Medtronic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medtronic - Essay Example Help analyse the underlying causes, strengths and weaknesses, market forces and factors that affect performance to determine the optimum objectives that the organization may target. Having briefly defined the role of the Board we look at how the Board of Directors of Medtronics has performed. Details provided in the case study paint a very positive picture of the proactive role that the Board has played in the success of the Company. It has done all that is required and gone several steps further. The role that the Board has played in strict adherence to the mission statement of the company and, in the drive of the company to excel in technology and quality initiatives is indeed commendable. The Board has been a friend and guide for management, evidenced by the comment of Bill George, "In addition to its traditional role of governance, the Medtronic board is very effective as a sounding board, to advise and consult with management on the challenges we face." (p1) or that of Earl Bakken, "As we have grown and evolved, we have leaned on our board of directors for their direction." (p3). The active interest that the Board has taken in the operations of the company, their focus on the long term, regardless of below par performance on the financial front, represent some of the peculiarities of the Medtronic board that may not be found in most companies. It is usual for boards to look at only financial performance for the quarter and stop at that. It is truly amazing to find a board that has such faith in the future of the company that temporary setbacks on the earnings per share (see performance results) have not led to the typical automatic reaction. As Bill George points out in his book "Authentic Leadership", the board was successful in grappling with the larger ethical issues of what an organization owes to the public and its employees beyond the narrow obligation to increase shareholder value. The relationship between the CEO, Bill George and the board are similarly cordial and mutual understanding and respect at a very high level exists. While the CEO handles operational management, he does not consider the careful watch that the board keeps

Will business save the planet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Will business save the planet - Essay Example In the recent decade, energy requirements have risen considerably (Economic Intelligence Unit). More important is the conservation of energy to secure the safety and energy sustainability of its future generation. This entails utilizing renewable energy sources that do not contribute to pollution (reasons for using renewable resources). Complete utilization of renewable energy sources, as opposed to non-renewable sources will ensure pollution emissions are reduced to minimum levels thereby conserving the ozone layer (HAVC System). One of the development objectives of China is to foster the growth of wind and solar companies (ACORE). Non-renewable energy is bound to get depleted in the near future. Investing in the non-renewable energy is an appropriate method to alleviate the risk of running out of non-renewable energy. Hence China has secured its place as the world leader in growing its green energy. Approximately a quarter of the world green energy is found in China. Between 2005 a nd 2010, wind turbines have been constructed at a fast rate in China (Economic Intelligence Unit). China has established itself as an â€Å"economic superpower† and is also striving to be the world leader in utilizing green energy. China is no doubt becoming the world’s leader in the exploitation of green energy sources. While, the USA, which is the current leader in green energy investment, is losing momentum in investing in green energy, China is making big strides in exploiting green energy. Hence China is bound to be ranked number one in tapping and exploiting green energy resources. These vibrant efforts made by China have caught the attention of investors like Bloomerg New Energy Finance and Germany among other investors, which contribute to China’s green energy capital (Silverstein 1). China’s efforts to strive to be a leader in utilizing green energy have been become apparent to international stakeholders who can assist China to achieve its energy goals. This assistance could be in the form of financial support or technological research on how to convert green energy to a usable form. In a bid to further its green energy agenda, China is getting rid of companies that utilize non-renewable energy resources. Between 2005 and 2010, China decommissioned power companies that were inefficient in terms of power consumption and this trend is also set to continue. China is also abolishing those companies that contribute to air pollutant emissions (â€Å"China’s action on climate change,† 1). Abolishing companies that utilize non-renewable energy sources is a sure way to minimize pollution emissions and attain total green energy dependence. Among the green energy conversion technologies that have gained the most recognition in terms of financing include solar power technologies with the top markets being China, Europe and the United States. However, the United States is losing its grip as the world leader in attracting i nvestments for green energy due to lack of governmental commitment in green energy efforts (Silverstein 1). This shows that China is committed to converting to green energy exploitation. This is shown by the enormous financial investments it is the direction towards green energy. Such is the commitment that will set at the top of the list of the world’s leaders in green energy investment. Other countries that have shown considerable efforts in investing in green energy include Italy, Brazil and India (Silverstein 1). The future of Green Energy in China In China’s 12th 5 year plan, the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions was given priority, showing China’s change in attitude towards green ene

The System Behind The Scientific Calculator Computer Science Essay

The System Behind The Scientific Calculator Computer Science Essay The first scientific calculator that included all of the basic features above was the programmable  Hewlett-Packard  HP-9100A,[1]  released in 1968, though the  Wang  LOCI-2 and the Mathatronics Mathatron had some features later identified with scientific calculator designs. The HP-9100 series was built entirely from discrete  transistor  logic with no  integrated circuits, and was one of the first uses of the  CORDIC  algorithm for trigonometric computation in a personal computing device, as well as the first calculator based on  reverse Polish notation  entry. HP became closely identified with RPN calculators from then on, and even today some of their high-end calculators (particularly the long-lived  HP-12Cfinancial calculator and the  HP-48  series of graphing calculators) still offer RPN as their default input mode due to having garnered a very large following. The  HP-35, introduced on February 1, 1972, was  Hewlett-Packards first  pocket calculator  and the worlds first handheld scientific calculator.[2]  Like some of HPs desktop calculators it used  reverse Polish notation. Introduced at US$395, the HP-35 was available from 1972 to 1975. HP continues to develop and market high-end scientific calculators, like the  HP-35s  and  HP-49 series, which have been favored by scientists and engineers, in labs, offices, as well as in the field. Texas Instruments, after the introduction of several units with scientific notation, came out with a handheld scientific calculator on January 15, 1974 in the form of the SR-50.[3]  TI continues to be a major player in the calculator market, with their long-running  TI-30  series being one of the most widely used scientific calculators in classrooms. Casio  and  Sharp  have also been major players, with Casios FX series (beginning with the Casio FX-1 in 1972[4]) being a very common brand, used particularly in schools. Casio is also the #3[citation needed]  player in the  graphing calculator  market, and was the first company to produce one (Casio fx-7000G). INTRODUCTION Scientific Calculator Top of Form Bottom of Form The calculator was written by Rolf Howarth in early 1996. A fully featured scientific calculator with proper operator precedence is implemented, including trig functions and logarithms, factorials, 12 levels of parentheses, logs to base 2 (a handy function for information entropists!), bitwise logical operators, hex, octal, binary and ASCII display. The calculator is written in JavaScript and you are welcome to view the JavaScript source (visible within the HTML page) for personal educational purposes as long as you recognize that it is copyrighted and not in the public domain. This calculator is now available as part of Hummingbirds Enterprise Information Portal. All enquiries regarding licensing the calculator should be directed to Hummingbird Ltd. Basic Functions Addition The addition (sum function) is used by clicking on the + button or using the keyboard. The function results in a+b. Subtraction The subtraction (minus function) is used by clicking on the - button or using the keyboard. The function results in a-b. Multiplication The multiplication (times function) is used by clicking on the x button or using the keyboard * key. The function results in a*b. Division The division (divide function) is used by clicking on the / button or using the keyboard / key. The function results in a/b. Sign The sign key (negative key) is used by clicking on the (-) button. The function results in -1*x. Square The square function is used by clicking on the x^2 button or type ^2. The function results in x*x. Square Root The square root function is used by clicking on the x button or type sqrt(). This function represents x^.5 where the result squared is equal to x. Raise to the Power The raise to the power (y raised to the x function) is used by clicking on the y^x button or type ^. Natural Exponential The natural exponential (e raised to the x) is used by clicking on the e^x button or type exp(). The result is e (2.71828) raised to x. Logarithm The logarithm (LOG) is used by clicking on the LOG button or type LOG(). Natural Logarithm The Natural logarithm (LN) is used by clicking on the LN button or type LN(). Inverse Multiplicative inverse (reciprocal function) is used by pressing the 1/x button or typing inv(). This function is the same as x^-1 or dividing 1 by the number. Exponent Numbers with exponents of 10 are displayed with an e, for example 4.5e+100 or 4.5e-100. This function represents 10^x. Numbers are automatically displayed in the format when the number is too large or too small for the display. To enter a number in this format use the exponent key EEX. To do this enter the mantissa (the non exponent part) then press EEX or typee and then enter the exponent. Factorial The Factorial function is used by clicking the ! button or type !. PI PI is a mathematical constant of the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter. PROPOSED SYSTEM The following documentation is a project the Name of the term paper allotted. It is a detailed summary of all the drawbacks of the old system and how the new proposed system overcomes these shortcomings. The new system takes into account the various factors while designing a new system. It keeps into the account the Economical bandwidth available for the new system. The foremost thing that is taken care of is the Need and Requirements of the User. DESCRIPTION Before developing software we keep following things in mind that we can develop powerful and quality software PROBLEM STATEMENT Problem statement was to design a module: Which is user friendly Which will restrict the user from accessing other users data. Which will help user in viewing his data and privileges. Which will help the administrator to handle all the changes. FUNCTIONS TO BE PROVIDED: The system will be user friendly and completely menu driven so that the users shall have no problem in using all options. The system will be efficient and fast in response. The system will be customized according to needs. (View Add Delete Modify) SYSTEM REQUIRMENTS Operating system: MS Windows XP or Windows Vista Language: C Language Processor: Pentium IV Processor RAM: 512 MB Hard disk: 5 GB SYSTEM DESIGN Then we began with the design phase of the system. System design is a solution, a HOW TO approach to the creation of a new system. It translates system requirements into ways by which they can be made operational. It is a translational from a user oriented document to a document oriented programmers. For that, it provides the understanding and procedural details necessary for the implementation. Here we use Flowchart to supplement the working of the new system. The system thus made should be reliable, durable and above all should have least possible maintenance costs. It should overcome all the drawbacks of the Old existing system and most important of all meet the user requirements. Welcome to main menu of Scientific Calculator Enter Your Choice? On calculator Do your any task Do you want to continue? START Trignometery(sin,cos) Inverse(1/x) STOP Switch off calculator Yes No APPLICATIONS In most countries, students use calculators for schoolwork. There was some initial resistance to the idea out of fear that basic arithmetic skills would suffer. There remains disagreement about the importance of the ability to perform calculations in the head, with some curricula restricting calculator use until a certain level of proficiency has been obtained, while others concentrate more on teaching estimation techniques and problem-solving. Research suggests that inadequate guidance in the use of calculating tools can restrict the kind of mathematical thinking that students engage in. Others have argued that calculator use can even cause core mathematical skills to atrophy, or that such use can prevent understanding of advanced algebraic concepts. There are other concerns for example, that a pupil could use the calculator in the wrong fashion but believe the answer because that was the result given. Teachers try to combat this by encouraging the student to make an estimate of the result manually and ensuring it roughly agrees with the calculated result. Also, it is possible for a child to type in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1  ÃƒÆ'-  Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 and obtain the correct answer 1 without realizing the principle involved. In this sense, the calculator becomes a crutch rather than a learning tool, and it can slow down students in exam conditions as they check even the most trivial result on a calculator. FUTURE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT Our project will be able to implement in future after making some changes and modifications as we make our project at a very low level. So the modifications that can be done in our project are: To make it screen touch so no need to touch key buttons and one more change which can we made is to add snaps of the person who use it. TESTING Testing is the major control measure used during software development. Its basic function is to detect errors in the software. During requirement analysis and design, the output is a document that is usually textual and no executable. After the coding phase, computer programs are available that can be executed for testing purpose. This implies that testing not only, has to uncover errors introduced during coding, but also errors introduced during previous phase. Thus the goal of testing is to uncover the requirements, design and coding errors in the programs. The Sourcecode declared above for the program of Scientific Calculator has been tested and it has been found that the above source code is okay and correct.The program involves many type of conversions. These conversions has to done carefully

In Groups We Shrink :: Carol Tavris Psychology Psychological Essays

In Groups We Shrink As smoke poured into the room the three strangers waiting in the lobby just sat there until it was unbearable to breathe. Believe it or not people do this, just so that they don’t get embarrassed. Carol Tavris’s essay she is successful in getting the point across that people act different in groups than they do alone. She has many appeals to emotion, logic, and being the renown psychologist she is, she has credibility. She wasn’t trying to change the way people act in this essay. just to try and make people realize what happens in groups and the horrible things that could conspire. Carol Tavris was trying to get across the point that people act different in different situations. When it comes to ones personal safety then they act different. One person would get up at the first sign of danger, or go to someone’s help. But when there are other people involved and they are in a strange environment they don’t know how to act. They aren’t sure whether smoke pouring into a room or any other threatening situation is normal. They don’t want to get embarrassed or make a fool of themselves. Carol Tavris was born in 1944, and got her PH.D. in Social Psychology. That is why she has so much credibility in this field of study. This essay wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t coming from someone who has the background and the credibility she does. A strong example of emotion is when she talks about Rodney King and the savage beating he received. It again shows how people in groups act different. There were 11 officers watching 4 of their colleagues beat this poor man. What were they thinking? Did they agree? These are some of the questions you have to ask yourself. One explanation, of course, is that they approved.(18). They may have identified with the abusers, vicariously participating in a beating they rationalized as justified.(18). This is sad but true, but what about the Kitty Genovese story. She was stabbed and killed in front of her apartment, while 38 neighbors heard and watched, not one called for help. This is called diffusion of responsibility or soci al loafing which pretty much means the more people in a group the lazier everyone gets thinking that someone else will do the right thing. This is just another example of emotion in Carol Tavris’s writing.

Rural vs. Country Living

Sean Stafford 11/11/12 Living Urban Vs. Rural The on-going debate of living in the city vs. country is very controversial in many people’s eyes but, the city has much more to offer economically, socially and in many other ways more convenient. Being able to meet your needs conveniently and to travel in a car less is what makes the city a lot easier to live in. Therefore, Living in the city is much more beneficial than living in the rural areas.Being able to walk around different places that offer different things to meet your needs specifically is something we could dream of, well in the setting of a city you are able to virtually walk anywhere and either takes a metro or taxi and you will arrive at your destination quicker than ever. Living in the city brings a sort of social structure in a way because when you live in the Country your nearest neighbor may be a mile away. There may be times when you won’t see another human being for days unless you go somewhere off of your property.And f you so much as run out of milk it means a trip in the car. Mechanics and most services are not close It is not easy if your car breaks down and your nearest mechanic is 30 miles away. Secondly, there are many kind of public transport such as train, tram, bus, taxi in the city and there are many streets. On the other hands, in the country they do not have many streets so therefore making the city transport system more complex but in a better way.Again the convenience in the city is better than the convenience in the country. It is easy to make more friends because people living in a city are more friendly and happier with their friends. On the other hand, in the country people are less open minded to make friends with someone they have never met. Another factor that has to do with the well being of a person is getting sick, and health in the city is better than in the country, In city there are many hospitals. Lastly,

Review Idealism and Realism in International Relations.

Question: – Review idealism and realism in international relations. Introduction When studying international relations as an academic discipline studying about Idealism and realism is a major concern. These two approaches are used widely when it comes to decision making procedures. In idealism the decisions are made using ideas. Institutions such as League of Nations, United Nations as well as Local organizations like Organization of African Unity are developed according to the idealist tradition. This was introduced as a educational thought in 400 BC by Plato.He thought that the humans could be improved from within by correcting their thoughts and discovering knowledge already lies within since birth. The more perfect our ideas are the better we can serve the world. In realism world politics are driven my competitive self- interest. This further details that all states operate under as the greatest factor in causing nations to diverge from morally guided behaviour. Until Worl d War II the actual theory of realism did not came about. Realism theory has been introduced from historical writers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Thucydides and Sun Tzu.But Hans J. Morgenthau and E. H. Carr are considered most instrumental in establishing the tenets of classical realism theory in modern age. This theory differs from all considerations of legality and moral guidance from state policy that holds that all states are capable of violating laws if there is any necessity to advance their interests and power. These two different theories created a significant change in International Relations all over the world. Most political, economical decisions are taken by using Idealism and realism as reference to analyze and understand the facts.Idealism Idealism is a term applied to any idea, goal or practice considered to be impractical. As examples entrusting international security to the UN, creating an African union on the model of European Union, global eradication of poverty a nd injustice, etc. can be pointed out. Idealists usually rest on a pessimistic perspective towards human nature along with an historical judgment to achieve a change in world affairs. Idealists emphasize the power of reason. They strongly believe in the effectiveness of ideas. Through this they see the possibility of establishing a political system rimarily on morality. This will lead the humans to remove their selfish ideas and helps to build a nation that forms peace, prosperity, cooperation and justice. When a person looks at war in an idealist view, it can no longer be considered by anyone as a suitable way to achieve goals. It is because it affects both parties severely. Former President of the United States of America Woodrow Wilson is considered to be one of the key founders of Idealism. He presented the â€Å"Fourteen points† proposal that was contained on his speech to a joint session of congress on 1918.The address was intended to assure the world that the Great War (World War I) was being fought for a moral cause and for postwar peace in Europe. One of the most well known outcomes of Idealism is the democratic Peace Theory. This states that similar modes of democratic governments do not clash each other. As an impact of Idealism on International Relations Organizations like League of Nations. This was resulted in the covenant of the League of Nations with 42 original members. But this was ineffective because it had no power to enforce its decisions and issues in security.Due to these reasons the league was dismantled in the year 1940 but it had served as a model for the United Nations. Following the failure of League of Nations and the outbreak of the Second World War, descendent theories like Liberalism and Neo-conservatism were created. Through Liberalism organizations like United Nations, NATO, International regimes like Bretton Woods System were built. Neo-conservatism was drawn from Liberalism and focused more on universal values such as Human rights, democracy, free trade, minority protections etc. nlike other theories Neo-conservatism is willing to use force if necessary to push for its goals. Realism This is a theory that world politics is driven by competitive self- interest. It implies that realists see that humankind is self-centered and competitive. Also they believe that the principal actors in the international system are sovereign states. The basic assumption of Realism is that man is wicked, aggressive and bad and also state struggles for power. This implies that realism possesses a pessimistic, negative and a suspicious behavior.This was originated after the Second World War. But its primary assumptions were noted in its earlier writings. People like Thucydides, Sun Tzu, and Otto Van Bismarck can be pointed out as examples. It began as a wide field of research after the war. People like Hans J. Morgenthau, Carl von Clausewitz are considered as the modern thinkers of the classical realism. This theory ha s been associated with thinkers like Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes. Hans J Morgenthau described about six principles of Political Realism. 1.Political realism believes that politics, like society in general, is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature. 2. The main signpost of political realism is the concept of interest defined in terms of power, which infuses rational order into the subject matter of politics, and thus makes the theoretical understanding of politics possible. Political realism avoids concerns with the motives and ideology of statesmen. Political realism avoids reinterpreting reality to fit the policy. A good foreign policy minimizes risks and maximizes benefits. 3.Realism recognizes that the determining kind of interest varies depending on the political and cultural context in which foreign policy is made. It does not give â€Å"interest defined as power† a meaning that is fixed once and for all. 4. Political realism is aware of the moral significance of political action. It is also aware of the tension between the moral command and the requirements of successful political action. Realism maintains that universal moral principles must be filtered through the concrete circumstances of time and place, because they cannot be applied to the actions of states in their abstract universal formulation. . Political realism refuses to identify the moral aspirations of a particular nation with the moral laws that govern the universe. 6. The political realist maintains the autonomy of the political sphere; he asks â€Å"How does this policy affect the power and interests of the nation? † Political realism is based on a pluralistic conception of human nature. The political realist must show where the nation's interests differ from the moralistic and legalistic viewpoints.

The Coping Skills of the Elderly

The Coping Skills of the Elderly Free Online Research Papers It is common knowledge today that we live longer than ever before because of science and technology. However, this trend of longevity comes with numerous strains on our society and the elderly. It is common knowledge too that this process of aging culminates into degenerative changes in our physical and psychological well being. As people age, they depend more heavily on assistance from technological devices and caregivers to perform activities of daily living. Studies done by Chappell, Strain, and Blandford (1986) found that both the number of chronic conditions and the extent of functional disability increased with age. Equally important, Statistics Canada (1990b) supported this notion by revealing that the disability rate is tied to age and that it increases with an increase with age. The fact that more people are getting older in this era that before means that a larger portion of our population have some sort of limitations or some kind of disability that affects their ability to be fully functional in day to day life. Functional disability is defined by Chappell, Strain, and Blandford (1986) as â€Å"a functional limitation on the performance of normal daily role activities as a result of illness or injury.† In order to cope with their inability to perform activities of daily living, the elderly in need of assistance have devised means of survival by adapting to assistive devices like hearing aids and wheelchairs. This term â€Å"activities of daily living† as discussed here refers to a basic set of everyday activities or tasks that an individual should be able to perform in order to live independently (Katz, 1963; Weiner, 1990). In order for us to understand the challenges the elderly pass through on daily basis to overcome their limitations, we need a fact finding project with an individual facing such challenges in performing his or her basic activities of daily living, for us to appreciate this topic. I had an opportunity to perform a semi-structured interview with Mrs. Joyce Wealth (fictitious name), a 83 year old resident of a reputable long-term care center in Hamilton, Ontario. The purpose is to investigate and identify how Joyce copes with her physical impairment and pain associated with a stroke (CVA) and other conditions she has and how her coping strategies have made her aging successful. In this paper, I will attempt to discuss the results of this interview with emphasis on how research could be influenced by these results and how we can borrow a leaf from Joyce’s book to prepare for our own old age. Joyce a widow with two daughters, suffered from a stroke six years ago which increased on her inability to perform daily activities by living her with limited use of her left side of her body. She suffered from considerable depression and nursed feelings of frustration, anxiety, anger and apathy. She as a result disengaged herself from the world and become isolated. â€Å"I wished then why nobody could speak to me as they used to and yet hated to see them sympathizing with me† she lamented. â€Å"Few people realize how the shock of this sudden change affects one psychologically. You feel like God should have done you a favor by letting you die.† At the time both her daughters worked and lived outside Canada and were unable to be of effective help to her, thus increasing on the obvious risk to her of not being able to solicit or receive adequate assistance that she needed in basic maintenance activities. Coupled with arthritis and other contributing factors, Joyce agreed to move to a long-term care facility four years ago. Whilst talking to her, I noticed that she had a cognitive competence of a younger person. Despite her disabilities, Joyce’s mental faculties were sound in relation to her biological age and aging perceptions. With all those bouts of depression, crying and overwhelming fatigue, Joyce’s thought process was not impaired. During the course of the interview we were interrupted by a phone call where she exhibited her ability to perform some instrumental activities of daily living by picking up the phone and talking to the extent of passing over her daughter’s telephone number and the day of the week to the caller without checking her directory or calendar. She is thankful for some assistive devices that make it easier for her to tackle mobility problems that would have otherwise limited her ability to go shopping. â€Å"The girls in the Activation and Restorative Department take us out every Saturday to different malls to shop. I am thankful for the motorized wh eelchair I have and for the girls for letting us choose what we want to buy.† She said. Joyce’s attitude towards assistive devices seem to be in conformity with studies by Hirdes and Forbes (1993), that suggests that older people usually adapt to changes in life by adjusting their expectations and activities. But perhaps Cott and Gignac (1999) agreed with her more when they suggested that people with activity limitations used methods to cope with their deficiencies. Whereas successful aging maybe gauged differently in professional circles, Joyce’s case scenario gives me a different perspective of this term simply because of her willingness to try and cope with her physical deficiencies. Activities of daily living that include personal care (toileting, eating/drinking, dressing, bathing), and mobility that seem automatic to us are predominantly a problem for people with motor deficits like Joyce. However, Joyce’s attitude towards her challenges is refreshing most especially when she easily adjusts to ever changing situations by not hesitating to utilize various assistive technologies to help facilitate these activities. In my opinion, a disabled elderly who looks at the future as bright and tries to promote self worth, independence and quality of life with satisfaction has aged successfully. Rowe and Kahn (1991) described low chance of disease and disability; high mental and physical functioning; and active participation in soci al activities as the three signs of successful aging. But like Thompson and Forbes (1990) said, and basing my argument on Joyce’s enthusiasm and desire to avoid further decline, deterioration should not be part of aging. Baltes (1993), recognizes that the cognitive effectiveness which is necessary in maintaining the daily activities associated with overall health is a significant part of aging. Joyce seems to lead a effective life by utilizing her self management skills and practical knowledge to compensate for physical losses which fits well with aging well. When I asked Joyce how she could have been successful in performing instrumental activities of daily living as observed earlier, she attributed it to her insistence on simple exercises with the physiotherapist assistants in the home and an open realistic mind towards her situation. She manages to walk short distances like to the washroom with her walker and with assistance from a caregiver. However, Joyce reiterates that sometimes the caregivers may respond to her call bells late causing incontinence at night which frustrates her. To solve this, Joyce agreed to some interventions like a bedside commode and a bedpan to reduce on consequences of waiting for help and walking to the washroom at night, protective bedding and use of briefs which would have been degrading to any of us. With such assistive devices/interventions, Joyce is able to enjoy continuity in her quality of life by performing some activities by herself in a non threatening atmosphere. Physical disability has not stopped Joyce from promoting her own independence. She talked of the trouble she goes through trying to dress herself without assistance, and how she struggles to feed herself at every meal, tasks that need utmost coordination to complete. Several times Joyce has acquired injuries from falls whilst trying to dress herself or walk to the washroom not because she has lost the ability to evaluate consequences of such risks she takes but because she has a positive attitude towards her life and is willing to commit her energy to doing things herself for her to live a fuller life. The long-term care home she resides in decided to help her meet her objectives. She says that her environment has been altered for her safety. Floor mats have been removed from her washroom and brightened up her room with fluorescent lighting to help her make better judgments while walking. â€Å"I am so happy that I did not sit down and wait to die the moment I realized my fingers could not coordinate properly with my hands to comb my hair the way I would like.† If Joyce had been caught up in such a state of despair, she would probably have resigned herself to her room in isolation away from family and friends because of frustration and embarrassment like it was immediately, just like it was immediately after the stroke. Today she makes it a point to attend all social gatherings and activities in the nursing home. She knows that a strong social support network of friends and family members is a very important contributor to good health in old age. Rowe and Kahn (1998) found that a strong social support network can buffer or reduce some of the effects of aging. Joyce has company every time from her brother, sisters, members of her church, friends and daughters. This keeps her motivated to live since it makes her feel appreciated. Joyce recounts that â€Å"While in hospital, I remember asking a doctor if I will ever be normal again? His response still rings in my ears, that if I worked harder on exercises and on my positive attitude, I’ll get back.† With all that work she put in to cope with the effects of the stroke, she soon got out of bed to a wheelchair and now to a walker for short distances. Her motivation, she says, is that she will one day walk again. However, Joyce’s rehabilitative exercises on how to use her right side of the body to compensate for the disabled left were not enough in itself. She recalls that her family and friends played a huge role as mentioned before. â€Å"My friends and family encouraged me and believed in me. It strengthened me to know that they loved me and were there for me.† All this social support that provides patience, kindness, understanding and affection provided Joyce with a secure emotional environment to reach her goals. In final analysis, my conversation with Mrs. Joyce Wealth was extremely insightful and enlightening on many aspects of coping with physical limitations in later life. Talking to Joyce brought a realization to me that the concept of successful aging based on non-medical approach to promote human well-being is particularly fundamental to increasing quality of life. By providing a universal understanding of the aging experiences that encompasses limitations to the performing of activities of daily living, this interview identified and agreed with the notion that the elderly can find ways to compensate for their disabilities and other limitations in order to enjoy a successful later life. It is therefore important to learn from Joyce’s school of thought and accept changes that come with aging or other misfortunes by adapting and using alternative devices to cope with these changes. Joyce embraced assistive devices, jumped onto the exercise bandwagon and surrounded herself with a supportive social network of friends, family and health caregivers in order for her to achieve quality of life. The bottom line is that quality of life is the ultimate goal of everybody both young and old. References 1. Baltes, P. B. 1993. â€Å"Aging Mind: Potential and Limits.† Gerontologist 33(5): 580 94. 2. Chappell, N. L., Laurel A. Stain, and Audrey A. Blandford. 1986. Aging and Health Care: A Social Perspective. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada. 3. Cott, C. A., and M. A. M. Gignac. 1999. â€Å"Independence and Dependence For Older Adults with Osteoarthritis or Osteoporosis.† Canadian Journal On Aging 18(1): 1-25. 4. Hirdes, J. P., and W. P. Forbes. 1993. â€Å"Factors Associated with the Maintenance of Good Self-Rated Health.† Journal of Aging and Health 5(1): 101 – 22. 5. Katz, S., Ford, A., Moskowitz, R., Jackson, B. and Jaffe, M. (1963). â€Å"Studies of Illness in the Aged.† Journal of the American Medical Association, 185, 95 – 99. 6. Rowe, John W., and Robert L., Kahn. 1991. â€Å"Human Aging: Using and Successful.† In Harold Cox, ed., Aging, 7th ed. Guilford, CT: Dushkin. Originally Published in Science 237 (1987): 143 – 49. 7. Rowe, John W., and Robert L., Kahn. â€Å"Successful Aging.† New York: Pantheon Books; 1998. 8. Thompson, M. E., and W. F. Forbes. 1990. â€Å"The Various Definitions of Biological Aging.† Canadian Journal on Aging 9: 91 – 94. 9. Wiener, J., Hanley, R., Clark, R. and Van Nostrand, J. (1990). Measuring the Activities of Daily Living: Comparisons Across National Surveys. Journal of Gerontology; Social Sciences, 45, 229 – 237. An Interview with Joyce Wealth; Coping with a Disability in Old Age Hopes Kikonyogo interviewing Joyce Wealth on 7th November, 2005 lasted approximately 60 minutes. It was conducted in the activity room of a long-term care center in Hamilton, Ontario. Audio data from the interview was recorded on a digital recording device and later used to generate post interview notes for this paper. To preserve privacy the actual names of the lady interviewed and the name of the long-term care center were not used. The interview is intended to highlight Joyce’s coping strategies with a disability that hindered her ability to perform activities of daily living. Through her experiences we hope to understand the survival instincts of humans in later years. HK: Joyce, thank you for agreeing to this interview. First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Joyce: I was born in 1922 to a Ukrainian family. My father was a physician and my mother a nursery school teacher. After school I married an English soldier and we moved to Canada after the war. In Canada, my husband, Henry became a physician and I became a secretary. Later after further studies, I was promoted to office administrator in Henry’s medical office. He died 15 years later of cancer. HK: Did you and Henry have children? Joyce: Oh, yes. I am ashamed I did not mention them. I have two girls, Marilyn and Bertha. Marilyn is a Chief Economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) somewhere south of the border and Bertha a Political analyst and part time lecturer at one of the east coast universities in USA. I am proud of my daughters and their achievements are a satisfaction in my life. I do not see them that often though, but we talk quite a lot on telephone. Once in a while I get to watch Bertha on news networks like CNN, sharing her opinions with the world. I am a proud mother. HK: Let us focus on your disabilities for a moment here. How did you end up in this situation? The disabilities and living in a long-term care center? Joyce: I suffered from a stroke in 1999. It caught me completely unaware, one moment I was fine preparing to go to church, the next moment I had this awful headache, a fuzzy feeling over my eyes and general weakness of my body. Luckily enough, Bertha was visiting with me, and rushed me to hospital. A stroke interrupted my good life and changed it probably for good. I was in hospital confused, physically mmmh, crippled and speechless. That feeling is horrible, I mean, it is horrible to feel powerless and hopeless over yourself. Anyway, I stayed in hospital and various rehabilitation centers for 2 years, I think, before being discharged to a nursing home. HK: How did you feel about coming to a nursing home? Joyce: I really had no option, I could hardly care for myself and could not afford 24/7 home care. My daughters did not live in the country and even if they did, it would have been so stressful for them to run my home and theirs. I had thought hard about this before taking up this chance. Truthfully my first year of living with the effects of a stroke was my lowest. I was so depressed, refused to take any calls from my family and friends; I often pretended to be asleep when someone visited with me. I had totally cut off the world, feeling frustrated and embarrassed, but somehow with the persistence of my church, daughters and friends I agreed to therapies that have helped in my recovering journey. HK: What state of mind were you in the aftermaths of the stroke? I mean did you feel like you had lost your cognitive awareness? Joyce: I was disabled after the stroke. I could hardly do even the simplest things you know of like using my left hand to touch and feel, because my left side of the body was paralyzed. I could not feed myself, unable to write, dress myself and so many other things we do take for granted. I leant that feeding oneself requires a lot of coordination. One thing I did not lose though, thank God, was my ability to think, judge and make my own decisions. Having all your mental faculties in order when you cannot perform the simplest of activities is a recipe for depression, embarrassment and frustration. A few people realize how the shock of this sudden change affects one psychologically. You feel like God should have done you a favor by letting you die than living you with disabilities. HK: Earlier you mentioned about self isolation, disengaging yourself from friends and family. Why was that? Joyce: Hard to understand, but at that time you figure death is the best thing for you. Apart from that, you feel so embarrassed and angry at your friends and family when they feel sorry for you. It seems like they all talk to you like you are a toddler. People often avoided contact with me because they figured I could not hold a normal conversation with them. I wished they could talk to me like they used to and at the same time hated to see them sympathize with me. HK: Joyce, after such a low period in your life, what motivated you to turn around your life? Joyce: While in hospital. I recall asking a doctor if I will ever be normal again. His response still rings in my ears, that if I worked harder on exercises and on my positive attitude, I’ll be back. Rehabilitation therapists often asked some stroke survivors to come and visit with me, which encouraged me. I realized then that I can live if I wanted to, that my rehabilitation was in my hands. Up to today, I still wonder how I managed to turn that corner. Look, I toiled and found strength to get out of bed, I started using a wheelchair. That in itself was a milestone in my struggle to recover, but still believe it is not good enough. Today, I so often use my walker to walk for short distances like to my washroom and to the dining room with the help of caregivers. It is a challenge and so exhausting. HK: I have just noticed you answering your phone without assistance. How could you have been successful in performing such a task? Joyce: Keeping active is the key, if I had remained idle without purposeful activity to help in my rehabilitation, my goals would have been undermined. I happen to do simple exercises at least everyday with Mary the physiotherapist assistant in this home. I also harbor a positive mind towards my life because I have moved on. I read a lot and keep my mind active. All that is not easy, most especially if one is recovering from a stroke and has arthritis as well, like I do. I am so happy that I did not sit down and wait to die the moment I realized my fingers could not coordinate properly with my left hand to comb my hair the way I want it. HK: What would you like to be changed in this nursing home, anything that would further your goal of recovery? Joyce: if I had my way it would be a day or two coming up with stuff that needs to be changed, but we are all humans thus seldom perfect. I am contented with what this home offers. There is care, very good care here but one thing that has been frustrating is the response by caregivers to call bells. They often respond to my call bells late and by the time one is here, I have soiled my pants or wet my bed. Just yesterday, I brought this call bell issue up during my care conference and agreed to management’s proposal of a bedside commode, bedpan and usage of briefs. It is an inconvenience and embarrassing, but at least it solved a problem or two. HK: By the way, are there certain things you can do for yourself? Joyce: Oh sure, I do my own shopping, which is a thrill because I was a ‘shoppaholic.’ The girls from the Activation and Restorative department take us out every Saturday to different malls for shopping. I am thankful for the motorized wheelchair I use and for the girls that not only take us out but also let us choose what we want to buy. I am thankful for all the devices that enable me to continue with life in a fulfilling way. Apart from the shopping, I try to toilet myself, try to walk myself to the washroom and to the dining room, dress myself and feed myself. However I have paid for taking such bold risks. I have acquired bruises and injuries from falls, but now my room is as bright as day light because of those fluorescent lights that help eliminate shadows, they also removed my floor mats in the washroom to avoid tripping. HK: Finally Joyce, do you have anything else to say? Is there something important to you that I missed? Joyce: Yeah, I appreciate all I have today which is life. I am particularly thankful for all the care I have received. The caregivers here though over worked and always understaffed remain pleasant and helpful. I thank my family and my friends that encouraged me and believed in me. It strengthened me to know that they loved me and were there for me. HK: Exploring your coping skills with the effects of a stroke has been very informative. I have enjoyed talking to you Joyce and particularly thankful for your willingness to share your experiences with us. Thank you. 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