Physics assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Physics - Assignment Example There are certain standards set as to assert the safety standard of any nuclear power plant. The organization that regulates the policies around the globe is known as IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). This organization has set a certain benchmark; which are actually, major concerns of a nuclear reactor in any country of the world. Some on the concerns are: 1. Testing of emergency situations, if and when they happen. 2. Equipment and actions to adhere the consequences of such an emergency. 3. Probability calculations of units failing and their back-ups. 4. Examining the worst possible scenario and creating an emergency plan accordingly. 5. Actions taken, in the event of radiation emissions form the plant. 6. Proper training of the men working in these facilities. 7. Anti-earth quake and anti-flood systems, which have to be, installed (Hugh, 2011). Question 2 There are three types of radiation particles namely alpha, beta and gamma particle radiations. Alpha radiations have be en defined as helium nuclei, comprising of two protons and two neutrons. It is considered to be very stable. Beta radiations have been defined as fast moving electrons formed by nuclear decay, whereas gamma radiations are known to be high frequency, short wavelength electromagnetic radiation (Cheng et al, 2000). All three of these radiations have certain benefits and disadvantages. The disadvantage of alpha particle is that when it in inhaled, can cause damage to lungs and the respiratory system. Beta rays cause disorder in the molecular structure of humans, whereas gamma rays can directly damage the human tissue, since they are very high energy rays. Along with these disadvantages, there are some benefits as well. Alpha particles are used to detect smoke for engaging a fire alarm or water sprinkler. Beta particles are used to find thickness of aluminum foil, its variables and capable of treating cancer patients as well. Gamma radiations are used to locate flaws in pipes, other stee l products for leaks and the integrity of welds in them (Cheng et al, 2000). Medical benefits of radiations can be seen in the use of x-rays and treatment of cancer, whereas non-medical use of radiation can be seen in industries, for detection of leaks and welding faults in different metal mediums. Also for non-medical use, the rays are used for inspection on the production line to check emptiness or the thickness of materials like aluminum. (Cheng et al, 2000). Question 3 Apart from nuclear power, there are other ways to produce energy like hydroelectric, fossil fuel burning, solar and wind power. All these methods have a lot of advantages and disadvantages. Some of them will be depicted here. Hydroelectric power is free of cost, as water flow is easily available all around the world but the drawback is the amount of expenditure involved to build dams and huge water turbines. Furthermore, the environmental hazard for hydroelectric power generation is the disturbance of the ecologic al habitat of the aquatic life in the region. Fossil fuel is the best form of energy as it provides predictable and a constant power source but the major drawback falters this form of energy. It is the fossil fuel that is not a reusable or renewable source and is becoming scarce from the world at a very rapid rate. Solar and wind power both have almost the same kind of advantage and disadvantage. The setup for both is very expensive and is unpredictable in nature but the best advantage of these sources of power is

Music Festival Campaign at Montgomery Social Hall Essay - 7

Music Festival Campaign at Montgomery Social Hall - Essay Example The reason why we settled on the model is because of it elaborateness in listing the ten stages while elaborately explaining them. Analysis being the very first step that is listed by Gregory is very important (Gregory, 2000). The gives room for the analysis of the analysis and definition of the problem. In undertaking the analysis will enable the campaign to have a good grounding upon which several activities will be conducted logically thereby resulting in a successful campaign. In the case of this extravaganza we used we employed the use of secondary research methods and other researched external information (Gordon, 2011). Secondary research therefore helped us to establish some of the facts the support the theme of our music festival. Most of the research conducted towards seeking to establish an understanding of the importance of music in human life. Research indicates a lot of positives about music while leaving room for future researchers to perhaps establish the negative part of it. According to the researchers music is a language spoken and understood by different parties despite not fathoming the meanings of the words or even understanding the language being used. Research has also established that music is therapeutic and it relieves off stress that one might have been subjected to during the course of work or duty. Further, due to the captivating and as well as lulling voices of singers and the instruments, music has been established.

Music Therapy for Children With Learning Disabilities

Music Therapy for Children With Learning Disabilities Music therapy: A psychotherapy for the well being of children with learning disabilities Zahra Sultan Somani Music is an inbuilt piece of every culture. The impact of music in children’s lives may be demonstrated through children’s literature in different languages, through lullabies and traditional plays (Dastgheib et al. , 2013). In my opinion, music therapy plays a pivotal role in shaping different domains of the personality. â€Å"Music therapy is the prescribed use of music by a board-certified person to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems. †(Barksdale, 2003). (Gilroy Lee 1995). Layman (1999) states that music therapy is the controlled use of music with the objective of helping people to overcome their problems. Whereas Bruscia (1987), suggests that music therapy involves the use of organized music in the development of the client–therapist relationship to promote the physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of the client. (Savarimuthu Bunnell, 2002) The various types of music therapy activities consist of either playing songs or improvisational music (i. e. , spontaneous music making). During my mental health clinical rotation, I visited â€Å"Ma Ayesha Memorial Hospital† where I encountered many children with developmental and learning disabilities. They were being taught music in their school curriculum. The students took an active part in the singing, instrument playing and were clapping as well. they all were happy and learning via the therapy. This experience propelled me to take up this topic in order to understand how music affects children with learning disabilities, how it shapes one’s life towards betterment. There are some questions running in my head: what is the philosophy behind music therapies, how these therapies brings in change? The paper is Organized in the following sections: (1) Background of music (2) Music therapy Approaches (3) importance of music (4)impact of music therapy and its contributions(5)recommendations for the implications Background The development of music therapy as a profession has continued since the power of music as a universal means of communication was first discovered in ancient times. In literature ranging from that of the Egyptians and Greeks to that of the present day, the power of music is evident. The shaman or medicine man in many cultures used music directly in healing and was aware of its curative powers long before the advent of the profession of music therapy. In classical Greece, Pythagoras described the healthful properties of specific musical intervals and modes to promote health. Plato’s Laws, a work that contains a description of music and movement as a prescription for restoring health and harmony, drew associations between music and the moral welfare of the nation. (Barksdale, 2003). Music Therapy Approaches Major approaches to music therapy include analytical psychology theory and classical conditioning theory. Analytical psychology theory is given by Carl Jung. According to Jung, the aim of any therapy should be one of the realizations of the authentic self, or making one’s issues conscious where they were once unconscious. By dealing with these issues, one reveals the true self residing underneath the once unconscious issue. Music therapy can therefore be seen as sharing the same goals as the Jungian model of psychotherapy and musical preference, using music to express unconscious or inexpressible emotions (McClary 2007). Pavlov’s behavioural concept of classical conditioning suggests that a preferred song or piece, if paired with a neutral product will produce a positive, or negative association between the two stimuli (Zander 2006). So, when a positive piece of music is amalgamated with positive object, the result will be posiitiive or depending how the client perceives it. The concept of music and its therapeutic effects are dated eons of years back, its gaining the limelight lately for 10-20 years in the field of health and in specific for learning diabilities. Though many children are termed as slow learners, but the prevalent cases are not much reported in specific. The former Lahore High Court judge and noted women’s and child rights activistNasiraIqbal stated that 1. 8 million Pakistanis had learning disabilities, of which 0. 5 million lived in urban and 1. 3 million in rural areas. (The Express Tribune, 2013). Importance of music . Plato has beautifully described music as â€Å"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, and life to everything. Without music, life would be an error. † Music is a way of life. It brings calmness in the mood. Not only humans, but birds, animals are capable to understand the melodies. I believe music plays an integral part in a child’s growth. it gives a sense of upliftment and binds the children altogether. The department of education, UK, also agrees to it that music plays a pivotal role in the development of children. Children’s participation in music connects children, boosting their self esteem, and gets the most out of their improvement in education and not merely in music. (Department of Education, 2011) Many Researches have exhibited a direct relation between music and improvement in reading abilities in children It illustrates that children who were guided with a certain type of music instruction had better skills of comprehending the reading material as compared to those who were not given instructions. (Department of Education, 2011) Straum (n. d. ) states that music can be used as a tool to encourage human development in cognitive, learning, perceptual, motor, social and emotional development. (Sze Yu, 2004) The impact of music therapy: Music therapy is a way to connect to one’s emotional side as well to increase memory and attention span. â€Å"It aids to achieve individual ambitions in assistance with a licensed professional. † (American Music Therapy Association, 2007). It is a nonverbal and verbal processing along with physical activities (e. g. Playing instruments) for expressing feelings by provoking unconscious psyche of an individual. (Erkkilà ¤ et al, 2011 Malchiodi2005). Today music has gained significant recognitionin many different clinical settings and is playing an important part in the field of learning disabilities (Dimond 1998), especially with people who have severe and profound disabilities. (SavarimuthuBunnell, 2002) In my opinion, the positive points of music therapy are unlimited and it’s currently being used in different health sectors. According to Dastgheib et al. , 2013, studies have reported many benefits of music therapy in managing different diseases, particularly in disorders related to the central nervous system. Widespread research has studied the impact of music on the brain and its role in neural cell growth. The process of music interpretation in the human brain is very similar to that of language processing. Indeed, many language areas overlap with those of music. Music can offer people with learning disabilities an environment in which they can develop and expand their social, cognitive and physical skills and improve their life (MacDonald et al. 1999) and in which they can learn to build a sound rapport with others and enjoy healthy behaviour (Alvin Warwick 1994). Personally, I believe in order toavail benefits from the therapy, clients needs to be motivated and requires to take part in therapy to the fullest. The mentioned authors also agrees to my view point. Both the involvement of Bunnell (1997) and Holford (1999) with clients with learning disabilities suggests that active participation can make music therapy more interesting and successful. They believe that clients should be encouraged to participate in music making as it promotes self-esteem and confidence. Music integration provides children with concrete, hands-on experiences that are essential to developing each The child’s ability to reason, think, solve problems, analyze, evaluate, and to enhancing creativity (Houchens, 1983). Music has a direct effect on speech and communication portion of the brain. It assists in differentiating sounds. Also, it has a major effect in communicating information and in budding an understanding of language patterns. in regard to cognitive and academic, music helps in generating and memorizing mnemonics to teach specific academic information such as a address, telephone number etc . music therapy also have a positive impact in the progress of hand-eye coordination and gross and fine motor skills by playing an instrument. In the social sector, music therapy is proved to be a motivating agent. It instills the concept of group work and each group member contribute an idea or word to a song in song writing. In this manner , music is being utilized to create a bonding where the child can enhance their self-esteem with other peers. (The music therapy center of California, 2005) On the other hand, musical intervention may have a negative impact on clients. One example is when the client is attached to a particular piece of music and rejects what the facilitator offers. Another example is when a client displaysinappropriatebehaviour, which does not allow the aims and objectives of the musical intervention to be met, and which hinders therapeuticcontact with the facilitator (Schalkwijk 1994). Insuch cases, music based interventions should beceased, but reintroduced at a later phasewhen the client is receptive to collaborate with the facilitator. The age and culture of clients are key factors, which needs to be considered for their choice of music may differ. Past experiences can also be set off by specific music where clients may feel distress. Evidence also suggests that music associated with violent lyrics such as ‘heavy metal’ can have a negative impact on clients (McCraty et al. 1998). Strategies/Recommendations There are certain interventions that must be done at all three levels, i. e. local, national and international level to cater different domains of learning by applying music therapy and achieve progress. As a student nurse and responsible citizen of society, it is my duty to help and guide people in the effective use of music therapy in dealing with people with learning disabilities. Firstly, it is essential to devise a method whereby it is possible to measure small changes which can be tailored to each individual (Oldfield Adams 1995). This would help to detect very small changes in behaviour. Secondly, it is also important to accept that change may take a long time to occur so the facilitator must not lose hope and discontinue the intervention. Difficulty can also arise when observing and interpreting the response of clients to sound or music (Alvin Warwick 1994). This exercise may become easier after a few sessions with the clients where the responses are identified and understo od. This can be done by teaching individuals or families in particular schools, colleges and university, hospital for instance, in Maa Ayesha; music therapy is being used for children with learning disabilities. While at national and international levels, attention should be given on providing awareness to people regarding the use of music therapy. People should be encouraged to listen and learn music. Furthermore, different courses for music therapies should be introduced at institutional level and certain policies could be made to enhance the productivity and benefits from the therapy. at the governmental level, music therapist career option and courses could be out. . According to Fatima (2013), clinical Psychologist Qudsia Mahmoud states that the Pakistani population lacks the awareness about the significance of music therapy. Fatima (2013) cited Mr. Sohail Khan as he had established Music therapy center in Karachi, Pakistan and has widely worked on â€Å"The Prism Project, A M ultidimensional Approach to Music in Education†. The field of music is vital and holds its own importance, yet it remains unexplored in Psychotherapy. Music and art plays a pivotal role in shaping children’s lives, especially those with learning disabilities. There is a very close knitted affiliation between music therapy and the recovery of children with learning disabilities. There is an urgent need to initiate music therapies in hospitals in Pakistan, to enhance understanding of these professional caretakers to help patients overcome the disabilities in a fun and learning environment. Also, there is a need to include it nursing education, as foremost priority, as being a nurse who is in close contact with patients’ needs to know about therapies in order to enhance the productivity of patients and help them in recovery at a faster pace. References Barksdale, A. (2003). Music therapy and leisure for persons with disabilities (1st ed. ). Champaign, IL: Sagamore Pub. Bushra Fatima, B. F. , 1st December, 2013. Health Music Therapy – What is it and How to get it  in? Blush, retrieved from: http://blush. com. pk/music-therapy-in-pakistan Cathy. A. Malchiodi, C. A. M. , (2005). History, Theory, and Practice. In: Cathy A. Malchiodi (Ed), Expressive Therapies. 1st Ed. New York: Guilford Publications. Pp. 1-15. Darren Henley, D. H. , (2012). The importance of music: A national plan for music education. 1st ed. England Dastgheib, S. , Riyassi, M. , Anvari, M. , Niknejad, H. , Hoseini, M. , Rajati, M. , Ghasemi, M. (2013). Music Training Program: A Method Based on Language Development and Principles of Neuroscience to Optimize Speech and Language Skills in Hearing-Impaired Children. Iranian Journal Of Otorhinolaryngology, 25(71), 91. David Butler, D. B. , (01 October 1982). Music Theory, Theories of Music, and Systematic Musicology. Journal of the collage music society. 22, pp. 1-15, Retrieved from: http://symposium. music. org/index. php?option=com_k2view=itemid=1933:music-theory-theories-of-music-and-systematic-musicologyItemid=124 Department of Education, . (2011). The Importance of Music A National Plan for Music Education. Crown. Freilich, R. , Shechtman, Z. (2010). The contribution of art therapy to the social, emotional, and academic adjustment of children with learning disabilities. The Arts In Psychotherapy, 37(2), 97-105. doi:10. 1016/j. aip. 2010. 02. 003 JaakkoErkkilà ¤, J. K. , Marko Punkanen, M. P. , Jà ¶rgFachner, J. F. , EsaAla-Ruona, E. A. R. , Inga Pà ¶ntià ¶, I. P. , Mari Tervaniemi, M. T. , MaunoVanhala M. V. , Christian Gold C. G. , (2011). Individual music therapy for depression: randomized controlled trial. The British journal of Psychiatry. 199, pp. 132-139 Savarimuthu, D. , Bunnell, T. (2002). The effects of music on clients with learning disabilities: a literature review. Complementary Therapies In Nursing And Midwifery, 8(3), 160-165. doi:10. 1054/ctnm. 2001. 0629 Shafron, G. (2010). The Science and Psychology Behind Music and Emotion. Journal Of Young Investigators. Sze, S. , Yu, S. (2004). Effect of music therapy on children with learning disabilities. In Proceedings of the 8th international on music perception and cognition. Austraila: Adelaide. The music therapy center of California. (2005). Retrieved 29 August 2014, from http://www. themusictherapycenter. com/. . . /factsheets/mtcca_learningdisabilities. www. musictherapy. org, . (2007). American Music Therapy Association. Retrieved from http://www. musictherapy. org/assets/1/7/bib_psychopathology. pdf. The Express Tribune, . (2013). Dyslexia. Retrieved from: http://tribune. com. pk/story/578452/workshop-1-8-million-affected-by-learning-disabilities/

Education, Academic Intelligence, and Personal Experience Essay

Education, Academic Intelligence, and Personal Experience Education not only revolves around academic intellect, but also around experiences one comes across in life. It is clearly evident that all living creatures, with human beings being the highest form, have evolved throughout history up until now, solely by learning or being educated in order to survive. For example, from the moment a baby comes into the world, the infant tries to acquaint him or herself to the environment maybe by touching or by struggling to see the world ahead. Even in today’s society, social status is not depended solely upon one’s economic wealth, but also by the capacity of one’s intellect. The same rules apply when thinking in terms of learning in the classroom. Because the idea of being â€Å"educated† means so many things, it is hard to distinguish who is the more intelligent individual when comparing to another bright human being. As the short story titled, â€Å"The Lesson,† by Toni Cade Bambara suggests, educ ation comes in many forms; the two main forms everyone is familiar with, academic intelligence and knowledge gained from personal experiences or interactions with the rest of the world. But, the story favors knowledge being gained from personal experiences where one interacts with the world around him. Some might think that the more money people have, the more intelligent they are. Many ignorant individuals believe that social status engenders one’s educational background. Yes, for some it is true, but not for all. Education can lead to success. Many people, especially students receive higher education in hopes of succeeding in the business world. But what is success? Is it the kind of success where one feels good... ...Quite similarly, Miss Moore’s students realized that the world does not live much like â€Å"a democracy.† They commented that â€Å"equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough.† Some people ridiculously spend so much money on toys that can feed a family of six or seven. Miss Moore realizes that her students have learned an important lesson in their life without the use of school textbooks or classroom atmosphere. In conclusion, education is so powerful that it does not only revolve around academic intellect, but also around experiences one has come across in life. As the students in â€Å"The Lesson† have learned an important lesson outside of the classroom about money and their value on human life, it clearly shows that experiences can light the bulb inside the brain more so than a teacher trying to teach its students in a classroom. Education, Academic Intelligence, and Personal Experience Essay Education, Academic Intelligence, and Personal Experience Education not only revolves around academic intellect, but also around experiences one comes across in life. It is clearly evident that all living creatures, with human beings being the highest form, have evolved throughout history up until now, solely by learning or being educated in order to survive. For example, from the moment a baby comes into the world, the infant tries to acquaint him or herself to the environment maybe by touching or by struggling to see the world ahead. Even in today’s society, social status is not depended solely upon one’s economic wealth, but also by the capacity of one’s intellect. The same rules apply when thinking in terms of learning in the classroom. Because the idea of being â€Å"educated† means so many things, it is hard to distinguish who is the more intelligent individual when comparing to another bright human being. As the short story titled, â€Å"The Lesson,† by Toni Cade Bambara suggests, educ ation comes in many forms; the two main forms everyone is familiar with, academic intelligence and knowledge gained from personal experiences or interactions with the rest of the world. But, the story favors knowledge being gained from personal experiences where one interacts with the world around him. Some might think that the more money people have, the more intelligent they are. Many ignorant individuals believe that social status engenders one’s educational background. Yes, for some it is true, but not for all. Education can lead to success. Many people, especially students receive higher education in hopes of succeeding in the business world. But what is success? Is it the kind of success where one feels good... ...Quite similarly, Miss Moore’s students realized that the world does not live much like â€Å"a democracy.† They commented that â€Å"equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough.† Some people ridiculously spend so much money on toys that can feed a family of six or seven. Miss Moore realizes that her students have learned an important lesson in their life without the use of school textbooks or classroom atmosphere. In conclusion, education is so powerful that it does not only revolve around academic intellect, but also around experiences one has come across in life. As the students in â€Å"The Lesson† have learned an important lesson outside of the classroom about money and their value on human life, it clearly shows that experiences can light the bulb inside the brain more so than a teacher trying to teach its students in a classroom.

Dbq- Trade

In the times of the early modern world, there was an increase in desire for new goods and resources, which led countries to explore different lands. More trade routes were made, allowing trade to erupt all around the world. Trade became an important force of change and had many effects on society and foreign relations. From 1300-1800 many European countries wanted to expand and make their lands more bountiful with more resources and goods from other places. Countries wanted what other countries had; for example different types of food and spices.This desire for new goods and resources drove countries to explore new lands and trade with other places so they can attain those things. For example, there was Vasco de Gama of Portugal who travelled to Calicut, India, claiming that he wanted to befriend the ruler of Calicut (document 4). In truth, the reason Vasco de Gama came to India was because he knew that other countries were bringing goods to India and he was interested in discovering what goods and resources they had.As more trade routes were being made, and more countries were exploring different lands; trade became an important force for change due to the exchanging of different resources and ideas. The Western Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere each had a lot to offer (document 2) and through the many trade routes that were made through the European sea trade (document 5), a lot of goods were now being exchanged. So a variety of lands now had different food, animals, metals, and diseases.In this new modern world, changes began to happen in different areas; lands were now being exposed to different resources unlike what they were used to because of the different goods and resources they were receiving. Another change that occurred because of this age of exploration and trading is the rising of a new merchant class (document 3). The merchants, not only did the trading of goods and resources but also of ideas. Since trading became so big, the merchants who w ere in charge of it became very wealthy and were always in demand for the goods that they had.These changes stuck in society, and there became a wider variety of goods, resources, and ideas all around the world. Trade provided the world with new resources that they have not seen, which also allowed relationships between countries to interact and improve. For example the letter from the governor of Sijilmasa in southern Morocco, to the king of Ghana in Western Africa (document 1). Even though these two kingdoms are not from the same religion or place, they have put aside their differences and agreed on the issue that merchants should not be imprisoned.Trade has let completely different people interact and communicate humanly even though they are not the same. Another example is what Pope Innocent III granted to Venice (document 6). Under normal circumstances the pope did not allow Venice to trade with Muslim because they were at war with them, but due to critical conditions, an accep tion was made, to allow the people of Venice to live well. Venice was now allowed to trade with the Muslims, so the relationship between those two lands were mended slightly due to this.In general because of the European sea trade and all the trade routes that there were, countries were forced to interact more with each other, so just in that aspect itself it improved relationships between countries, different lands, and leaders themselves. In the 1300’s to the 1800’s, goods and resources became more desirable so trade routes flourished throughout the European sea trade. Trade introduced new resources and ideas to different countries and lands, and came up with a new merchant class. It improved different countries relationships with each other and helped countries interact better.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Essay

Introduction â€Å"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung ailment that is characterized by a persistent blockage of airflow from the lungs† ( World Health Organisation (WHO) website, nd). This report will examine the causes, symptoms and treatment of COPD. It will discuss current statistics on COPD and some of the current treatments available. Multiple sources were used including websites, leaflets and government documents. Over 440,000 people in Ireland are thought to have COPD ( Living with COPD website, nd). By 2020, it is predicted to be the third leading cause of death worldwide (Living with COPD website, 2013). A recent COPD audit in Europe discovered that 50% of sufferers will die or be readmitted to hospital within a 3 month period (Living with COPD website, 2013). Approximately 1400 people die every year from the condition (Oireachtas website, 2013). Ireland has one of the highest incidents of death in Europe from COPD (Living with COPD website, 2013). COPD is an irreversible lung disease which causes permanent lung damage. In COPD, the airflow to the lungs become narrower and blocked and breathing becomes difficult (COPD Support website, nd). COPD is an umbrella term for Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema (Living with COPD website, nd). Causes The single biggest cause of COPD is smoking. 80-90% of people with the condition have COPD due to smoking. (COPD Support website, 2009). Other causes are air pollution, exposure to fumes or dust particles at work, passive smoking, recurring respiratory infections in early life and a rare genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website, nd). Diagnosis and Symptoms A breathing test called Spirometry is used to diagnose COPD (COPD FOUNDATION Website, nd). The test measures how well a person breathes. In Ireland, access to Spirometry Tests is not available nationwide and tests must be carried out in hospital (Oireachtas website, 2013). Early diagnosis can greatly slow down the condition (National Health Service website, 2012). Often COPD is diagnosed after a person has an  exacerbation of the condition (American Thoracic website, nd). An exacerbation of COPD means the  symptoms have become more severe. It is generally caused by an infection in the lungs and hospitalisation is required which leads to diagnosis of the condition ( American Thoracic website, nd). Symptoms of COPD include wheezing, persistent cough with mucus that will not go away, breathlessness completing everyday tasks and difficulty taking deep breaths (American Lung Association website, nd). Symptoms typically start to emerge from the age of 40 years onwards (Living with Copd website, 2013). Long term complications associated with COPD include, weight loss and swallowing issues known as Dysphagia (Queensland Health and The Australian Lung Foundation, 2012). Swallowing issues can arise as the patient can often breathe when eating, which causes food to enter the lungs. This can lead to reflux, indigestion problems, difficulty in finishing meals and lung infections (Queensland Health and The Australian Lung Foundation, 2012). Stages There are 4 stages of COPD: Mild, Moderate , Severe and Very Severe (End Stage) (COPD International website, nd). Mild: The person may have slight breathlessness and may or may not have a cough but is unaware they have COPD (COPD International website, nd). Moderate: Breathlessness carrying out day to day tasks, may or may not have frequent cough with mucus. At this stage the condition is normally diagnosed  as symptoms become more severe (COPD International website, nd). Severe: COPD greatly affects the quality of life, physical activity is limited, exacerbations of COPD are much more frequent (COPD International website, nd). Very Severe/End Stage; At this stage oxygen is required continuously, any exertion at all is difficult. Chronic Respiratory Failure and/or Heart Failure and death occurs (Kenny,T 2011). This knowledge would enable a Healthcare Support Worker to identify the early signs of the condition, have an increased awareness of a patient with a persistent cough, frequent colds or chest infections and encourage the patient to seek medical help for a diagnosis. Treatments Stopping smoking is critical in treating COPD, as giving up smoking greatly prevents the condition worsening. Inhalers are generally used to control and relieve symptoms of COPD. Short-Acting Inhalers are used to alleviate breathlessness, Long-Acting Inhalers which work over 12 hours to relieve symptoms, and Steroid Inhalers also assist breathing (British Lung Foundation website, nd). Oxygen Therapy is used in severe COPD. Patients may require oxygen for day to day tasks, when sleeping or in some cases, 24 hours a day. Oxygen is available in tanks, liquid form or oxygen concentrators (COPD Support website, nd). Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes also plays a vital role in the treatment of COPD (Oireachtas website, 2013). In Ireland, programmes are normally ran over 20 sessions, with patients attending two to three times a week. Group numbers are limited to a maximum of 15 people. The programme consists of Exercise, Nutrition to increase fitness levels and Education to increase the patients awareness of the condition (Health Service Executive website, 2013). COPD patients have been shown to gain hugely from Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programmes, improving quality of life, reducing hospital admissions and increasing survival chances (Oireachtas website, 2013). A person with COPD uses 10 times the energy to breathe than a person without the condition. It is important to replace lost calories, maintain weight and also to protect the immune system against colds and flu’s (American Lung website, nd). Foods high in both energy, sugar and fat such as fried foods, full fat dairy products and readymade meals are recommended to encourage weight gain. However it is important that a healthy diet is also maintained (COPD Education website, nd). Supplement drinks are often recommended to increase calorie intake between meals. If swallowing issues occur, soft foods such as soups and stews are recommended and patients are encouraged to eat several smaller meals throughout the day (COPD Education website, nd). With this knowledge a HealthCare Worker would ensure that meals are small but nutritious at regular intervals . A HealthCare Support Worker would also consider how meals are prepared as softer, more manageable foods may be required. Conclusion This report has examined the causes, symptoms and treatments of COPD. This report discussed current statistics regarding the condition and some of the treatments available. From researching this report it is clear that more public awareness of COPD in Ireland is essential to highlight the link between COPD and smoking. COPD needs to feature strongly in Anti-smoking campaigns to promote this awareness, which would enable early diagnosis and treatment.