Work Based Practice Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Work Based Practice Project - Essay Example vascular dementia, medical conditions such as pick’s disease substance induced dementia must be first ruled out in order to com to this diagnosis. The accurate assessment of DAT is done through extensive testing Psycho – motor testing and neuroimaging as well as standard lab work to mention but a few deficits are found in the following areas. This study is based largely on experience gained through the ongoing with Care Company who wish to develop a training capability in Dementia care. This research will be involved working intensively in an Elderly Mentally Infirm registered residential home. The purpose of this research is to outline ways in which training can be use to help staff develop into reflective practitioners. This study concerns a case study examination of Care Company from which permission has been obtained. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the company’s development and implementation of health sector goals and objectives. Studies done have indicated the major signs of dementia are forgetfulness. A condition called mild cognitive impairment is observed first. This is the stage that describes the situation where one develops normal forgetfulness that is due to old age and the commencement of dementia. People that find themselves as victims of this MCI generally experience problems that are related with memory and thinking capacity. This however does not interfere with their daily undertaking. Several studies have been done to develop the major causes and symptoms that are associated with dementia. According to Biernacki (2007) the major cause attributed to Dementia is the damaged brain cells. Damage to the brain cells causes breakdown of communication making it impossible to translate the different undertakings of the body for instance thinking and behaviour. This can be explained by the through looking at the composition of the brain. From the studies done, the brain is made up of several distinct regions. Each region

This great essay i found about life (not mine) Essay Example for Free

This great essay i found about life (not mine) Essay â€Å"Life is beautiful and yet life is not a bed of roses. Though it is full of ups and downs it has many facets of blessings and successes. To some people, life is hard, cruel and merciless. These set of people see life as punishment throughout their entire lives. They therefore resigned themselves to fate, believing all is finished. To them, nothing that they do can ever be good. They take delight in committing crimes and maiming others to avenge their ill-fortune. They lost every sense of direction and most times, some of them go as far as committing suicide, just to escape the injustice life has meted out to them. But there are those who see life as a challenge, a channel of discovery and innovation, a prospect for success and a gateway to wealth. To them life is sweet, colourful and kind. No matter the situation these people find themselves, they keep pressing on, believing in a cause, a cause to succeed and get the most out of life. No wonder an adage says, â€Å"Where there is life, there is hope.† The will to succeed or fail lies within an individual jurisdiction. You can live life to the fullest with utmost satisfaction and fulfillment if you determine with all your mind, body and soul to succeed. On the other hand, life can be miserable to you if you take everything for granted and wait on fate to play itself out. Setting of goals and strategic plans that will strive no matter the odds which may move against you is one of the basic things needed to get the best out of life. These goals which must be result oriented, should be followed up consistently even if things seem blurred or unyielding at first. Also, the mind is the centre of everything. It controls your thoughts and beliefs. A focused mind has never fail. A positive mind helps one to discover his talents and potentials. Great men and women, both living and dead, had their minds focused on something and nothing deterred them from achieving their dreams. Each of them had a belief, should I say faith, which they held onto, they nurture the belief, focused all their attention and live on it. And today, we have benefited in one way or the other from their inventions and great ideas. Life is a challenge. And for anyone to succeed in life, he must be ready to show the stuff he is made of. He must be ready to sacrifice his time and build up his mind frame toward success. What is happening in our environment should not influence or affect us in our daily quest for success in life. Instead, we should control the happenings around us.

Case Study of Diabetes Mellitus and Community Health Nurse

Case Study of Diabetes Mellitus and Community Health Nurse This paper is going to illustrate a case study, which has been chosen during the two weeks of clinical practicum. It will present the medical history of the patient, focus on current health status and discuss the main responsibilities of community health nurse. H.S is a 74 years old Emirati, female, married and has 3 daughters and 5 sons. She has been referred to health home care setting on 24/2/2011. The patients past medical history included mild intermittent asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, acute gastritis, esophageal reflux, acquired hypothyroidism, generalized anxiety disorder, essential hypertension, diabetes mellitus type-1, chronic diastolic failure, blurred vision and impaired hearing. The patient has allergies from dust and medication like penicillin. Her surgical history was significant for cholecystectomy. Also, she had grafting surgery that done to repair the wound at right forearm which resulted from road traffic accident. Current medications include montelukast (singulair); 10mg orally once daily, steroids 500mg orally once per day, insulin 34 units in the morning and 32 units on evening, and cozaar 50mg once daily. Currently, the patient is suffering from uncontrolled diabetes. The fasting blood glucose ranged from 239-455 mg/dl and the past prandial glucose and bed time glucose ranged from 240-598 mg/dl. This assignment will shed light on one of the chronic disease which the patient has, diabetes, including pathophysiology, sign and symptoms, risk factors, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. In addition, it will illustrate the community health nurse roles regarding diabetic patient. Diabetes mellitus is a worldwide epidemic disease. It is a metabolic disorder manifested by elevation of blood glucose level due to an absolute shortage of insulin production and action (American Diabetes Association, 2004). The two main classification of diabetes are type 1, this type represents insulin dependent diabetes, and type 2, non-insulin dependent diabetes (Meetoo Allen, 2010). Additional types of diabetes mellitus include gestational diabetes, maturity once diabetes of the young, diabetes resulted from cystic fibrosis, and cushings syndrome diabetes (Meetoo Allen, 2010). As our patient is suffering from diabetes type-1, the nurse must understand the pathophysiology of this type in order to provide optimal care. Type-1 diabetes is found to be a result of an autoimmune mediated damaging of B-cells, pancreatic cells responsible for insulin production. Destruction of these cells will lead to insulin deficiency, which will result in increase of blood glucose and glycosuria. Mainly it is symptomatic disorder unlike type-2 diabetes (Meetoo Allen, 2010). Type-2 diabetes is considered silent killer; most people with such disease are unaware because it is asymptomatic in many cases. It is characterized by abnormal insulin production, insulin resistance, and alteration in glucagon synthesis (Casey, 2011). Elevation in blood glucose caused by limitation of insulin in transporting glucose into the cells for energy synthesis. High glucose level enhances insulin production. So that, people with this type of diabetes often characterized by excessive insulin product ion (Casey, 2010). Diabetes symptoms might slightly vary according to the type. Hyperglycemia manifested by a number of symptoms such as polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss, in some cases associated with polyghagia; feeling hungry as a result of cellular starvation, and blurred vision. Polyuria occurs when the amount of glucose filtration by the kidney overwhelms reabsorption mechanism (American Diabetes Association, 2004). Fatigue may be presented due to metabolic changes (Casey, 2011). These symptoms could not be severe in type-2 diabetes as much as type-1 (Casey, 2011). Uncontrolled diabetes like in H.S case might lead to unpleasant consequences. These complications include retinopathy with loss of vision, nephropathy; which results in renal failure, peripheral nephropathy with high risk of foot ulcer and cardiovascular symptoms (American Diabetes Association, 2004). There are many risk factors that lead to hyperglycemia. Some of these factors are non-modifiable such as heredity and race factors. Other modifiable factors include obesity, lack of exercise, impaired glucose tolerance, cardiovascular disorder, and high level of triglycerides (Rodbard et al, 2007). Diabetes mellitus accounts for high epidemic percentage throughout the world. The total number of people with diabetes was significantly increased from 124 million in 1997 to 221 million in 2010 (Meetoo Allen, 2010). From a global thought, the highest three countries estimated to have the highest number of people with diabetes in 2000 and 2030 are India, China, and the United State of America. The most affected groups are people between 45-64 years old (Meetoo Allen, 2010). The risk of death for people with diabetes mellitus is twice that among individuals without diabetes of similar age (Rodbard et al, 2007). If patient diagnosed before age 40 years, the average reduction in life expectancy is 12 years for men and 19 years for women (Rodbard et al, 2007). There are a number of diagnostic procedures that have been used to determine the blood glucose level. These strategies include observation the symptoms of diabetes such as polyuria, polydipsia, and weight loss (Rodbard et al, 2007). In addition, diabetic patient could be identified with fasting plasma glucose concentration more than or equal 126mg/dl or plasma glucose concentration more than or equal 200 mg/dl in normal status. These measurements taken by using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (Rodbard et al, 2007). Applying appropriate intervention for patient with chronic disease like diabetes is an essential strategy to prevent any complications that might result from unstable condition (Pimouguet, Goff, Thiebaut, Dartigues Halmer, 2011). The aims of diabetes treatment are to control blood glucose level to reduce the risk of long term complications and to help the patient with diabetes to live normal healthy life (Meetoo Allen, 2010). The choice of treatment depends on the type of diabetes. For instance, patient with type 1 and some cases with type 2, insulin is an appropriate treatment in maintaining nearly normal level of blood glucose (Meetoo Allen, 2010). Unlike type-2 diabetes, in which management processes are based mainly on life style modifications. For example, regular food intake, regular exercise, weight management and limited alcohol intake. Also, oral anti-diabetic agents are used to maintain normal level of blood glucose and to enhance the action of pancreatic cells (Meetoo Allen, 2010). Furthermore, one of the most effective methods which are essential for patients with type-2 diabetes or for people who are at high risk is regular monitoring of blood glucose level .This method helps to prevent acquiring diabetes for people who are at increased risk of hyperglycemia or for those who have poor glycemic control (Grant, 2010). The role of the nurse in delivering community health care is considered an essential part in managing patients condition at home sitting. As nurses working in community care, a number of responsibilities are involved in care of patient with diabetes including assessment and providing optimal intervention (Carey Courtenay, 2008). The nurse is considered the only professional who has a complete knowledge about patients medical status (OReilly, 2005). Effective assessment will enable the nurse to create appropriate plan regarding patients condition and provide best care (World Health Organization, 2001). For optimal care, the community nurse should has enough knowledge regarding patients health disorder include functional limitations, patients medical history, prognosis, physical assessment for all body systems and behavioral status (OReilly, 2005). In addition, it is important to assess other factors that could affect patients health such as safety of living environment, types of dail y living activities, medication awareness and compliance, equipment availability such as oxygen, intravenous therapy, and parenteral nutrition (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). For diabetic patient, the nurse is responsible to assess specific factors that might interfere with glycemic control. One of these factors is age- related changes such as physiological functions. For instance, loss of taste and olfactory functions may lead to malnutrition intake. So, that will lead to abnormal metabolism and blood glucose maintenance (OReilly, 2005). Dehydration is also one of the complication that might occur due to loss of thirst perception which affected by age factor. The nurse must evaluate the condition carefully in order to meet the needs (OReilly, 2005). Also, the nurse must assess for the presence of neuropathies, because it increase the risk of fall and infection (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). Furthermore, visual deficits and retinopathy must be assessed because the patient may be at risk of taking medication inaccurately and become unable to perform regular blood glucose test (OReilly, 2005). The nurse should ensure that the patient is aware about all medications and being compliance with. Also, identification and investigation of any complications are very crucial to protect the patient from life threatening condition (Diabetes Specialist Nurses, 2007). If the patient has diabetic foot, the nurse should assess the wound, regular dressing must be done and monitor for any further complications (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). Moreover, accurate documentation is necessary to ensure patients need correctly (OReilly, 2005). Diabetes mellitus requires regular self care behaviors. Nurse is responsible to teach the patient about appropriate self management (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). Physical and emotional stress could affect glycemic control negatively, so patients must learn how to balance among such factors. They should learn daily self care skills to prevent instability of blood glucose. In addition, patients must be aware about good nutrition by following a calorie- controlled diet (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). They should know that they might need additional meals and snacks during various exercises or at bedtime to prevent hypoglycemia. Also, patients must have knowledge regarding medications side effects and disease progression. Patients and family members should be taught about the symptoms of both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in order to be able to provide a required care (Smeltzer, Bare, Hinkle Cheever, 2008). In conclusion, this essay has discussed a case study that has been chosen during the clinical practicum time. Mainly, it focused on one of current health problem in which the patient is suffering from, diabetes mellitus. It discussed the pathophysiology of the two types of diabetes, type-1 and type-2. Diabetes is characterized by a number of symptoms such as polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss, and polyghagia. There are many risk factors might cause diabetes such as obesity and sedentary life style. This paper has also presented statistical information regarding diabetes disorder throughout the world, it found that India is the highest country that account for the highest number of people with diabetes. Moreover, there are various diagnostic methods that are used to identify and investigate patients with diabetes or who are at high risk. Treatment strategies are varying with different types of diabetes. Type-1 is insulin dependent diabetes while type-2 is non-insulin dependent. Diabete s mellitus is considered a chronic disease that required regular appropriate care at home sitting. Community health nurse has a number of responsibilities regarding diabetic patients care include effective assessment and providing teaching plan that help the patient to maintain controlled blood sugar level. Finally, diabetic patients should be aware about daily self care.

Review Of Wwf Wrestling :: essays research papers

WWF: A Review of Professional Wrestling  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bang! Fireworks as if it were the fourth of July. Thousands of people in an arena and billions watching around the world anxiously awaiting the arrival of their favorite superstar. Suddenly the crowd erupts as a man comes strutting down to the squared circle. Accompanied by a beautiful busty young woman, the wrestler is cheered by his loyal fans and booed by his enemies. Soon , another man enters the stadium the same way as the first man. The two men stip into the ring with a certain sense of cockiness about themselves. Before the referee can even tell everyone that the match has started, the two men are already battling in the “squared circle';. During the fight there are many suspenseful moments. Brutally beating each other for five minutes the match is finally over with some bloodshed. Today people are taking wwf professional wrestling to the extreme. WWF wrestling is one of the most watched shows on television today. WWF stands for the World Wrestling Federation. Wrestling starte d sometime it the mid to late sixties and has changed dramatically over the years. When wrestling first came to be the wrestlers weren’t like they were today. Back in the olden days of WWF wrestling, the storyline of wrestling wasn’t as vulgar, and the industry was not as wide spread throughout the world. Today the whole industry of the WWF is benefitting from merchandise being sold all over the globe. Even though many people may consider wrestling to be fake, know that some aspects are very real. There have been some instances where people have gotten hurt and even died from a stunt gone bad. There was an instance about half a year ago when a professional wrestler named Owen Hart was repelling from the rafters on a cable and the piece that was attached to his harness snapped and he plummeted 40 feet broke his neck and died. This was a tragic loss to every wrestler and to the whole WWF world. If this isn’t real you wouldn’t know what was. Another example of r eality is when Stone Cold Steve Austin was being suplexed (a professional wrestling move when your opponent lifts you in the air and slams you into the mat), his opponent landed Austin wrong on the mat. This resulted in a career ending surgery for Steve Austin. One thing that wrestling has done over the past couple of years is raised media uproar pertaining to violence at home between children.

To View or Not To View :: Media News Television Essays

To View or Not To View Staying in touch with the outside world, via the 10:00 evening news, has become increasingly difficult for me the last couple years. Not only am I usually not awake at 10:00, but if I am, I do not want to spend my time hearing about the many murders, rapes, and robberies that plaque our city. Television news has not only taken on a tabloid-like feel, but the substance of most of the news stories is a total waste of my viewing time. However, in an effort to stay connected, I currently listen to the morning TV news as well as read the Chicago Tribune on a daily basis. The local news broadcast I taped to critique for this paper was the 5:00 News on Channel 5 which was shown on Monday, April 7, co-anchored by Joan Esposito, a 30ish white female, and Warren Saunders, a late 50's black male. I viewed a total of 13 stories which were comprised mainly of murder, weather and informational topics. The "Top Story" was about a 7 year old girl who was murdered by a gang member while she was waiting in line to get ice cream. The story's time went for approximately 4 minutes and included 3 interviews of people, 3 different on-screen captions and a camera span of teddy bears on a fence. The actual meaty parts of this story, that is, the facts, were fully given in this broadcast. However, interviews with crying persons of the gang members' families, and the little girl's school superintendent musing out loud on what this little girl could have become, was a total waste of time. Conversely, scanning the teddy bears was touching, but lent nothing to the telling of the tragic event that took this girl's life. I suppose the "powers that be" at the news station do not feel the public can feel on their own, thus we are constantly being given visual reminders of how sad a story is. I can safely say that the Top Story of the majority of broadcasts that I view are murders. Based on that premise, the senseless murder of this child was an important story in Chicago that day. I do take exception, however, to the many visuals used to evoke emotion as the sadness of the story spoke for itself. Apart from this story, the only remaining "news stories" consisted of a murder of a cab driver and two stories of missing persons.

In a book written by Goldscheider Essay

Studying the Jewish Future, the author revealed the reasons for the unexpected results, that instead of a vanishing race, the reality is that of a thriving community. And the explanation can be broken down into the following: 1. Conversion – It is surprising to find out that a considerable number of non-Jewish spouse opted to be converted to Judaism. It must be noted though that the said conversion may be formal or informal but true conversion is rather marked by a following community norms and values. 2. Acceptance – the Jewish community is now more open to the idea of intermarriage and this has resulted in a more openness which predictably made it easier for non-Jewish spouse to get exposed to Jewish ways. 3. Deliberate Outreach – the Jewish community and its institutions are forced to reach out to intermarried couples and by doing so encouraged non-Jews to be respect their beliefs and for some a desire to be counted as Jews. Ambivalence There is a dramatic change in perception and outlook that resulted in an improvement in how the Jewish community in general is treating intermarried couples. Still, the Jewish faith would never have reached its current position, a survivor of the Holocaust and many other forms of persecution without creating a defense mechanism that ensured the survival not only of its lineage but also of its beliefs and customs. It is this defense mechanism that made it hard for other to jump on the â€Å"accept the intermarried couples bandwagon† and prevented some to see the possibilities not only in finding a novel way of thriving in a modern society like America but also a novel way of finding new converts. In one extreme, intermarriage is one valid form of proselytizing whose impact is not yet fully measured. But as mentioned earlier, not everyone is convinced that the time has come for the Jews to fully open its house to the Gentiles. Bayme and Rosen provided an example of this ambivalence when they cited the popular Mordecai Kaplan who at one point encouraged intermarriages: Jews must meet all situations that might lead to mixed marriages, not fearfully or grudgingly, but in the spirit of encountering an expected development †¦ With a belief in the integrity and values of his own civilization, the Jewish partner to the marriage cold †¦ make Judaism the civilization of the home†¦ And yet two years later the same person said: Since Jews are a minority and Judaism is exposed to tremendous disintegrative forces from non-Jewish environment †¦ it cannot approve of uncontrolled intermarriage with non-Jews. If however, a non-Jew who desire to marry a Jew, after studying what is involved in being a Jew and what are the principles and practices of Judaism, he should be given every encouragement and should be welcomed into the Jewish community (Kaplan, as qtd. in Bayme & Rosen, 1994, p. 268). Conclusion After thousands of years since God has declared them the â€Å"chosen people† the Jews continue to struggle and to find their place in the world. Every generation is pressured to find ways to pass on what they have received from their ancestors to the next generation of Jews. Each time the baton is passed the more it becomes more difficult to continually display integrity, commitment, and consistency. Just like other ancient religions, Judaism is finding it extremely difficult to solve the dilemma of identity and relevance. The present generation can enforce and strengthen their spiritual identity and dig deep into their past to find that old familiar path that will lead them to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. But every time they struggle to keep their ancient traditions and beliefs together they risk losing their relevance to a fast evolving world. This is especially true in America; the world’s most advanced and most powerful nation. As a result the new generation of Jews are abandoning ancient traditions and exchanging it with new ideas. But this is just a part of a bigger problem. What they are most concern about is the marriage of Jews to non-Jews or interfaith marriages. As mentioned in the introduction part of this paper, the Jews can directly trace their lineage to an ancient people, the Israelites, children of Jacob. A long time ago, they co-existed with ancient people groups but they are the only fortunate ones to have survived the passage of time. It can even be argued that they are the only surviving, direct descendants of ancient tribes. This made them a special group. A fact that is not lost in the collective psyche of the Jewish people. This ability to survive against all odds does not come without a price. They have developed a sort of defense mechanisms against the â€Å"melting pot† effect of the world. The world is like one giant sponge of conformity, sucking them in to make them conform to popular trends and standards. The Jewish people, for thousands of years were able to resist that pull. They have their strict diet, their festivals, their rituals, and their traditions that must be strictly followed wherever they are. Whether they are in the midst of prison, or in a land filled with racism they have to remember who they are and by doing all these things they have fought back extinction and remained a distinct people group. The Jewish race also has one major secret weapon and it is the implied rule that they should not marry non-Jews. At first glance it is easy to believe that they perpetuate this rule for the sake of practicality. It would be impossible for an outsider to keep up with their way of life unless one has learned of these things since early childhood. But a close look into this code of conduct reveals a religion that is so exacting that it sees intermarriage as a threat to the continuity of this particular group. For thousands of years they had succeeded in maintaining the status quo. Wherever they went they formed a close knit community of fellow believers that find support and strength from one another. The long history of persecution and anti-Semitism forced them to band close together as one family. It is understandable why for a long time outsiders are reluctant to penetrate their strong defenses so that they can get an idea as to what Judaism is all about. Moreover, anti-Semitism is a serious problem that strongly discourages a potential suitor from risking his life for someone that is as enigmatic as a Jewish girl. Everything went fine until after World War II. It seems that the Holocaust has placed the Jews in the limelight and not to discount also the successes of the Holocaust survivors in the field of finance and business that may well have contributed to their fame in the international stage. Another factor is the settling of Jews in America, first coming in droves as refugees and then finally establishing a place they can call home. In the New World the Jewish community was able to thrive in an environment where anti-Semitism is denounced as something belonging to a bygone era. Then an unexpected thing happened. The lessening of anti-Semitism no doubt changed the way Americans see the Jews. In short Jewish men and women became desirable in the eyes of modern day Gentiles. And since they are in the land of the free, the new generation of Jews can find nothing wrong in interfaith marriages. But for the elders, especially communal leaders have a different perspective. They are perhaps remnants of that era where Jews are considered as the persecuted one in Europe and in many parts of the world. It may have been a difficult notion to entertain for these old folks – that a Jew can finally live with a non-Jew and yet retain its identity and continue practicing their faith. They cannot see the gray area, only the black and white shades that says either one is fully committed Jew, focused on his religious duties or none at all. Moreover, the increasing rate of intermarriages was seen as a black-eye for the Jewish community. They interpret it as a growing weakness in the institution that teaches Jewish beliefs and traditions. It was also interpreted as rebellion towards parents and to their way of life. In modern times, there are researchers like Goldscheider who contends that the elders made a fundamental error in judgment. He argues that the reason for the negative assessment of intermarriage is a wrong perspective. He hastens to say that if the elders and the whole Jewish community can see what intermarriage is doing to the community in general then they will be more open to the idea of intermarriage. Firs of all, intermarriages are means for increasing the number of Jews in America. This is because studies have found a significant percentage of non-Jews willing to learn more about the Judaism, willing to let their children grow up as followers of Judaism and in many instances non-Jews are getting converted formally or informally. Goldscheider warns though that in order for this new trend to be a source of joy for communal leaders and elders they need to have a paradigm shift. They no longer have to limit their idea â€Å"Jewishness† on the basis of birth but they must be willing to accept that a true Jew is not someone with a direct lineage to the ancient people found in the Jewish Bible, but they are people who are in love with Jewish customs and tradition and that they are eager to lead their children in following their lifestyle. For Goldscheider this is what 21st century needs and for him this is what intermarriage brings to the Jewish experience. Works Cited Bayme, Steven. Jewish Arguments and Counterarguments. New Jersey: KTAV Publishing House, 2002. Bayme, Steven & Gladys Rosen. The Jewish Family and Jewish Contiunity. New Jersey: KTAV Publishing, 1994. Goldscheider, Calvin. Are American Jews Vanishing Again? Ed. Put Name of Editor of the book article was taken from. Place of Publication: Publisher, year of publication. _____________________. Studying the Jewish Future. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2004. Jewish Bible. Retrieved 13 November 2007 from http://www. breslov. com/bible/Joshua3. htm#3 Shapiro, Edward. A Time for Healing: American Jewry Since World War II. MA: The John Hopkins Press, 1992. Sklare, Marshall. Understanding American Jewry. New Jersey: Transaction Books, 1982.

Belgium Cultural Analysis

I. Introduction II. Brief Discussion of Belgium’s relevant history III. Geographical Setting a. Location – between France (S) and Holland (N); Germany and Luxembourg (E); and North Sea (W) b. Climate – Belgium has temperate weather, warm in summer (May to September) and cool to cold in winter, with snow very likely. temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy c. d. Topography – The coastal region, extending about 16–48 km (10–30 mi) inland, consists of sand dunes, flat pasture land, and polders (land reclaimed from the sea and protected by dikes), and attains a maximum of 15 m (50 ft) above sea level. Eastward, this region gradually gives way to a gently rolling central plain, whose many fertile valleys are irrigated by an extensive network of canals and waterways. Altitudes in this region are about 60–180 m (200– 600 ft). The Ardennes, a heavily wooded plateau, is located in southeast Belgium and continues into France. It has an average altitude of about 460 m (1,500 ft) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 ft) at the Signal de Botrange, the country's highest point. Chief rivers are the Schelde (Scheldt, Escaut) and the Meuse (Maas), both of which rise in France, flow through Belgium, pass through the Netherlands, and empty into the North Sea. IV. Social Institutions a. Family i. The nuclear family – Belgians are among the happiest, most satisfied people in the world and among the least likely to leave their country. happiness is a safe and comfortable life shared with family and friends. Much of the Belgian culture revolves around their family. The Belgian family has remained very close-knit despite great changes in society due to industrialization. Most children have a strong sense of loyalty not only to their parents, but also to grandparents, siblings and cousins. The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same neighborhood or even the same house throughout a lifetime. The average Belgian family size is 2. 9 people. ii. The extended family – The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same neighborhood or even the same house throughout a lifetime. iii. Dynamics of the family . parental roles – parents in Belgium sent their children to preschool programs so that they could learn to become more independent and socially adept. Most Belgian children over age 2 attend these state-funded programs full-time. Belgian parents listed smaller classes and more physical education and music as desirable improvements. 2. Marriage and Courtship – Long marriage engagements are common, as is living together before or instead of marriage. Only civil marriages are legal, but many couples also have a religious ceremony. As you declare your wedding in Belgium, the first thing that you must do is to print two wedding invitations, one from the groom's family and the other from the bride's family. The invitations are a symbol of the union of the two families as well as the beginning of the new union. Following the ancient Belgium tradition the bride must walk up the isle to hand her mother a single flower which is followed by an embracing. After your marriage is over the bride presents the groom's mother a single flower and then the two of them embrace. This symbolizes the bride's acceptance of her new â€Å"mother† which is simply fantastic. Another noteworthy wedding feature in Belgium is that the bride must carry a specially embroidered handkerchief with her name on it. This is required as after your marriage celebration is over this handkerchief is framed and hung on the wall in a place of honor. There is more to add to this tradition. This very handkerchief is passed on to the next female member of the bride's family when she plans to get married. iv. Female/Male Roles – Fathers are ultimate decision makers. Mothers discipline and rule household matters v. Education 1. The role of education in society a. Primary b. Secondary c. Higher d. The structure of the educational system consists of pre school (3-6 years); six years of primary school and six years of secondary school. Belgium has two systems of education: the state system and the private (mostly Catholic) system. Education is free in both of these systems, and the curriculum is the same. There are four types of education: †¢General Secondary Education (ASO): general education; mostly theoretical that prepares students for higher education. †¢Art Secondary Education (KSO): Along with general subjects, students take visual arts, music, dance, drama, etc. A previous knowledge of the subject is required. †¢Professional Secondary Education (BSO): in this category students may choose from a selection of courses such a hairdressing, car mechanics, and sewing, among others. Students completing the 12th year level receive certificate of higher secondary education. This diploma is sufficient for higher specialized study: interpreting, architecture, technical engineering, pedagogy, etc. Only 16 17% of Belgian students graduate at this level. Education is considered very important in Belgium. Therefore standard are high and students take school very seriously. At Christmas and Easter schools are closed for two weeks. Carnaval and All Saints Day (Nov. 1) bring short breaks of a week each. Summer holidays (vacation) last from June 30 to September 1. 2. Literacy rates – 99% over 15 can read and write vi. Political System 1. Political Structure – federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy 2. Political Parties – Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Marianne THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! Mieke VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Geert LAMBERT]; note – prior to 19 April 2008, known as Spirit; Social Progressive Alternative or SP. A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties 3. Stability of Government – Very Stable; Original member of EU and debt = 80% of GDP 4. Special Taxes – Expatriates in Belgium are generally regarded as Belgian tax residents and are therefore subject to Belgian income tax on their worldwide income. However, the Belgian authorities have encouraged multinationals to transfer foreign executives to Belgium by introducing special tax concessions to non-Belgians who are ‘temporarily’ working in the country. The tax concessions allow such expatriates to be treated as non-residents for tax purposes. The concessions do not apply to inheritance tax. To qualify for these special concessions, a number of factors are considered e. g. ‘does the employment contract specify a limited time? ’, ‘has the expatriate’s family moved? ’, ‘is the expatriate’s centre of economic and/or personal interest in Belgium? ’, ‘is the employment with a qualifying entity? ’. Under the special concessions: Only Belgian sourced income is taxable, including property income and dividend income, although total world-wide, earned income must be declared. Municipal taxes are payable at 7% of total income tax payable. There is no capital gains tax, except for certain types of sale of Belgian property. Expatriates who benefit from the non-residents special tax regime cannot invoke double taxation agreements because they only apply for the benefit of Belgian residents. 5. Role of Local Government – Each of the provinces has a council of 50 to 90 members elected for four-year terms by direct suffrage and empowered to legislate in matters of local concern. A governor, appointed by the king, is the highest executive officer in each province. There are 589 communes. Each municipality has a town council elected for a six-year term. The council elects an executive body called the board of aldermen. The head of the municipality is the burgomaster, who is appointed by the sovereign upon nomination by the town council. Recently, the number of municipalities has been greatly reduced through consolidation. vii. Legal System 1. Organization of judiciary system – The judiciary is an independent branch of government on an equal footing with the legislative and the executive branches. Minor offenses are dealt with by justices of the peace and police tribunals. More serious offenses and civil lawsuits are brought before district courts of first instance. Other district courts are commerce and labor tribunals. Verdicts rendered by these courts may be appealed before 5 regional courts of appeal or the 5 regional labor courts in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Mons, and Liege. All offenses punishable by prison sentences of more than five years must be dealt with by the eleven courts of assize (one for each province and the city of Brussels), the only jury courts in Belgium. The highest courts are five civil and criminal courts of appeal and the supreme Court of Cassation. The latter's function is to verify that the law has been properly applied and interpreted. The constitutionality of legislation is the province of the Council of State, an advisory legal group. 2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic law country? Belgian Civil Code 3. Participation in Patents, trademarks, other conventions – Yes viii. Social Organizations 1. Group behavior – 2. Social Classes – There is a relatively even distribution of wealth, with 5 to 6 percent living close to the poverty line. The majority of the population is middle class. The vast majority has equal opportunities for education and a professional life. There is a very inclusive social security system. 3. Clubs, Other organizations – Belgium hosts many international organizations and hundreds of lobbying-groups, but their presence has little direct impact on social life. The most influential organizations are the Catholic Church and its affiliates and social organizations related to the pillars, such as trade unions. 4. Race, Ethnicity, and Sub culture – The nation's cultural diversity has been enriched by international and local immigration. The high numbers of Flemish names in the south and Walloon names in the north indicate long time internal mobility. In the last hundred years the most important immigrant groups were Jews who form a sizable community in Antwerp; Poles, who came in the early 1930s and after the fall of communism; Italians (in the 1930s and 1950s); and North Africans and Turks, who arrived in the 1960s. There are many recent immigrants from other countries in the European Union as well as many expatriates working in or around European Union institutions and NATO headquarters. The percentage of noncitizens in the population is high at 15 percent nationally and 28 percent in Brussels. ix. Business customs and practices- Relationships & Communication. Although third-party introductions are not necessary, they often smooth the way. .  Regardless of how you are introduced, you must always be polite and well mannered. .  Belgians are careful and prudent so take time before they trust others, be they individuals or representatives of companies. .  Business dealings tend to be bureaucratic. There are many procedures and a great deal of paperwork.   Belgians are excellent linguists and many are sufficiently fluent to conduct meetings in English. .  Belgians prefer subtlety to directness, believing that subtlety is a reflection of intelligence. .  Although they are more direct in their communication than many cultures, if a response is too direct it may be seen as simplistic. .  They prefer communication to be logical and based on reason . Belgians of ten engage in long, critical discussions before reaching a decision so that they can be certain that they have considered all the alternatives.   They believe it is rude to be confrontational. Business Meeting Etiquette .  Appointments are necessary .  The person you are meeting will generally set the time for the meeting, usually mid morning or mid afternoon. .  Avoid scheduling meetings during July and August, which are prime vacation times; the week before Easter; and the week between Christmas and New Year. .  Everyone is expected to arrive on time .  Arriving late may brand you as unreliable. .  Meetings are formal .  First appointments are more socially than business oriented, as Belgians prefer to do business with those they know.   Do not remove your jacket during a meeting. Dress Etiquette .  Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits with white shirts and silk ties. .  Women should wear business suits or conservative dresses. .  Men should only wear laced shoes, never loafers or other slip-ons, as they are too casual. .  Polished shoes are an integral part of a professional image. Business Cards .  Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual. .  Have one side of your business card translated into French or Dutch. This shows respect and understanding of the linguistic heritage of your colleagues.   If you have meetings in both areas, have two sets of business cards printed, and be careful to use the proper ones. .  Present your business card so the recipient can read the side with their national language. V. Religion and Aesthetics a. Religion and other belief systems i. Orthodox doctrines and structures – Catholicism is the main religious faith. The government financially supports the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as the Jewish and Muslim faiths. The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main unive rsities. Religious beliefs and practice declined during the twentieth century, but approximately 65 percent of Belgians believe in God. Many people who say they do not believe in God take part in religious rituals for major events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Minority faiths include Muslims, Jews, and Protestants. ii. Relationships with the people – The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main universities. iii. Prominent religions – Catholicism iv. Membership of each religion v. Any powerful or influential cults? No b. Aesthetics i. Visual Arts – The golden age of graphic arts lasted from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth century and was embodied mostly in painting. The Flemish Primitives school of painting (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) made the region the main artistic center of Europe outside of Italy. Artists such as Jan Van Eyck (1395–1441) and Rogier Van Der Weyden (1400–1464) were interested in spatial composition and psychology and rendered the colors and textures of living and material objects with realism. The main artistic figure of the next century was Pieter Breughel the Elder (1525–1569), with his lively paintings of peasant life. Pieter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) was the most famous painter of his time, receiving commissions from European sovereigns. His main focus was on the human figure. Rubens influenced Anthony Van Dyk (1599–1641) and Jacob Jordaens (1593–1678). The graphic arts declined until the late nineteenth century, when James Ensor and Rene Magritte (in the twentieth century) revived the avant-garde. The most innovative works of living artists can be seen in contemporary art museums in Antwerp and Ghent. ii. Music – Classical, Blues and Jazz, Folk, Pop and Rock iii. Performing arts – The Franco-Flemish style dominated European music in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with composers such as Josquin des Prez and Orlando di Lasso. In the twentieth century, the most famous Belgian musician was the singer Jacques Brel. Several living classical composers are active. The harmonica player Toots Thielemans is the most famous jazz musician. The Blindman Kwartet combines jazz, pop, and classical music. The presence in Brussels between 1959 and 1987 of the French choreographer Maurice Bejart stimulated a new generation of choreographers. The main theatrical centers are De Singel in Antwerp and the Kaai Teater in Brussels. Several theaters and orchestras are supported by the government. iv. Folklore and relevant symbols – The calotte (plural calottes, French from Provencal calota or Italian callotta), is a skullcap worn by students at catholic universities in Belgium. In the front of the calotte are stripes representing the Belgium flag (black, yellow and red) and stripes representing the colors of the city or the university where the calotte has been received. At the back of the calotte, the faculty of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if needed an additional symbol to determine the speciality. Golden stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a silver star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of official and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include: †¢ Official position in a student organisation (above the considered year's star) Hobbies and occupations (cardplayer, partyer†¦ ) †¢ Character (patriot, lazy†¦ ) the meaning of the calotte has evolved, but whatever the theories may be on its origins, the calotte is mainly a sign that indicates the student's belonging to a group. The student is also able to express his individuality by wearing several insignia on the calotte that will reflect their academic curriculum, their personal interests and even their character. VI. Living Conditions a. Diet and Nutrition i. Meat and vegetable consumption rates – Bread and potatoes are the traditional staple foods. Most meals include, pork, chicken, or beef, and Seafood is popular in the northern part of the country. The national drink is beer, but wine is imported in large quantities. In northern cities, popular dishes include mussels with fries and waterzooi a broth of vegetables and meat or fish. Throughout the country, French fries are eaten with steaks or minced raw meat. Cooking is traditionally done with butter rather than oil; there is also a high consumption of dairy products. ii. Typical Meals – Traditionally, the noon meal is the main meal of the day: businessmen take a two-hour break and most children come home from school. This is the meal that begins with soup or hors d'oeuvres, then a hearty meat or fish dish with potatoes, followed by a separate course of salad or cooked vegetables. Frequently the meat is carved in the kitchen and the platter garnished with seasonal [pic]vegetables. It is interesting to note that [pic]vegetables and salads are almost a social status symbol – the higher the level, the more [pic]vegetables and salads are used. For most families, however, potatoes are the only vegetable requirement. A dessert for dinner would be fruit and cheese, a tart or pudding. Wine or beer is usually served as well iii. Malnutrition rates – n/a iv. Foods available – The Belgian market offers good opportunities and has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years in the following areas: 1. health and organic foods, 2. energy foods and sports drinks, 3. snack foods, 4. ethnic foods, 5. ready-made and microwave products, 6. frozen and fresh food and vegetables, 7. ried fruits and nuts, 8. wine, 9. specialty meats such as bison and pet food, 10. seafood, and 11. specialty products (e. g. kosher food, wild rice,maple products and other confectionery goods etc. ) b. Housing i. Owning your own home isn’t considered such an important an investment as it is in some other countries. Types of housing available – While property in Belgium is cheap by UK standards, the various fees, charges and deposits a ssociated with buying a house and securing a mortgage are likely to discourage all but the most determined buyers. There’s no mortgage relief on income tax ii. Do more people own or rent? More own iii. Do most live in one family dwellings or with other families? One family c. Clothing i. National Dress – Belgians, especially those in the cities, wear modern Western-style clothes. The ethnic costumes of the Flemings and Walloons are seldom worn today. On some farms women still wear the traditional dark-colored clothing and white aprons, and men wear the old-fashioned caps. ii. Types of clothes worn at work – Men who work in offices are expected to wear suit jackets to work. It is generally acceptable for women to wear slacks to work. d. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities i. Types available and in demand – The most popular participant sport in Belgium is bicycling. Belgians also participate in and watch soccer, and there are many regional teams. Other sports popular in Belgium include tennis, horseback riding, hiking, and skiing. Belgians also enjoy the popular European sport of sand sailing. A sort of minicar with sails called a â€Å"sand yacht† is driven along the coast, powered by the wind. Also popular, especially in Wallonia, is pigeon racing. As many as 100,000 pigeons may be entered in a single race. Like many other Europeans, Belgians are avid soccer fans. There are over sixty teams in the national league. Concerts and theater are popular evening pastimes in the cities, and Brussels also has opera, ballet, and cafe cabarets (restaurants with musical entertainment such as singing and dancing). ii. Percentage of income spent on such activities – 9. 5% e. Social Security – Belgium has a comprehensive system of social security, which applies to all residents. It covers family benefits, unemployment insurance, work accident insurance, health care, old age and invalidity pensions, and long-term care insurance. Belgium takes great pride in its benefits systems and the quality of its social security services, although the high cost of providing those services and benefits (employer contributions of up to 40 per cent plus employee contributions of up to 20 per cent of gross pay) has recently prompted the government to consider changes to the social security system in an attempt to encourage individuals to assume greater responsibility for the costs of retirement, disability and even health care. . HealthCare – Health insurance is mandatory in Belgium, and basic cover is generally provided by the national social security system. Contributions are paid by both employers and employees, and most forms of public assistance (unemployment benefit, old age pensions, certain forms of sickness and maternity benefits) are paid net of withholdings for health insurance, the benefit authority effectively paying the employer contributions. Foreigners coming to live in Belgium without working (e. . retirees and the ‘idle’ rich) must generally produce proof of health insurance in order to obtain a residence permit. There are special health insurance plans, valid in a number of countries, designed specifically for the needs of expatriates and those who travel frequently. If you qualify for ‘non-resident’ tax status, you may not be required to contribute to national social security, in which case you will probably be covered by your employer’s health care plan. (You should check! All employees and self-employed people in Belgium must contribute to a health insurance fund ( mutualite/ziekenfonds) as part of the normal social security enrolment process. Some funds are restricted to members of various religious, political or professional organisations for historic reasons, but most are open to all. Your employer should be able to provide you with information about available funds, and you should ask neighbours or colleagues for recommendations. All funds charge the same basic contribution and pay similar benefits, but some take longer than others to make reimbursements. Health insurance contributions are made by your employer directly to your chosen fund. These amount to 7. 35 per cent of your gross salary, of which 3. 55 per cent is withheld from your pay and the remaining 3. 8 per cent contributed by your employer. If you’re self-employed, you contribute the full 7. 35 per cent through your quarterly social security payments. Cover is automatically provided for dependent family members, including spouses (if they don’t have their own cover) and children up to the age of 18. When you enrol in a Belgian health fund, there’s a six-month waiting period before you can claim benefits. This waiting period can be waived if you were previously included for at least six months in another person’s health cover (i. e. as a dependant) or, in many cases, if you were covered by a state health care plan (or the equivalent) in another EU country for at least six months before your arrival in Belgium. For most medical services, you must pay the bill and then submit the receipt for reimbursement. Reimbursements are usually less than the charges incurred, and most Belgians take out supplementary health insurance to cover the unreimbursed portion or to upgrade their cover from the statutory level. Many employers provide supplementary health insurance cover as an employment benefit, or you can purchase individual cover. Supplementary health insurance is also available to self-employed people through professional associations and private insurers. In typical Belgian fashion, the exact nature of what is and isn’t covered by the state system is rather complicated. Services rendered by most doctors and specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth, rehabilitation and other forms of therapy are normally covered, although the self-employed are covered only for ‘major risks’, which include mental illness, tuberculosis, cancer, hereditary diseases and birth defects, most types of surgery and childbirth. There are no fewer than 18 categories of medical procedure and service, each with its own reimbursement level, varying from 0 to 100 per cent (although the number of items qualifying for 100 per cent reimbursement is constantly diminishing because of funding problems). There are also certain ‘preferred’ categories of people who are entitled to a higher level of reimbursement for many items, including widows, orphans and those receiving certain forms of public aid (e. g. the blind). A standard doctor’s appointment, for example, is normally reimbursed at 75 per cent, whereas those in a preferred category may be reimbursed at 85 or 90 per cent, depending on their circumstances. It’s wise to keep copies of all receipts and any other documents you send to your health insurance fund in case anything is lost. Rather than sending each receipt separately, it’s often better to collect all receipts for a given illness or accident or all receipts during a three or six-month period before submitting them for reimbursement. If you have supplementary insurance, your health fund usually forwards information to your private insurer, and both insurers normally pay reimbursements directly into your bank account. If you’re hospitalised, you must usually pay a fixed daily accommodation fee, either in advance or when you’re discharged, but the hospital normally sends all other bills directly to your health insurance fund. In the case of prescriptions, if you take most of them to the same chemist, it’s usually possible to register with him so that he bills your health insurance fund directly. In this way you pay only the unreimbursed portion of the prescription fees, as well as saving yourself the headache of keeping track of your payments. Prescriptions are subject to a particularly complex scale of reimbursement percentages, according to the ‘social and medical usefulness’ of each medicine and whether it’s available ‘off the shelf’ or must be made up by a chemist. Certain types of medicines have maximum patient contribution levels, where 100 per cent of charges are reimbursed after a certain period. VII. Language a. Official Language(s) – Belgium has three official languages: French, German, and Flemish, which is similar to Dutch. b. Spoken vs. Written languages- N/A c. Dialects – Dutch in Belgium is virtually identical to Dutch in the Netherlands, with the exception of a few local terms and expressions, although certain areas in Dutch-speaking Belgium have local dialects that can sometimes be incomprehensible to speakers of standard Dutch. The French spoken in Belgium is standard but with its own distinctive accent (at least according to the French! ) and a few specialised words, notably the use of septante and nonante for 70 and 90 instead of soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix. (Oddly, the Belgians do use quatre-vingt for the number 80 rather than octante, which is used in Switzerland and some other francophone areas of the world. ) VIII. Executive Summary IX. Sources of Information