scholarly journals Quality of Life Philosophy VI. The Concepts

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1230-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soren Ventegodt ◽  
Niels Jørgen Andersen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Inner Life ◽  
World State ◽  
Quality Of Life Research ◽  
Global Quality Of Life ◽  
The World ◽  
Life Philosophy

The about a hundred central concepts related to research in the global quality of life can, in a holistic medical frame of interpretation, be organized under ten abstract key concepts: existence, creation of the world, state of being, daily living, talents, relations, sex, health, personal development, and therapy with subthemes as discussed in this paper. The paper shows that the concepts in each group can be seen as related to each other in a quite intuitive and logical way, to give a coherent quality of life philosophy that allows the physician to encourage, inspire, and support his patient. In every consultation, one new concept and idea of existence can be taught to the patient, helping him or her to realize the meaning of life, the source of joy, and the reason for the actual suffering. In this way, we help the patient to mobilize hidden and known resources and to improve quality of life, subjective health, and the ability to function. The concepts were harvested in 2003 at a Nordic seminar on quality of life research, held in Sweden. Life does not only cohere on the inside, but also on the outside. The same power that ties together all the cells in our body, seems to tie us together in relationships and new wholeness. This power evolves into new kinds of relations that unite on more and more complex levels, with the global ecosystem as the highest known level.Our intentions come from this coherent matrix of life. In the beginning of our life, the web of life itself gave birth to our fundamental purpose of life. The abstract purpose determines the frame of interpretation of reality: How we will perceive ourselves throughout life, our inner life, and the world around us. The frame of interpretation is pitched in language and concepts, in fact it creates our perceptions. Based on these perceptions and our purposes of life, our behavior arises. Our consciousness evolves through the witnessing of our behavior and through the response caused by it. Through the slowly acquired mastering of our surrounding world, we obtain our power, which gives us success in life, when we use it responsibly and unite it in harmony with our deepest purpose of life. When many people experience not having success, it is because they are not conscious about their original purpose or the deepest meaning of their lives. They do not know themselves. They do not experience the world in that way and do not realize that they themselves are the cause. Therefore responsibility and self-knowledge, which add up to wisdom, are the ways to a good and successful life.

scholarly journals Measurement of Quality of Life II. From the Philosophy of Life to Science

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 962-971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soren Ventegodt ◽  
Joav Merrick ◽  
Niels Jorgen Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Philosophy Of Life ◽  
Quality Of Life Research ◽  
Global Quality ◽  
Global Quality Of Life ◽  
Sick Patient ◽  
Life Philosophy

We believe it should be possible to make operational the philosophical ideas of the good life in order to make it the object of scientific research. The Quality of Life Research Center in Copenhagen, Denmark has therefore spent the last several years with these questions and tried to find practical and evidence-based scientific solutions.This paper describes the theoretical road taken in moving from the abstract philosophy of life to the actual questionnaire. It presents an important aspect of our work with the quality-of-life (QOL) concept though the last decade. We have developed the quality-of-life philosophy; the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires; the quality-of-life theory; and the quality-of-life research methodology. We carried out quality-of-life population surveys and developed techniques for improving quality of life with the chronically sick patient. This paper presents the struggle to create a rating scale for the generic measurement of the global quality of life, based on quality-of-life theory, derived from quality-of-life philosophy. The developed rating scale is a ratio scale combining a Likert scale, a visual analogue scale, and a numerical scale, to a reduced combination scale. This allows for the extraction of as much information from the respondents as possible without exhausting them unduly or demanding more than can be reasonably expected.

scholarly journals Quality of Life and Philosophy of Life Determines Physical and Mental Health: Status Over Research Findings From The Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen, 1991-2007

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1743-1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Isack Kandel ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Social Indicators ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Quality Of Life Research ◽  
Global Quality Of Life ◽  
The Individual

Quality of life (QOL) has over the past decade become an important part of health science and also increased public awareness. It has become increasingly apparent that illness is closely related to the individual perception of a good life, and therefore the exploration of indicators related to quality of life appears to be of broad importance for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Identifying, which factors constitute a good life may reveal an understanding about what areas in life should be encouraged, in order to enhance the global quality of life, health, and ability. In this paper we present results from studies initiated in 1989 to examine quality of life in relation to disease. The purpose of this presentation was to assemble the results from the study carried out in the years between 1993 and 1997, examining a total of 11.500 Danes, to show the association between quality of life and a wide series of social indicators.

scholarly journals Quality of Life Philosophy V. Seizing the Meaning of Life and Becoming Well Again

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1210-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Niels Jørgen Andersen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Meaning Of Life ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Philosophy Of Life ◽  
Life Philosophy ◽  
The One ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Taking Responsibility

This paper presents a positive philosophy of life developed to support and inspire patients to take more responsibility for their own lives and to draw more efficiently on their known or hidden resources. The idea is that everybody can become wiser, use themselves better, and thus improve quality of life, subjective health, and the ability to function.To be responsible means to see yourself as the cause of your own existence and state of being. To be the one who forms your own life to your liking, so that others do not shape it in the way they prefer to see you. Seen this way, taking responsibility in practice is one of the most difficult things to do. One of the greatest and most difficult things to do in this context is to be able to love. To be the one who loves, instead of being the one who demands love, care, awareness, respect, and acceptance from somebody else.Since almost all of us have had parents who maybe loved us too little and mostly conditionally, we all harbor a deep yearning to be loved as we are, unconditionally. A lot of our energy is spent trying to find recognition and acceptance, more or less as we did as children from our parents, who created the framework and defined the rules of the game. But today, reality is different. We have grown up and now life is about shaping our own existence. So we must be the ones who love. This is what responsibility is all about. Taking responsibility is, quite literally, moving the barriers in our lives inside ourselves. Taking responsibility for life means that you are willing to see that the real barriers are not all these external ones, but something that can be found within yourself. Of course there is an outside world that cannot be easily shaped according to your dreams. But a responsible point of view is that although it is difficult, the problem is not impossible; it is your real challenge and task. If there is something you really want, you can achieve it, but whether it happens depends on your wholehearted, goal-oriented, and continuous attempts. This paper describes the philosophy about seizing the meaning of life and becoming well again, even when there is little time left.

scholarly journals Quality of Life Philosophy IV. The Brain and Consciousness

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1199-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Niels Jørgen Andersen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
Garden Of Eden ◽  
The World ◽  
Life Philosophy ◽  
The Brain

In this article we look at the brain’s structure and function from a philosophical perspective. Although the brain at micro-level, with its trillions of ultra-thin nerve fibers, is one of the most complicated structures in the known universe, you can still grasp its composition if you go up to the level of the cell. How this structure functions is not quite clear. You can understand its function at fiber level, because it is fairly simple, and you can understand it at cell level, but it is already vague. Roughly speaking, you can envision a single nerve cell as a tiny, independent computer whose behavior is dependent on continuous calculations of all input. At organ level, the function can be understood as an extremely complex pattern machine. Finally, the brain’s function can be understood at the cognitive level as what provides consciousness through its ability to keep order in our complicated reality. The superior function of the brain is to connect the real us, our higher self, to the surrounding world.The brain has been developed so that it can create all possible complex patterns. The connectivity seems to imply that the patterns of the human brain are 1000-dimensional. It is our vision that these complicated patterns arise from basic patterns in the quantum matter of which everything is created. In our opinion, our consciousness’ special utilization of a patterned aspect of nature is what lies behind inscrutable statements like “Man is created in God’s image”. We suggest that these patterns in matter are the basic, creative force that influences all living organisms. Unfortunately, science has only just begun to understand these patterns.The Bible’s description of the origin of man is two people eating from the Tree of Knowledge and as punishment they are expelled from the Garden of Eden. What does that mean? It means that, as conscious creatures, we no longer were an unproblematic, harmonious part of the world around us. The great question is why this consciousness about the world, provided by the brain, is not a gift that makes life better instead of getting us expelled from the Garden of Eden. We think that our real problem is the fact that we are still not in control of our consciousness. Instead of it serving us, we have become its slaves. If we come to understand brain and consciousness in order to solve this basic problem of our existence, we shall again be able to become a coherent part of the world, both as individuals and as a species. We share the vision that such an understanding of the problems of consciousness will make medical science holistic and will bring quality of life, health, and the ability to function to its patients.

scholarly journals Quality of Life as Medicine III. A Qualitative Analysis of the Effect of a Five-Day Intervention with Existential Holistic Group Therapy or a Quality of Life Course as a Modern Rite of Passage

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 124-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Birgitte Clausen ◽  
Maja Langhorn ◽  
Maximilian Kromann ◽  
Niels Jørgen Andersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Group Therapy ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Philosophy Of Life ◽  
Present Design ◽  
Life Philosophy

Existential group therapy seems to be a very efficient way of inducing the holistic state of healing, described in the holistic process theory of healing. We have designed a series of four quality of life (QOL) and health courses of 5-days duration called “Philosophy of Life that Heals – Courses in QOL and Personal Development”. The four courses are meant to be taken over four consecutive years. They contain training in philosophy of life and existential theory as well as exercises in holding: awareness, respect, care, acknowledgment, and acceptance. The courses teach the participants respect, love, and intimacy; help them to draw on their seemingly unlimited hidden resources; and inspire them to take more responsibility for their own life. Exercises are accomplished with a partner chosen at the course as: (1) a person you like, (2) a person you do not know already, or (3) a person to whom you want to give help, support, and holding more than you want to get help from him or her. Pilot studies with 5-day quality of life interventions that combine training in quality of life philosophy with psychotherapy and bodywork have proved effective on patients with chronic pain and alcoholism. The present design aims to take this a step further and engage the patients in a process of personal growth that will last for years. The aim is to lead them to a stabile state of quality of life, health, and ability, from where they will not again fall into sickness and unhappiness. The focus of these courses is as much on prevention as is it on healing. The existential group therapy induces spontaneous healing of body, mind, and soul that seems to be highly efficient with hopefully lasting results. Every course is intended to give an immediate improvement in the quality of life, so its efficiency can be measured with the square curve paradigm. We have studied the participant’s accounts from their experience with the courses and have analyzed the remarkably large, qualitative changes in the state of being, quality of life, health, and consciousness, which many participants experience during the course. The long-term and preventative effects of the courses have yet to be documented.

Correction of functional constipation in patients with limited mobility after stroke

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 53-55
Author(s):  
M. S. Turchina ◽  
M. V. Bukreeva ◽  
L. Yu. Korolyova ◽  
Zh. E. Annenkova ◽  
L. G. Polyakov
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Constipation ◽  
Functional Constipation ◽  
Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽  
Medical Rehabilitation ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Limited Mobility ◽  
Complete Restoration ◽  
The World

Currently, the problem of early rehabilitation of stroke patients is important, since in terms of the prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases and disability after suffering a stroke, Russia is one of the first places in the world. The complex of medical rehabilitation of such patients should provide for the early and most complete restoration of all body functions, patient education for lost skills, re-socialization of the patient and improvement of the quality of life. One of the factors contributing to a significant reduction in the quality of life after a stroke is the development of chronic constipation. The article reflects the modern methods of correction of chronic constipation in patients with limited mobility.

Effect of Fluoride Mouthwash in Iranian Schools: Treatment or Exacerbation of the Disease

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Karimi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Insufficient Attention ◽  
The World

Dental and oral health is an important part that plays a significant role in the quality of life of people in our society, especially children, but due to insufficient attention, tooth decay in the world is increasing every year. Promoting oral hygiene requires the people's easy access to primary oral health care and the use of these services should be classified.

India as a Hub of Innovations for the Millions (I4M)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Mahajan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Young People ◽  
New Products ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Institutional Arrangements ◽  
Base Of The Pyramid ◽  
Large Economy ◽  
The World

This chapter deals with Indian ‘innovations for the millions’ (I4M)—new products, processes, and institutional arrangements—that sustainably improve the quality of life of those at the base of the pyramid. Taking ten examples which originated from the private, public, NGO and cooperative sectors, the chapter suggests that these innovations are a response of the ‘elite of calling’ to the Indian paradox – high growth in a large economy, co-existing with a very large number at the base of the pyramid. The chapter argues that a more supportive ecosystem needs to be built to foster I4M, including reforms in regulation and taxation, and attracting bright young people. If that happens Indian I4M can serve billions at the base of the pyramid around the world.

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