MSE, Suicidality, Grief, and Bereavement

Posted: February 15th, 2023

CRIS 606 Discussion 5
Corr, C.A., Corr, D.M. & Doka, K.J. (2019). Death & Dying, Life & Living (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337563895.

Kanel, K. (2018). A Guide to Crisis Intervention (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337566414

Discussion Thread: MSE, Suicidality, Grief, and Bereavement
450 words Discussion
Based upon this module’s reading, address the following:
1. What are the components of a Mental Status Examination and what is its purpose?
2. What are the interventions for various risk levels of a suicidal client? Should all “gestures” be taken seriously?
3. Give an example of complicated grief and disenfranchised grief. How can crisis workers help with each?
4. What are the five fundamental needs of bereaved persons? Do you agree with this assessment? If not, what would you add or replace?

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Post-First: This course utilizes the Post-First feature in all Discussions. This means you will only be able to read and interact with your classmates’ threads after you have submitted your thread in response to the provided prompt.
Please review the Dicussion Instructions Below
The student will post one thread of atleast 450 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday of the assigned Module: Week. The student must then post 2 replies of at least 250 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday of the assigned
Module: Week. For each thread, students must support their assertions with at least 2 scholarly citations in APA or Turabian format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years. Acceptable sources include textbooks, academic journals, academic books, and academic/educational/institutional websites and, in addition, the Bible should be used at least once in the series
Main course books are :
Corr, C.A., Corr, D.M. & Doka, K.J. (2019). Death & Dying, Life & Living (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337563895.
Kanel, K. (2018). A Guide to Crisis Intervention (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337566414.

Hi Class,
Discussion Thread: Elder Care and Caring for the Dying
1. Why are the elderly and disabled considered vulnerable populations and what special considerations are needed when working with these groups?
Elderly persons and people with disabilities are considered to be vulnerable because of their dependence on others for personal care. Older people need support from others to have a comfortable life. Vulnerability among these people is greatly attributed to deteriorating health in that older people need constant medical attention (Sanchini et al., 2022). The elderly are often prone to chronic conditions such as dementia that demand access to medical care. The vulnerability of the elderly and the disabled is also contributed by the deterioration of psychological stability, which influences decision-making (Sanchini et al., 2022). However, when providing care for the valuable group, it is essential to consider their well-being and feelings about different situations. Making the elderly comfortable in old age is crucial to boosting their health.
1. Identify key elements of coping with dying as described in our course materials. Do these concepts dovetail with Scripture? Why or why not?
The three elements of coping with death include denial, anger, and acceptance (Corr et al., 2019). People who are in end-of-life care are aware of the impending stage of dying, and this prompts them to experience different emotions. The majority of the people facing end-of-life are faced with denial in that they have not made peace with dying, which also triggers anger, and they finally accept their fate as they make peace with dying. However, those coping with death find comfort in the scripture as stipulated in the book of Psalms 23:4, which says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Carroll & Prickett, 2008). Thus, the scripture plays a crucial role in coping with dying since it becomes a source of strength when thinking of the aftermath of death.
2. What are the four dimensions of caring for the dying? Give an example of how these dimensions might emerge using a case example (media example or made-up).
Caring for the dying is associated with different dimensions of care. The dimensions include physical, psychological, spiritual, and practical. The physical dimension entails alleviating the pains and symptoms of a dying patient, including activities such as skin care, nutrition, hygiene, and other factors affecting well-being. The psychological dimension includes support provided for the patient’s cognitive and emotional well-being and feelings. The spiritual dimension entails finding peace and the meaning of love amid the mystery of death, which could be supported by love and courage (Kanel, 2018). The practical dimension deals with providing support in daily routine. For example, in the case study of Catherine Brown in the video, she confesses to providing practical support to the mother by including activities such as grocery shopping and medical visits.
3. What are the advantages and limitations of being cared for by a long-term care facility, home healthcare program, hospice, versus a hospital as far as mental health support?
The advantage associated with acquiring long-term care at home healthcare programs is the attainment of mental stability as one is surrounded by close family members who show love. Unlike the hospital, one is cared for by healthcare professionals who have no relationship with the patient, affecting mental stability. Family love, care, and support are critical to an aging person’s psychological stability.
References
Carroll, R., & Prickett, S. (Eds.). (2008). The Bible: Authorized King James Version. Oxford Paperbacks.
Corr, C.A., Corr, D.M. & Doka, K.J. (2019). Death & Dying, Life & Living (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337563895.
Kanel, K. (2018). A Guide to Crisis Intervention (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN: 9781337566414.
Sanchini, V., Sala, R., & Gastmans, C. (2022). The concept of vulnerability in aged care: a systematic review of argument-based ethics literature. BMC medical ethics, 23(1), 84.

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MSE, Suicidality, Grief, and Bereavement
A mental status examination (MSE) is a crucial assessment tool used by mental health professionals to evaluate a client’s mental well-being and functioning. The MSE involves assessing several components including a client’s appearance, behavior, speech, mood and affect, thought process and content, perception, cognition, insight, and judgment (Kanel, 2018). It also includes evaluating suicide risk. The purpose of conducting an MSE is to identify any signs or symptoms of underlying mental health conditions that may require treatment or intervention.
When assessing suicide risk as part of an MSE, interventions should be tailored based on the client’s level of risk. For low-risk clients, safety planning may be sufficient to mitigate near-term danger (Kanel, 2018). However, moderate-risk clients often warrant more frequent follow-ups and restricting access to lethal means to prevent escalation. High-risk suicidal clients usually need to be hospitalized for stabilization to directly address acute suicidal ideation or plans (Kanel, 2018). While some “gestures” may not truly intend self-harm, it is generally best practice for crisis workers to take all suicidal statements or behaviors seriously. Dismissing warning signs could have fatal consequences if a client was genuinely contemplating suicide.
Two types of complicated grief that may require additional support from crisis workers are complicated grief and disenfranchised grief. Complicated grief involves symptoms that persist for over six months and are more severe, often resulting from an ambivalent relationship with the deceased or a traumatic loss (Worden, 2018). Crisis workers can help complicated grievers through emotional support, problem-solving assistance, and counseling referrals. Disenfranchised grief describes when others do not recognize or validate an individual’s grief over a loss, such as the death of a pet ( ( (Stroebe et al., 2017). Crisis workers play an important role in validating these feelings and connecting grievers to appropriate support groups.
According to Corr et al. (2019), there are five fundamental needs of bereaved persons: acknowledging the reality of the loss, experiencing the pain of grief, adjusting to life without the deceased, finding an enduring connection to the deceased through memories, and reinvesting emotionally in new relationships. Meeting these core needs helps grievers progress through the typical grieving process. Crisis workers assist by providing empathy, active listening skills, and helping bereaved individuals work through each stage of coping with death.
In conclusion, MSEs, tailored suicide interventions, and supporting complicated and disenfranchised grief are important crisis services. Addressing the five fundamental needs of the bereaved also helps those coping with loss. Overall, this discussion highlights the crucial role of crisis workers in mental health assessment and treatment.
References
Corr, C.A., Corr, D.M. & Doka, K.J. (2019). Death & Dying, Life & Living (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.
Kanel, K. (2018). A Guide to Crisis Intervention (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.
Worden, J. W. (2018). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner. Springer Publishing Company.
Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Boerner, K. (2017). Cautioning health-care professionals: Bereaved persons are misguided through the stages of grief. Omega-Journal of Death and Dying, 74(4), 455-473.