Stress And The Funeral Director- Exam 3

Question 1

Any event capable of producing stress.

Answer 1

Stressor

Question 2

• Medical
• Human service
• Business

Answer 2

Similar stress producing factors common in other professional groups (to the funeral director).

Question 3

• Immediate involvement with the human body of individuals.
• Contact is similar to that of a pathologist in that the human is dead.
• Must be knowledgable about the scientific aspects of public health and disease in order to protect himself and the people in the community.
• When handling someone with a contagious disease, must worry about being infected. - do not want to pass to members of family, especially if the funeral director lives in the funeral home.
• Must restore the dead human to normal appearance (like a doctor would restore someone back to being healthy)
• Skills similar to surgeons and plastic surgeons are required.
• Stress of wanting the family to be satisfied is always there.

Answer 3

Medical stressors

Question 4

• Stress caused by emotional strain - dealing with people with emotional strain.
• Have the responsibility of helping people with a plan (the funeral) for dealing with the acute period right after the death.
• Help “customize” activities that will help clients individually heal.
• Worry a great deal about making sure everything goes “just right” and that the survivors needs will be met and satisfied.
• Helping families deal with the bureaucracy and trying to get the benefits due them.
• Social security, veterans’ agencies, and insurance companies can be heartless and uncaring in the way they deal with survivors.

Answer 4

Human service stressors

Question 5

• Uncertainty and lack of control over their time. - Working unscheduled hours, holidays and special family days, as well as disturbed sleep. Causes marital and parenting problems.
• Owner/manager deals with these problems themselves, but also must help his staff deal with them also. - More than just money, takes creativity, understanding, and communication to retain and motivate good professionals.

Answer 5

Business stressors

Question 6

True or false:

All stress is not negative and harmful. Some stress in our daily lives is desirable and even necessary.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

• Stress of hunger to keep us from starving
• Excitement and anticipation makes big events more enjoyable.
• Depends on the mental attitude and ability of our bodies to deal effectively with outside influences.

Answer 7

Good stress

Question 8

True or false:

What is positive and exciting for one person can be negative and destructive to another.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

When a person is confronted with a stressful situation, whether it is positive or negative, the body responds with the “flight or fight” response.

Answer 9

Physiology of stress

Question 10

Chemical messages are sent from the brain to the hypothalamus gland, which stimulates chemicals that are sent in two routes.

• Pituitary gland
• Down the brain stem and spinal cord

Answer 10

Bodys’ response to stress

Question 11

This is where the chemicals are changed into hormones that enter the blood stream and travel to the cortex of the adrenal glands, which produce chemicals that increase blood sugar level and metabolism.

Answer 11

Pituitary gland path

Question 12

From there, it goes to the core of the adrenal glands. There, adrenaline is produced to help fuel the muscles and brain, and norepinephrine is produced to increase heartbeat and blood pressure.

Answer 12

Path down the brain stem and spinal cord

Question 13

The body preparing itself to take physical action in response to the stressor. A positive defense mechanism when the situation calls for a physical response.

Answer 13

Flight-or-fight response

Question 14

A condition where your mind and body are relentlessly strained when you develop physical, emotional, and mental fatigue. It produces feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, cynicism, resentment, failure, depression, and unhappiness.

• occurs when the stressors are long-term and do not generate physical response, the tension activates a series of responses that wear away a body’s health. (Grollman)

Answer 14

Burnout

Question 15

• Exhaustion and loss of energy
• Irritability and impatience
• Cynicism and detachment
• Physical complaints
• Disorientation, confusion
• Omnipotence and feeling indispensable
• Depression
• Minimization and denial of feelings

Answer 15

Characteristics of stress and burnout by Wolfelt

Question 16

Life events that exert pressure or strain.

Answer 16

Stress