Answer

Task 1: Initial Report

Widely Available Complementary Therapies

                               Complementary health systems are usually used alongside medical care to help maximize the outcome. These systems have a unique way of looking at various diseases, as they consider health from a holistic point of view (O’Regan, Wills & O’Leary 2010: 35). Therefore, they are based on the belief that everything a person does and experiences, eventually reflects on the health and wellbeing. To help promote the health and wellbeing of individuals in this care home, several complementary therapies maybe introduced. These include; homeopathy, chiropractic yoga, and psychotherapy (O’Regan, Wills & O’Leary 2010: 37).

                               Homeopathy is a therapy which features the use of highly diluted substances to help the body to achieve healing. The ideas behind this therapy were developed in 1790s by a doctor of German origin called Samuel Hahnemann (O’Regan, Wills & O’Leary 2010: 37). The main principle of treatment is that when a substance can cause certain symptoms, it can also help to get rid of them. A minor principle is based on the process of diluting and shaking, also known as succession. Most practitioners believe that the more a substance is diluted in this manner, the more the power it obtains to treat symptoms. Although there are claims that homeopathy can treat a wide range of illness such as arthritis, mental health conditions, an even blood pressure, no evidence exists to support this argument.

                               Chiropractic yoga is a complementary therapy that works by addressing any issues in spinal conditions, as well as building core strength, thus stabilizing muscles (O’Regan, Wills & O’Leary 2010: 37). Instead of dulling and killing nerves when experiencing back pain, chiropractic yoga will restore proper motion, strengthen the muscles, and thus prevent any future pain. It does not use any invasive techniques, but instead it features the elimination of vertebral subluxations or nervous system interference, through yoga and chiropractic, thus allowing the body to return to normal function. Research closely links back pain with poor posture, which is why this therapy may actually work.

                               Psychotherapy is usually used to treat emotional problems and mental health conditions (O’Regan, Wills & O’Leary 2010: 37). It works when a patient talks to or interacts with a trained therapist about a certain issue. This may be done, either individually or in a group. It encourages a person to look deeper into problems being experienced, and thus deal with habits and mental disorders. Data from various researches support the functionality of this therapy.

Advantages and Disadvantages

                               Due to the placebo effect, homeopathy may influence an improvement in an individual’s health condition. However, it may be an unsafe option due to the substances used, which may be harmful to the body or even cause an interference with other clinical drugs (Lin, Canaway, Carter & Manderson 2015: 1452). Using this therapy may also lead to some individuals avoiding proper, evidence based approaches to healthcare.

                               Chiropractic yoga helps in offering an individual the lifelong relief from back pain, compared to the use of medicine (Lin, Canaway, Carter & Manderson 2015: 1453). Unfortunately, when joints are moved in the wrong ways, more injuries may be experienced.

                               Psychotherapy can help an individual to overcome problems such as depression, with very little side effects (Lin, Canaway, Carter & Manderson 2015: 1453). Unfortunately, it is expensive and takes a lot of time for results to be achieved.

Factors Influencing Access to Complementary Therapies

                               The presence of a poor health status and the availability of troubling symptoms are common reasons as to why an individual may seek access to complementary therapies (Samuel & Faithfull 2014: 184). When someone is suffering from an illness whose symptoms are excessively uncomfortable, he or she will most likely try any possible methods to help alleviate them. Since there is a strong belief that complementary methods are usually effective in their function, most people find that they seek them.

                               Another factor influencing access to complementary therapies is that these care services are mostly free to the public, and thus presents affordable care to those who cannot afford the specialist medical care (Berger, Tavares & Berger 2013:1295). Most of the charges of medical care for serious diseases, especially chronic illnesses as well as those which cannot be cured completely such as asthma are usually very expensive. A patient seeks access to complementary approaches so as to be able to save costs. Since many people believe that complementary therapies are just as effective as medical care, they will opt for the previous which is more affordable.

                               Government regulations also influence the access to complementary therapies. Some government regulations may prohibit the use of these complementary therapies, by making it an illegal activity (Crawford et. al. 201: S110). When this happens, many people who feel they need the use of these complementary therapies will not have an access to it. Regulations may also lead to more access to the therapies in cases where the practitioners are not expected to be registered. Therefore, many people can present themselves with the title of a practitioner for a complementary therapy, even when they have no experience whatsoever.

The Role of Complementary Therapies In Relation To Orthodox Treatments In Respect Of Issues Affecting Mobility

                               In orthodox treatments, complimentary therapies have a role of aiding in the relief of the burden of symptoms, as well as assisting patients in developing coping strategies during an illness (Delgado et. al. 2014: S18). When complementary and orthodox approaches are combined, a new healthcare model is developed. Complementary therapies, therefore, also have a role of promoting and maintaining health by facilitating the creation of self-help approaches in personal coping mechanism.

The Contra-Indications between Orthodox and Complementary Therapies

                               There are various similarities and differences between orthodox and complementary therapies. First, orthodox treatments feature the use of chemical substances which can have drastic negative side effects on the human body. On the contrary, complementary therapies use herbal substances, and thus will not cause any effects on the body (Alaaeddine, Okais, Ballane & Baddoura 2012: 3200). Second, orthodox treatments usually use invasive techniques in the treatment process, while complementary therapies are not invasive in any way (Alaaeddine, Okais, Ballane & Baddoura 2012: 3200). Orthodox treatments may feature activities such as surgical operations which cannot be found in complementary therapies. Third, in orthodox treatments, drugs may fail to function when they are interfered with due to their chemical properties. Complementary therapies, on the other hand, cannot be interfered with and they can be used alongside other medications (Delgado et. al. 2014: S18). Lastly, both methods should be handled with care as they can lead to further health complications when used inappropriately. For instance, when orthodox drugs are overdosed, an individual may experience symptoms that will lead to death. When complementary therapies are not used appropriately, for instance chiropractic yoga, the patient may end up suffering from more injuries in other joints and body parts.

The Psychological Effects of Complementary Therapies/Treatments

                               Complementary therapies and treatments lead to psychological effects whereby the mind is tricked into thinking that symptoms are actually fading (Vandergrift 2013:229). When a patient feels cured due to these complementary treatments which seem real, but are not, the result is referred to as the placebo effect. The placebo effect is usually experienced due to an individual’s expectations. Therefore, if one expects a pill to result to certain consequences, then that is exactly what will be experienced since the chemistry of the body can trigger similar effects.

                               When a person expects to have results, he may eventually get what he expected even when in reality the results did not occur. The stronger the feeling that a certain therapy will work, the higher the chances that a placebo effect will be experienced (Crawford et al. 2014: S112). This expectation can also be further strengthened when an individual interacts face to face with the practitioner. It gives the feeling of having been accessed by a real life doctor, even when that is not the case.

Public and Medical Attitudes towards Complementary Therapies

                               Since complementary therapies are becoming quite common today, they are triggering varying public and medical attitudes toward their use. One attitude can be noted by the fact that they are not widely supported by major healthcare professionals. In healthcare, service is offered basing on evidence based approach. This means that the actions taken against certain diseases have actually been researched and tested, and the results have been predicted (Samuel & Faithfull 2014: 187). Complementary therapies, on the other hand, have not been researched, and there is no statistics to support any of the claims. For this reason, health care professionals do not feel like it is a reasonable and beneficial approach to health care.

                               Medical healthcare professionals also view these therapies as interrupting the best route for patients to take towards a full recovery. When asked to choose, most patients opt for complementary therapies since they are cheap and do not involve any form of invasive procedures. Therefore, healthcare professionals seem to dislike these therapies as they interfere with their function in the society.

                               The public attitude, on the other hand, is guided by a completely different belief. Most individuals do not feel like complementary therapies can cause harm, thus many people tend to use them (Wray et. al. 2014: 132). The public views it as a method that has a capability of enhancing medical care outcomes. This is why many still seek these therapies even after getting medical attention.

                               The public also has a positive attitude towards the use of complementary therapies due to how inexpensive most of them are, when compared to medical services. For example, when a patient suffers from back pain, the medical approach may involve a constant use of medication to numb the nerves. The complementary therapy, on the other hand, will feature a onetime chiropractic approach, before the patient engages in yoga to maintain the correction that was done.

Task 2: Final Report

Reliability and Validity of Sources

                               Validity refers to the truthfulness of a source with regards to the presented information. Peer reviewed sources are valid sources as other experts also reviewed them. Reliability, on the other hand, refers to the ability of the information to be repeated. For instance, findings from a primary research can be repeated in a secondary research. Therefore, a source written basing on facts is reliable, while that basing on opinion is unreliable.

                               In this section, validity and reliability of the sources will be presented in a wall chart (See Appendix). To be able to do so, the number of valid and reliable sources will be calculated. This will then be compared to the number of invalid and unreliable sources so as to identify the difference. This chart is what will be used to compare and contrast the findings, thus reaching a conclusion on whether or not the systems for regulating the use of complementary therapy are efficient.

                               ‘Adverse Events from Complementary Therapies: An Update from the Natural Therapies Workforce Survey Part ‘1 by Harris, Grace & Eddey (2015) is a reliable source since it is a primary source of information. It is valid since the conclusions of the paper were obtained from a survey that was conducted first hand. Part 2 of the same research is also reliable and valid (Harris, Grace & Eddey, 2015 b).

                               ‘Introduction to Complementary, Alternative, and Traditional Therapies’  by Kramlich (2014) is a reliable source since it is trustworthy and dependable. Within its content, this paper has made reference to various primary sources which also support its ideas. It is valid since the information provided is based on facts and not opinion.

                               ‘Australian men with cancer practice complementary therapies (CTs) as a coping strategy’ by Klafke, Eliott, Olver & Wittert (2014) is a reliable source as it is a primary source featuring a research on Australian men with cancer. Thus, it is also valid since the conclusions have been derived from the research. It states that complimentary therapies are used as coping strategies, which is a truthful statement.

                               ‘Use of Complementary Therapies in Hospice and Palliative Care’ by Vandergrift (2013) is a reliable source due to it being a primary source. It features research on the use of complementary therapies in hospice and palliative care. This is a valid source since changes in symptoms that led to the therapies being considered beneficial were indeed possible. For example, pain reduction is partly a result of massage on body muscles.

                               ‘Use and Effectiveness of Complementary Therapies among Women with Interstitial Cystitis’ by Anderson & Zinkgraf (2013) is yet another valid and reliable source. This is because it is a primary source that analyses data directly from its target population. It is valid because explanations are truthful, as symptoms can be relieved by complementary therapies.

                               ‘Assessing the Quality, Efficacy, and Effectiveness of the Current Evidence Base of Active Self-Care Complementary and Integrative Medicine Therapies for the Management of Chronic Pain: A Rapid Evidence Assessment of the Literature’ by Delgado et. al. (2014) is a reliable source since it is a secondary source, referring to data from primary sources. It is valid since the results show that symptoms are what can be improved through the use of complimentary therapies, and not the illness.

                               ‘Complimentary Therapies in Medicine’ by Kemper (2015) is not a reliable source. This is because the information given is not based on facts but rather on the opinion of the author (Kemper 2015: 759). It is, rather a valid source as the information given is believable, as it refers to treatment of symptoms and not complimentary therapy treatment of diseases (Kemper 2015:770).

                               ‘Some Ayurvedic herbal combinations may have potential for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies’ by Kraft 2015 is also unreliable and valid. It is unreliable because the data presented here is not dependable (Kraft 2015: 104). Reliable primary sources cannot support it. It is invalid since the information is not believable (Kraft 2015: 105). Homeopathy cannot treat any disease as it only makes use of placebo effects.

Evidence That Claims Complementary Therapies Are Beneficial

                               Several sources claim that complementary therapies are beneficial. However, some support the claim with falsified information, while others use true information. For instance, Delgado et. al. (2014: S12) argues that symptoms of chronic illnesses can be coped with through complementary therapies. This is valid information which makes sense. Kraft (2015: 105), on the other hand claims that the complementary therapies are beneficial, however he gives falsified information to support the claim. He claims that homeopathy can be used to cure osteoarthritis, which is untrue. Reliable evidence that claim complementary therapies are beneficial can be noted in the article by Vandergrift (2013). He claims that symptoms such as pain reduction were experienced, from his research (Vandergrift (2013:230). The benefits identified by (Kemper 2015: 759) cannot be considered, however, since they are based on his opinion rather than facts.

Recommendations for the Use of Complementary Therapy

                               Since the care home is composed of old individuals, I would recommend homeopathy, chiropractic yoga, and psychotherapy. This is because some medical conditions become common with increase in age, such as from joint pains, mental problems, and other medical problems such as blood pressure. Therefore, even though there is actually no evidence that these therapies work, they will still be incorporated due to their other known benefits.

For this reason, homeopathy will be used to help patients deal with their symptoms due to the placebo effect. This is because patients will be lead to think that this therapy actually works, just like any other medicine does. Chiropractic yoga will be used to help patients by dealing with the underlying causes of back pain once and for all. Lastly, psychotherapy will be used to help patients identify their feelings and thus deal with mental problems such as depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and many others.

The Effectiveness of the Current Regulation Systems for the Use of Complementary Therapies

                               Although the practice of conventional medicine is regulated by special laws, which see to it that practitioners are well qualified, and that they adhere to a given set of standards or codes of practice, no statutory professional regulations are available for the complementary and alternative medicine practitioners (Smith 2010: n.d). Therefore, complementary practitioners are not regulated by any law, which is why patients have to rely on their own wisdom and knowledge when it comes to determining whether a practitioner has required qualifications, and whether they will conduct treatment in an acceptable manner (Smith 2010: n.d).

                               Most complementary and alternative medicine practitioners have professional associations and voluntary registers, which other practitioners can join if they wish (Smith 2010: n.d). These associations and registers are what act as a regulatory body since they demand that members hold certain qualifications, and must agree to use a certain standard of practice. Unfortunately, despite the availability of a regulatory body, no legal requirement is available to ensure that the practitioner must first join associations or register before starting a practice.

                               For these reasons, the current regulation systems for the application of complementary therapies is not that effective since members can choose whether or not they want their activities to be monitored. If a practitioner is not a member of the association, and has not registered, he will get to make his own rules on how to function and offer services (Smith 2010: n.d). No legal liabilities can be experienced here, since there is no contract of any form.

Recommendations for Improving Regulatory Systems

                               To improve these regulatory systems, statutory professional regulations should be put in place. This will ensure that the practitioners who are offering complementary therapies are actually qualified, and will have to offer their services in a manner that does not place patients at risk.

            Legal requirements that all complementary therapies practitioners must join an association or become registered before being permitted to practice should be created and passed. This will ensure that the regulatory systems are improved in that the activities of these practitioners will also be monitored constantly.be a masterstroke in dealing with the mental health issues that surround us all.