Experience on Placement in Social Services in Mauritius - Essay Example

In the second week I attended a seminar hosted by Befrienders organization which is a member of MACROSS, Befrienders was founded by Ibhoo Mansoor in 1995. Its main aim is to prevent suicide which amounts to 300 per year in Mauritius, it operates 48 countries with 400 hundred centers and 60,000 trained voluntary workers. Its activities involve organizing talks and public awareness programs. The talk involved the emphasizing of the high suicide rate in Mauritius which amounts to 300 deaths a year; the majority of persons involved are persons between the ages of 13 years to 35 years.

Suicides are the act of wilfully ending one's life. Some of the causes of suicide include depression, mental illness, hopelessness, poverty and hardship, religious reasons as in the case of suicide bombing and crime where criminals commit suicide before they are caught up with. Suicide, however, can be prevented through the introduction of crisis intervention centers, restriction of access to common methods of suicide, treatment of depression, reduction of alcohol and substance use and the education-based interventions to boost self-esteem.

On my third week, I went to work with the EDYCS group, In my third week, I went to work with the EDYCS group, it is a non-governmental organization which was founded in 1997, its main objective is to improve the health and quality of life of people who suffer from epilepsy. I visited the epilepsy health service center which helps people learn more about epilepsy, visit people suffering from the disease, organizing seminars and conferences and fund the people who need urgently need health attention.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition that is characterized by recurring epileptic seizers. This disease can not be cured but can be controlled. It is caused by parasitic infections, head injury, stroke and complications in pregnant women. Treatment is through medication, special diets, and implantation of the vagus nerve which reduces the frequency of seizure.In the fourth week I went to a nursing home with mentally ill people, it was set aside for the elderly. My activities included helping out in giving medication to the sick, undertaking role calls, helping in feeding, provision of guidance and counseling and helping out in the cleaning process which included laundry.

In the fifth week, I went to the friends in hope organization, whose purpose is to provide care and support to a person's mental illness. This organization was founded in 1997 by relatives of people suffering from psychotic disorders. The main aims of this organization are to provide public awareness on psychotic disorders, rehabilitation of patients, and improvement of the administration of persons suffering from these disorders.