Jackson was inspired by few historical events happened in the past and a life incident in her life. Lastly, She was able to accomplish the connection between historical and biographical with the story. Therefore, Shirley Jackson’sRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson934 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson799 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some human beings lies. The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time ofRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 Pagesfilled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, created an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than three hundred people, in which a drawing is held once a year. In this â€Å"Lottery,† each family’s husband draws a slip of paper from a black box. The husband

Forming habits to prevent obesity Free Essays

Forming habits to prevent obesity â€Å"Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with at least 2. 8 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese† (10 Facts). They have tried to classify obesity as disease for a long time. We will write a custom essay sample on Forming habits to prevent obesity or any similar topic only for you Order Now The American Medical Association recently declared and classified obesity as a disease. Obesity puts you at a high risk for many diseases. Bad habits are the main cause of obesity. You have to improve your nutritional and physical habits to prevent obesity. You are more likely to live a healthy adulthood if you eat right and stay in shape. Obesity is an issue that our society faces. Developing healthy habits as children, teenagers, or even in our early adulthood could help us prevent obesity. Not being involved in physical activities and not eating right causes obesity. The conclusion from a research made by The World Health Organization was â€Å"The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in Canadian youth are high. The results suggest that physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors are strongly related to obesity in Canadian adolescents† Oanssen). If we don’t take care of our bodies this could be harmful, as we get older. Depression is a mental disorder that could be lethal, â€Å"More han 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder – most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance abuse disorder. † (Depression). The statistics of suicides caused by obesity are alarming; this makes obesity a major issue that we need to take care of. Depressed people tend to eat more too making it hard for them to stay healthy. Depression can also make you feel isolated by society. These kinds of thoughts are very common among obese teenagers. Being active can help with depression and also fghts obesity, this is why developing active habits is important. Parents play big role in helping their children to develop these habits. A healthy environment at home where the kids are able to get the right nutrition and where they can practice physical activities constantly helps to prevent obesity. A study conducted by the Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, concluded that † A large cross section of Australian preschoolers has, for the first time, suggested that fathers could be at the frontline in preventing early childhood obesity. Mothers are ften blamed for their children’s obesity, but this study suggests that for more effective prevention, perhaps we should focus on the whole family. (Preidt) It makes a significant difference if the parents take care of their child’s nutrition. Most of the time we can find food ads on television or the Internet and we see different kinds of unhealthy foods such as McDonalds, Burger King, and Dominos Pizza. These ads make us want to eat these kinds of foods. Kids like fast food and if their parents prevent them from eating a lot of fast food this will help them develop a habit of eating in a healthier way. Parents are responsible for feeding their children correctly. Research conducted by the Institute for Global Health and The Sydney University concluded that. â€Å"An environment that bombards us trom dawn until d with recommendations to eat and drink unhealthy foods is what makes us obese†. (Neal) Parents should embrace physical activities for their children. Television viewing time appears to be an important indicator of a range of lifestyle behaviors likely to promote obesity over time. A study that was conducted on whether television affects obesity or not concluded this; â€Å"The results of this randomized, controlled trial provide vidence that television viewing is a cause of increased body fatness and that reducing television viewing is a promising strategy for preventing obesity’ (Robinson). Based on this information we could say that television is a bad habit, because decreasing television in your routine is beneficial for you and it helps you prevent obesity. A high level of physical activity helps you to lose calories and if you do so regularly you can prevent obesity. Some people argue that parents are really not important to obesity. They think that even if the parents embrace a healthy lifestyle, that in some cases obesity is a enetic problem and you cannot prevent it. Genetics play a big role in obesity but even the people that are genetically most likely to become obese, when they have the right habits, do not become obese. The easiest way to form and change these habits is when we are children and that is why our parents are so influential. The physical habits that we create help us fght obesity and stay in shape; people normally develop these habits when are kids or when they are teenagers. Katherine Tallmadge talks in her book â€Å"Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits Inspirations Simple† about how small changes have been responsible for amazing mprovement in the health of children. Just adding fruits or vegetables at each meal or 1 5 extra minutes of daily exercise helps to avoid obesity. (Tallmadge) Schools have implemented some nutritional programs that have successfully formed healthy habits in their participants; this helps to prevent obesity. Schools give healthy choices during lunch and breaks so kids have the chance to eat healthy and stay in shape. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends 1 50 minutes a week of PE for elementary school children and 225 minutes a week for middle and secondary-school children† (Story). These programs have been successful in the schools that have implemented them. Extracurricular activities such as sports are also very effective in helping to develop these habits that we need to stay fit. Interscholastic sports programs, intramural activities, and physical activity clubs also keep children active in school. Intramural sports and clubs offer students with a wide range of opportunities to engage in physical activity. It is proven that children who engage in these activities are more likely to be active adults and stay in shape. The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends hat children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. A 2009 survey found that only 18 percent of high school students adhered to this recommendation, while only 33 percent attended physical education class each day. (2008 Physical) For adults it is harder to create new habits and change old ones. I strongly recommend that adults seek professional help. There are nutritionists and professional trainers who can help you improve your lifestyle, helping you tight obesity They know the way that the body works so they can advise you in what to do. Besides fghting obesity they can also help you by encouraging you to get in the shape that you desire. After this process you will have this knowledge that you can continue to implement in your lifestyle. Some people argue that they don’t exercise or that they know people who do not exercise and are still not obese. People that have a fast metabolism find it really hard to gain weight but even if they are not obese they are still unhealthy if they do not exercise and if they eat poorly. Looking back we see some clear points about how we need and how could prevent obesity. We need to prevent obesity because it could cause some other high-risk isease and eventually death. By having a good plan of nutrition and a good exercise plan we are going to develop good habits that are going to help us prevent obesity; is even better if we develop them when we are very young. How to cite Forming habits to prevent obesity, Papers

Persuasive Business Messages free essay sample

Why is it important to present both sides of an argument when writing a persuasive message to a potentially hostile audience? It is important to present both sides of the argument in a persuasive message to a potentially hostile audience because one has to try and avoid angering the audience even more. What one aims to do is to persuade the audience and let them know that they acknowledge the audiences view on the matter at hand. To show that one acknowledges the audiences view, one needs to catch the audience’s attention this can be done through addressing their side of the argument letting the audience know that their point of view has been taken into consideration and then explaining to them why it is also important that they also listen and at least try and give consideration on ones point of view so that they may better understand the decisions that have been or are about to be made. We will write a custom essay sample on Persuasive Business Messages or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To achieve both sided persuasive message one needs to acknowledge the audience and address their concerns before explaining their contrasting point of view in the message. By using the â€Å"you attitude,† Using positive language in the construction of one’s message and making sure you do not offend people by not respecting their culture and beliefs in the wording of one’s message sends out a tone in the message that portrays that you care about the audience and are considerate and sensitive to their culture and diversity as well as their views. The AIDA model can also be used to structure ones presentation of a persuasive message. It is structured to capture the audience’s attention, interest, desires and finally, making them take action towards what one requires. When the audience has been acknowledged one can now get the Audience interested by stating â€Å"however† though the audiences view may be right the decision made may have been made using another view which may have been deemed more effective and also works or worked very well. One may also make aware to the audience the success of the implementation of the decision taken and how it benefits the audience at present or in future. By stating nes side of the argument one can then explain how the decision made may help or aid the audience in the future therefore it may help increase the audiences desire to change their view on the matter which will more likely lead to a more positive response from the audience than hostility. After collecting all the information on the topic of the matter at hand one can now formulate a way in which they can convey the message to the audience without aggravating or offending the audience. The way in which the persuasive message is to be conveyed should be convenient and most reliable to one’s audience. The message has to be written in simple language so that the audience does not misinterpret the message or be offended by the jargon used. Grammatical mistakes have to be minimised in the construction of the message so that the message comes across as having been carefully thought through. It should display good intentions and must not be blaming to the audience but in fact it should help establish a common ground between you and the audience, which will in turn help the smoother flow of communication and understanding between the two parties. Once the message has been created and proof read one would find the correct and most effective way of sending the message to the audience. Face to face is usually best as it allows one to see the audiences’ immediate reaction to one’s message and if misunderstandings occur they can be more easily and readily dealt with there and then. However if it is not convenient to the audience to be face to face then it is best to send it through email or fax or whichever way may be more appropriate for your audience and in a timely manner as well so that the audience do not find a reason to get hostile or find fault in the message. A persuasive message that is well and carefully planned, well written with absence of grammatical mistakes and free of jargon and sent in the correct format, using the right medium has a greater chance of diffusing the audiences anger and hostility and also has a great potential to persuade them to see ones point of view therefor one would have successfully written a persuasive message to a potentially Hostile audience managing not to aggravate them but make them consider ones point of view successfully.