Prior to Burial Essay Example for Free

Prior to Burial Essay The funeral service industry in the United States is discussed. A brief history of how funeral homes and associated services got their start. The various personnel and duties of those personnel are discussed. In addition, the educational and licensing requirements are outlined. A brief analysis of alternate funeral options is offered as well. The death of a loved on is always a painful experience. The funeral service industry recognizes the difficulty of planning a funeral. The job of individuals in the funeral service industry is to help family and friends design a funeral that meets the needs of the family and friends while also honoring the wishes of the deceased. In addition, funeral directors and other staff members work with different religious groups in order to ease the transition from life to death. There are many aspects of the funeral service industry and they are discussed and analyzed. The history of the funeral service industry is also offered. The funeral service industry has its roots in Chicago. Chicago has been the national center of the funeral industry since the late nineteenth century when the industry began to become more specialized and personalized (Wilson, 1). Prior to the 1830s, families who required the services of undertakers often dealt with people for whom the funeral service was just a part time job. In the 1830s cemeteries began to be created throughout Chicago. Cemeteries were staffed by gravediggers such as Henry Gherkin who was a Prussian immigrant and one of the city’s first gravediggers. However, the job of undertaker was still a part time affair. Many undertakers also ran other businesses when not helping prepare the dead for burial. These undertakers also sold caskets and provided funeral services (Wilson, 1). The growing population of Chicago prompted the creation of more specialized funeral services. In 1868, the undertakers of Chicago formed the Chicago Association of Undertakers which led to the creation of the Illinois School of Embalming in 1884. In the following decades, many more schools devoted to â€Å"mortuary science† were created. By 1920, embalmers in the state of Illinois were required to be licensed by the state. The specialization of the funeral service industry meant that funeral directors were viewed with more authority regarding funeral services and the handling of the dead (Wilson, 1). The changes that occurred in Chicago in the funeral industry spread throughout the country and led to the current funeral service industry. â€Å"Death is a part of life† (Clark. 231) and the funeral industry helps ease the transition between the two. There are many services offered that are designed to make dying and what happens afterwards easier to think about. The funeral service business is thriving (Clark, 231). Living wills have become increasingly more popular due to the thriving funeral industry. In addition, planning a funeral service has become increasingly more complex and funeral homes are now offering the choice to allow them to plan the funeral (Clark, 231). There are more services offered besides these including embalming, cremation, casket sales and burial. One important job an undertaker or funeral director has is to prepare the body for burial. This usually involves embalming and dressing the body. First, the body is drained of all fluids and then stored in alcohol of formaldehyde. The body is also wrapped in cloths soaked in alcohol or formaldehyde in order to keep it moist. The goal is to embalm a person as quickly after death as possible in order to get better results. This is important to families who plan to hold a viewing of the body prior to the service. In addition, embalmers also try to preserve the integrity of the dead person by attempting to make them appear as much like they did when they were alive. Massage cream is used to soften the skin and make it look more alive. Facial features are set using cotton in the nose and shapers in the mouth. Finally, the body is dressed, given a manicure and the hair is also styled (Anonymous, 5). Most people choose to use the services of an embalmer even if they plan to eventually cremate the body. This is to allow the family members and friends a chance to view their loved one for the last time. In addition to the embalming process, many funeral homes also offer to sell caskets as well as cremation containers. These range from plain wood to extremely fancy creations. The one eventually chosen depends on the wishes of the family as well as their budget. Many funeral homes also plan the services including music, flowers, scheduling and burials. This includes taking into account the religious preferences of the family when planning prayers, hymns and liturgy. Similarly, many also offer cremation services. The process of planning a funeral is complex and funeral homes, undertakers, morticians and all those involved must work together to make the process run smoothly. To that end, there are fifty-seven mortuary science schools in the United States that are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. From these schools, there are almost 35,000 state certified embalmers and about 32,000 funeral directors in the United States. All together, embalmers, funeral directors and morticians number 139,000 (Anonymous, 5). Funeral directors must also be licensed by the state and this process includes two years of education as well as a one year apprenticeship. They must also pass a qualifying examination in the state where they plan to practice (Anonymous, 7). The last person involved in the funeral service industry is the coroner. The coroner is responsible for investigating sudden, suspicious, violent and unexplained deaths. In addition, the coroner must also review the deaths of â€Å"persons whose bodies are to be cremated, buried, or otherwise disposed of so as to be thereafter unavailable for examination† (Anonymous, 8). This must be done before the funeral director can release the body. There are many things commonly associated with funerals today. Many of these relics are from the nineteenth century when funerals began to become more specialized. These include such things as the coffin, the hearse and the black clothing (Beadle, 870). There is a new trend in the funeral service industry today for alternative types of funerals (Beadle, 870). Many people are reexamining the way funerals have been conducted up until now and realizing that they don’t have to follow tradition if they don’t want to. For example, many people are opting to be buried in custom built coffins that represent their identity. There have been boat shaped, duck shaped and recycled fruit box versions (Beadle, 870). Other people are choosing not to wear black by instead wearing colors that represent their loved one (Beadle, 870). The funeral service industry today is similar to what it looked like when it got its start in Chicago. It remains a somber event most often surrounded by black and sadness. Family members and friends choose caskets or cremation containers based largely on their own personal budget. The hymns and prayers that are said during the funeral service are chosen based on religious preferences and the personality of the deceased. There are a few individuals choosing to go alternate routes but that remains the exception rather than the rule. One change that has been made is with regards to the licensing and education requirements of funeral directors, morticians and embalmers. When the funeral industry got its start in Chicago, the people performing these duties only did it part time as more of a hobby than a profession. They most often had regular jobs also. This changed over time as it was realized that these services were much needed and people in the industry needed to devote their full time attention to the funeral service. This led to the formation of mortuary science schools that adequately trained individuals to correctly prepare a body and provide the various other services that go along with funerals. The funeral industry is different than most jobs because it relies on death to profit. As a result, it takes dedicated personnel to run funeral homes efficiently. This is why education and training has become so important. Families and friends rely on those in the funeral industry to provide the best funeral possible. This is an important job because the death of a loved one is not an easy thing to deal with. Anonymous. (2008). Prior to Burial: Preparation of the Body in the United States. Retrieved on September 14, 2008 from http://www. uwosh. edu/faculty_staff/hardt/Death%20Questions/Prior%20to%20Burial. htm. Beadle, Joan. (2001). DEAD: An End to Conveyor Belt Funerals. BMJ, 322 (7290): 870. Clark, Jocalyn. (2003). Death Becomes Us. BMJ, 327 (4808): 231. Wilson, Mark R. (2008). Funeral Service Industry. Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved on September 14, 2008 from http://www. encyclopedia. chicagohistory. org/pages/491. html.

Sub-Saharan Africa Essay -- Africa Geography Essays Geographical

Sub-Saharan Africa Africa is the second largest of the earth's seven continents, covering about twenty-two percent of the world's total land area. From its northern most point, to its southern most tip is the distance of nearly five thousand miles. Africa is both north and south of the equator. The Atlantic Ocean is located west of the continent, and the Indian Ocean is on the east. Width of the continent is also nearly five thousand miles. Although Africa is so large, much of it is inhabitable. Desert soils, which have little organic content, cover large areas. The Sahara Desert, in the northern part, covers more than one fourth of Africa, and the Kalahari Desert is in the southern part of the continent. These two deserts are a natural detriment to the African continent because they make it difficult to reach the inland where most of the people live. Although Africa is relatively close to Europe, travel by land over the Sahara desert is very prohibitive. Another topographical feature that also isolate s the central region of Africa is the coastline. Africa has a regular coastline characterized by few indentations. Because of the smooth coastline, natural harbors were non-existent. Today, however, there are important coastal cities, such as Lagos and Dakar. With the exception of the Mediterranean coast, most of the coastline is low-lying , generally narrow and rising sharply to high elevations. The African climate and topography varies greatly. Although temperatures are usually high, due to being so close to the equator, rainfall, soil quality and elevations are of various degrees. Because most of the African continent has not been covered by water for millions of years, soils have developed according to their weathering e... ...bances began to emerge, and the economy began to drop. Unrest cost many lives, until demands for change were heard and the political system was revised. In 1994, the South African people went to the polls for the first time and held a democratic election in which Nelson Mandela became president. The country of South Africa has made strides in healing their broken country. Economic ways started in the nineteenth century, still have a hold on the countries of the sub-Sahara today. These countries are all impoverished and have seen horrific civil wars, however, the general consensus is that they are making slow improvements in their economy. The starvation, overpopulation and health problems are still very evident. Perhaps continued assistance coupled with education and protection will keep them on the road to stability and more rewarding lives for their citizens.

Aspects of the NASW Code of Ethics

In the â€Å"Code of Ethics† for the Social Work Profession there are six Ethical principles that apply to everyone in the profession. It is important for all social workers to know the values that are listed in the Ethical Principles of the Code of Ethics for the Social work Profession. Values are a societies system of beliefs, principles, and traditions that define and influence behaviors and practices among people. It is important for all social workers to know the values that are listed in the Ethical Principles of the Code of Ethics for the Social work Profession. The ethical principles include service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. Service is a very important value that is listed in the Ethical principles in the Social work Code of ethics because a social worker’s primary goal is to help those people who are in need and to address to common social Problems. A social worker has to gain knowledge, values, skills, and methods in order to help other people in need of services and to address social problems that often arise. As a social worker it is crucial for me to gain enough knowledge, identify my values as well as the profession of social work’s values in the Code of Ethics, skills, and methods so that I will be able to efficiently help other people in need and to address the common social problems in my society. Social Justice is another very important value that is listed in the Ethical Principles of the Social Work Code of Ethics because Social workers strive for change on behalf of those who are oppressed by society. Social workers strive for equality for opportunities for all people of society. As a Social Worker it is important for me to stand beside those people who are oppressed by society and to help give them the same opportunities as others in their society. I will have to strive for change of those who are oppressed because they deserve the same opportunities as everyone else in their community. Another important value in the Code of Ethics of the Social Work profession includes Dignity and Worth of the Person. It is crucial for Social Workers to treat all of their clients equally. A Social Worker must treat all people with the same respect no matter what their culture, ethnicity, or their situation may be. As a Social Worker I will have to be aware that my clients may have a different culture, religion, ethnicity, and many other differences than me but I still have to be able to provide the same services equally. As a Social Worker I will have to give respect to all of my clients. The Value of Importance of Human Relationships is also very important to the Profession of Social Work because it is important for all Social Workers to recognize how important human relationships are to people in society. Social Workers have to be aware that relationships among people are important for change. Social Workers try to strengthen relationships for their clients and the people in their clients’ lives in an effort to promote, restore, maintain, and to help enhance the wellbeing of their clients. As a Social Worker, I will be responsible to help my clients’ restore and maintain positive relationships between people, family, friends, and communities in an effort to promote positive change in society. Integrity is one of the most important values listed in the Code of Ethics for the Social Work Profession. Social workers have to prove to be trustworthy by being honest and responsible. In order for me to be an effective Social Worker my supervisor and clients have to know that I am trustworthy, responsible, and honest. As a social worker I will have to respect my clients’ rights to confidentiality in order to prove that I am trustworthy. Once a Social worker loses a clients’ trust it is very difficult to gain it again so it is crucial for a Social Worker not to break the trust of their clients. Competence is another very important value that is listed in the Social Work Profession’s Code of Ethics. Social Workers should only work in areas in which they are comfortable, and knowledgeable in. If a Social Worker is not knowledgeable or comfortable in then it is extremely difficult for them to identify what resources are available and what is needed in order to help a client. As a Social Worker it is important to gain knowledge to be able to work in many different fields. As a Social Worker I have already identified what fields I want to concentrate on the most but if by some chance I should happen to work in a different field of the profession I will gain the knowledge for that specific position and I will seek the help of superiors and advisors of the Social Work Profession. Along with the values listed in the Ethical Principles in the Social Work Profession’s Code of Ethics are the Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities to Clients in which there are sixteen listed in the Code of Ethics. The ten that I have Chosen I believe are the most important in order to be efficient Social Worker. The ten Ethical Responsibilities in which I have chosen include Commitment to Clients, Self Determination, Informed Consent, Competence, Privacy and Confidentiality, Access to Records, Physical Contact, Sexual Relationships, Derogatory Language, and Termination of Services. All of these Ethical Responsibilities to Clients are I believe to be essential in order to be a professional Social Worker. A Social worker has to have commitment to their Clients because their primary responsibility is to ensure and to promote the wellbeing of their clients. It will be my responsibility as a Social Worker to know the wellbeing of all of my clients and to know what is in their best interest. I will also need to prove my loyalty to my clients but I will also have to inform all of my clients’ that as a Social Worker I have certain legal obligations in which I have to abide by as well. Another very important Ethical Standard in the Social Work Professions Code of Ethics includes the client’s right to Self Determination. Social Worker has to respect their clients’ rights to self determination and assist them in their efforts in identifying, pursuing, and accomplishing their goals. Self Determination allows clients to make their own decisions for what they want to do in life with the assistance of a Social Worker to guide them through the process as long as it is lawful, and poses no threat or risks to the client. As a Social Worker I will need to be able to help my clients’ identify, pursue, and accomplish their goals. Informed Consent is a very important ethical standard listed in the Social Work Profession’s Code of ethics as well because a Social Worker is only supposed to provide services in a professionally based relationship. Social Workers are responsible in using clear, easy to understand language to inform their clients of the purpose of services, risks, limitations, requirements, and other important notices as well. Social Workers must give their clients time to ask questions about the services they are applying for as well as answering those questions. It is extremely important for clients to be able to understand what services they qualify for and the requirement of those services. As a Social Worker I will have to use clear language while speaking to my clients so that I can gain their Informed Consent after they understand what they need in order to qualify for a service. I will have to allow time for my clients to ask questions about the service in which they are applying for so that they fully understand the requirements. Competence s a very important Ethical responsibility because a social worker should only provide services within the boundaries of their own knowledge, training, certification, and license. A social worker should not work in any environment in which they are not qualified for because then they cannot fully provide the services in which may be needed due to their lack of e xperience. Privacy and confidentiality is very important to a Social Worker’s Clients’. As a social worker it is very important to respect a client’s privacy. It is highly unethical to exploit and share a client’s personal information to anyone in which the client had trusted you with. The only time it is important to share a client’s information is if it is needed to provide services. I believe that Privacy is important to the client due to their willingness to confide and trust you as a social worker. It is very important for clients to have access to their records. It is up to the social workers to determine just how much of the clients’ records are available to them. A social worker has to protect their clients from mental harm by denying access to certain parts of the records and to interpret the records for their clients. A Social Worker is advised to not have physical contact with any of their clients. Physical contact can cause psychological harm as well as misinterpretation to clients. It is up to the social worker to set up boundaries between themselves and their clients. Derogatory Language is very unprofessional and should not be used by Social Workers in front of their clients. A social worker is encouraged to speak in a respectable way when talking to clients and while on the job. Under no circumstances is a Social Worker to have Sexual Relationships with previous or current clients. A social worker may not have sexual relations with anyone to which the client is related to either. Not only is it unprofessional for a Social Worker to have Sexual relations with their clients’, it is also wrong and could cost them their job. Before a Social Worker can Terminate Services to a client they should not abandon a client who is still in need of services. It will be up to me as a Social Worker to assess which clients still need my services and which ones I think are self sufficient and no longer need my services. If I leave my position to seek another opportunity it will be my responsibility to inform my clients upon my departure.

Violent Behavior The Contributors - 1706 Words

Triggering Violent Behavior: the Contributors Violence can be everywhere but what may actually trigger violent behaviors is difficult to figure out. Many believe violent behavior is triggered by a certain outcome. Although this may be true, violent behavior can be triggered by a combination of factors. Media, Chemicals, and even society are all known as factors that can influence one to become violent. Forms of violent behavior include aggression, aggravation, and/or frustration. Aggression is a form of violent behavior. Aggressiveness is triggered by number of causes, but to pin point the actual cause is challenging. With many different causes to violent behavior, anything can be linked to it. According to Mc Miller’s article â€Å"Does†¦show more content†¦Although media violence may be neither a necessary nor a sufficient cause of any individual s violent actions that does not mean it should be ignored (Miller 6). He informs us about possible factors associated with violent behavior rather than linking a single factor to violence such as media. Excluding a possible factor can be vital when trying to figure out what triggers violent behavior since pin pointing the actually cause is hard enough. Since there are many different possibilities that trigger violent behavior, it’s hard to exclude any contributor. Another contributor to violent behavior is media. For many years, video games have been highly criticized to have harmful effects. Vincent Cicchirillo and Rebecca Chory-Assad’s article â€Å"Effects of Affective Orientation and Video Game Play on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors† states, â€Å"Regarding media violence, Sparks and Sparks (2002) suggested that the role played by individual differences in the media violence–aggressive behavior link and effects of video games on aggressive behavior will be the foci of future research† (Cicchirillo Chory-Assad 436). They believe video games are the significant cause of violent behavior and focus on exploiting the effects. In another article called â€Å"Popular Video Games: Quantifying the Presentation of Violence and Its Context†, Ken Lachlan, Stacy L. Smith, and Ron Tamborini claim, â€Å"Theory and research reveals playing video games can have a negative impact on