While there is considerable international interest in the development of hospice and palliative care programs, as an alternative form of care for the terminally ill, there is minimal empirical research undertaken on the needs of recipients of these programs. Using a Q-sort, developed by the author, this research examined the relationship between individual patient's ranking of their needs, and the nurse's perception of the needs identified by individual patients in their care. A basic assumption of the study was that patients' needs could be categorised in four groups, namely spiritual, physical, emotional, and social. Consequently, the study also examined whether patients and nurses identified, as most important, needs from one group, more frequently than the other groups. The limited size of the sample placed severe restrictions on the analysis of results derived from this research. However, while no definite conclusions could be drawn from data obtained from the small sample, tentative analysis identified trends that may have proved significant had they continued in a larger sample.

The incidence of HIV and AIDS is rising rapidly and has become a serious concern in South Africa. In order to address the HIV and AIDS problem, Community Based Care was introduced to render an effective service to the HIV and AIDS patient. The volunteers receive training to equip them to render a holistic service to the HIV and AIDS patient. The researcher’s concern is that despite the training programme offered, there are still problems regarding the service delivery by the volunteers. Volunteers focus on the physical needs of the HIV and AIDS patient only and do not attend to their psychosocial needs, despite the fact that they are trained to take care of the needs of the HIV and AIDS patient from a holistic approach. Due to this problem, the researcher decided to explore the experiences of the volunteers regarding the implementation of the training programme on HIV and AIDS Community Based Care in order to find answers as to why they do not attend to the psychosocial needs of the HIV and AIDS patient, although they were holistically trained. The research question was formulated as follows: What is the experience of volunteers in the Potchefstroom Municipality regarding the implementation of the training programme on HIV and AIDS Community Based Care? The researcher used a quantitative approach to explore the research question. Twenty (20) volunteers from the two Community Based Care programmes, namely Baptist Children’s Centre and Bambanani Youth Project, were randomly selected for inclusion in the study. The data collection method used was a group questionnaire. Three themes were explored, namely, the content of the training programme, presentation of the training programme and empowerment of the volunteers to render an effective service to the HIV and AIDS patient. The findings showed that volunteers experienced limitations regarding the content and the presentation of the training programme, and much so in the area of attending to the psychosocial needs of the HIV and AIDS patient. They recommended changes to the training programme, based on their experiences in practice. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

In the absence of support programmes for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region this research set out to design guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme to support HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The literature review revealed that HIV and Aids orphans experience a wide range of support needs. Their psychosocial needs impair normal development due to unhappiness, stress, stigma, discrimination and a lack of care, love and support. In addition to this, emotional needs, which emanate from a lack of security and safety manifest in sadness, disruptive behaviour, poor relationships, poor self-image and isolation. Socio-economic needs expose them to poverty and being vulnerable to child labour with little reward, and deprive them of opportunities to obtain a proper education. All the above-mentioned problems lead to educational needs that manifest in poor school attendance, poor concentration, learning breakdown and dropping out of school. In addition to this, physical needs that stem from malnutrition caused by poverty and a low standard of living have an impact on the physical growth and health of the HIV and Aids orphans. In order to find out whether the abovementioned discussion holds true for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region, qualitative, phenomenological research by means of structured individual interviews was conducted with a convenient and purposive sample of 43 Black HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The focus of the interviews was to gain a better understanding of the support needs that these learners experience due to HIV and Aids, and to explore how they are supported in dealing with these needs. The empirical research revealed that the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region who took part in my study experience psychosocial, emotional, socio-economic, educational and physical needs. Many of the needs, in the absence of strong community-based support in the region, are not supported adequately. Despite the identified needs, the data revealed strong tenets of resilience among the participants who took part in the study. In contrast to the literature, the findings of my study revealed that a number of the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region apparently manage to establish good social relationships that help them cope with their problems. Furthermore, they aspire to obtain a good quality education and have ambitions and goals in terms of their future careers that they would like to achieve. Based on the literature review and the interview data, guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme for the HIV and Aids orphaned learners in the Fezile Dabi Region were designed. / PhD, Learner support, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

In the absence of support programmes for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region this research set out to design guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme to support HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The literature review revealed that HIV and Aids orphans experience a wide range of support needs. Their psychosocial needs impair normal development due to unhappiness, stress, stigma, discrimination and a lack of care, love and support. In addition to this, emotional needs, which emanate from a lack of security and safety manifest in sadness, disruptive behaviour, poor relationships, poor self-image and isolation. Socio-economic needs expose them to poverty and being vulnerable to child labour with little reward, and deprive them of opportunities to obtain a proper education. All the above-mentioned problems lead to educational needs that manifest in poor school attendance, poor concentration, learning breakdown and dropping out of school. In addition to this, physical needs that stem from malnutrition caused by poverty and a low standard of living have an impact on the physical growth and health of the HIV and Aids orphans. In order to find out whether the abovementioned discussion holds true for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region, qualitative, phenomenological research by means of structured individual interviews was conducted with a convenient and purposive sample of 43 Black HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The focus of the interviews was to gain a better understanding of the support needs that these learners experience due to HIV and Aids, and to explore how they are supported in dealing with these needs. The empirical research revealed that the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region who took part in my study experience psychosocial, emotional, socio-economic, educational and physical needs. Many of the needs, in the absence of strong community-based support in the region, are not supported adequately. Despite the identified needs, the data revealed strong tenets of resilience among the participants who took part in the study. In contrast to the literature, the findings of my study revealed that a number of the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region apparently manage to establish good social relationships that help them cope with their problems. Furthermore, they aspire to obtain a good quality education and have ambitions and goals in terms of their future careers that they would like to achieve. Based on the literature review and the interview data, guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme for the HIV and Aids orphaned learners in the Fezile Dabi Region were designed. / PhD, Learner support, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The system of care for persons suffering from mental retardation is in a state of upheaval. Considering the mentally handicapped as holistic beings, this study explored and assessed the needs of those residing in the community of District 22 (sub-district 222), KwaZulu-Natal, thus facilitating the planning of care and care facilities for these individuals to enable them to function optimally in the community. To accomplish this purpose, specific objectives were formulated. A quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory was carried out, using 167 respondents. The study revealed that despite being mentally retarded, they were still regarded as valuable members of the community, their needs did not differ from the needs of others in the rest of the world and that mental retardation is still rated low in the prioritization of health problems, hence the lack of resources and support needed for the rehabilitation of such persons. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The system of care for persons suffering from mental retardation is in a state of upheaval. Considering the mentally handicapped as holistic beings, this study explored and assessed the needs of those residing in the community of District 22 (sub-district 222), KwaZulu-Natal, thus facilitating the planning of care and care facilities for these individuals to enable them to function optimally in the community. To accomplish this purpose, specific objectives were formulated. A quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory was carried out, using 167 respondents. The study revealed that despite being mentally retarded, they were still regarded as valuable members of the community, their needs did not differ from the needs of others in the rest of the world and that mental retardation is still rated low in the prioritization of health problems, hence the lack of resources and support needed for the rehabilitation of such persons. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The system of care for persons suffering from schizophrenia is in a state of upheaval and the community in general is visibly frightened of an illness it knows little about except for the information acquired often from media reporting. Considering persons suffering from schizophrenia as holistic beings, this study explored and assessed the needs of these persons residing in the Mogoto Village, Zebediela District in the Northern Province. The primary purpose of the study was to explore and describe the holistic needs of persons suffering from schizophrenia thus facilitating the planning of care and care facilities for these individuals to enable them to function optimally in the community. To accomplish this purpose, specific objectives were formulated. A quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study based on the Nursing Theory for the Whole Person was carried out. Through purposive sampling 60 respondents were selected. A questionnaire was administered to the respondents. Data from questionnaires revealed that despite the diagnosis of schizophrenia, the respondents were still regarded as valuable members of the community by those who cared for them. There was also an indication that the needs of persons suffering from schizophrenia in the Mogoto Village did not differ from the needs of other persons in the rest of the world. Like any unique person they have specific needs. There was also an indication that mental illness is still rated low in the prioritisation of health problems, hence the lack of resources and support needed for the rehabilitation of persons suffering from schizophrenia, especially in the rural areas. / Advanced Nursing Sciences / M.A.(Nursing Science)

The system of care for persons suffering from schizophrenia is in a state of upheaval and the community in general is visibly frightened of an illness it knows little about except for the information acquired often from media reporting. Considering persons suffering from schizophrenia as holistic beings, this study explored and assessed the needs of these persons residing in the Mogoto Village, Zebediela District in the Northern Province. The primary purpose of the study was to explore and describe the holistic needs of persons suffering from schizophrenia thus facilitating the planning of care and care facilities for these individuals to enable them to function optimally in the community. To accomplish this purpose, specific objectives were formulated. A quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study based on the Nursing Theory for the Whole Person was carried out. Through purposive sampling 60 respondents were selected. A questionnaire was administered to the respondents. Data from questionnaires revealed that despite the diagnosis of schizophrenia, the respondents were still regarded as valuable members of the community by those who cared for them. There was also an indication that the needs of persons suffering from schizophrenia in the Mogoto Village did not differ from the needs of other persons in the rest of the world. Like any unique person they have specific needs. There was also an indication that mental illness is still rated low in the prioritisation of health problems, hence the lack of resources and support needed for the rehabilitation of persons suffering from schizophrenia, especially in the rural areas. / Advanced Nursing Sciences / M.A.(Nursing Science)