Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Future Aging Network The Needs And Preferences Of Baby Boomers - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1689 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/10/31 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Baby Boomer Genertation Essay Did you like this example? As both a practitioner within the aging services network, and a gerontology and social work student, I have a strong interest in applied research, demographics trends, and factors that influence the field of aging service providers.   This information can be particularly helpful to help identify, understand, develop, and offer supports and services to older adults and make a positive impact on their daily lives.   Both class lectures (Chapelski, 2018) and Moody and Sasser (2018), clearly point out that the demographics in the United States are in the midst of undergoing a transformation and the population pyramid will become rectangular by the year 2030 as the baby boom generation ages.   This generation like many others, has its own nuances, beliefs, and expectations; and as a practitioner, future research and educator, it is interesting to explore how this cohort will impact the future demand and utilization of services currently provided by the aging network.   Tru ly, as part of understanding the need of future services, it is important to understand the generation that will be using them.   Stephan Golant (2017) notes in his article that if the baby boomer cohort and values are still true today, they have strong self-reliant values, believe in their own ability to get things done, want to be on top and in charge, believe they know best, act independently based upon their self-confidence, do not abide by older rules and expectations in society, and they must steer their own course.. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Future Aging Network The Needs And Preferences Of Baby Boomers" essay for you Create order   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With this image of the baby boom generation in mind, it is thought-provoking to explore the current aging network, in attempt to ascertain whether aging service providers are prepared and will be relevant for this generation as it enters older age.   While the United States is starting to see how this will play out, since the baby boomers began turning age 65 in the year 2011, unanswered questions remain.   One can begin to ponder how the baby boom generation cohort will influence and shape the aging network, what specific generational demands and expectations will be placed on aging services, what types of services will be of most importance and how do they differ from what is presently being offered,   how has and/or will the aging network prepare, respond and provide services in a relevant manner to this generation, and is the Older Americans Act still relevant for this new cohort of older adults?   These questions are important to explore, eva luate, and answer as this generation enters older age.   From a research perspective, the possible answers to these questions can provide helpful insight into a generation about their needs and preferences.   Further, potential learnings may also help to inform practice, are useful to apply when developing and prioritizing services as well as best practices, to understand, appreciate and engage the individuals utilizing services, and determine ways to invest funding and limited resources.   Finally, responses to these questions can contribute to education by helping to prepare students and future generations of practitioners such as social workers, gerontologists, and nurses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Much has been written about the trends of aging baby boomers.   Baby boomers are living longer than previous generations; they have on average, higher levels of education and more work experiences; many are working later into life rather than retiring at the age of 65; and are more economically secure than previous generations (Mather et al, 2016; Moody Sasser, 2018.)   Aging baby boomers will face issues related to caregiving, illness and obesity; obesity rates are increasing, putting more people at risk for chronic disease and disability, and an increasing number of Americans are living with Alzheimers disease (Mather et al, 2016.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, more older adults are divorced, there is an increase in single-parent and blended families, leading to weaker family ties and less caregiving support for aging spouses and parents (Mather et al, 2016.)   Further, sufficient future preparations have not been made to meet baby boomers anticipated needs in old age, and the ability to afford paying for services as one ages varies among the baby boomer cohort (Golant, 2017; Mather et al, 2016; Moody Sasser, 2018.)   In addition, inequality continues to exist between different racial and ethnic groups of older adults (Golant, 2017;Mather et al, 2016; Moody Sasser, 2018) and there are wider economic gaps between racial and ethnic groups over age 65 who are poor, with a higher number of older Latinos and African Americans living in poverty (Mather et al, 2016; Moody Sasser, 2018.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To address the unique generational perspective of aging baby boomers and the demographic trends of this population, the aging network and service providers must be familiar with the characteristics, trends, and needs of this group.   The Aging Network consists of state units on aging, Area Agencies on Aging, and service providers that is fragmented and operates with limited funding (Browdie, 2014.)   Services provided include caretaking, nutritional, and health services for American above the age of 60 such as Information,   Referral and Assistance, congregate and home delivered meals, senior centers, transportation programs, and the Ombudsman Program (Browdie, 2014; Gelfand Chapleski, 2018; Moody Sasser, 2018.)   This network is also challenged to support a wide age range of individuals, from ages 50 – 100+, and become stretched in reaching this diverse and varied group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nutrition programs are one example of aging services that are adapting to meet the needs of baby boomers.   Feeding American and AARP issued a report in 2015 on baby boomers and nutrition.   The report noted that in terms of meals and preferences, boomers often tend use less salt and sugar on their foods, are accustomed to having access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and a diverse array of meals which are pleasing to different racial and ethnic groups. This information is important for nutritional providers who looking to provide home delivered and congregate meals that are healthy and palatable for the consumer.   This report also cited numerous reasons that some baby boomers are participating in nutrition programs due to unemployment in their 50s-60s and unpaid medical bills, thus, resulting in limited income which may impact the ability to buy food.   Furthermore, the report urged communities to examine unique partnerships between food banks, nutritional providers, healthcare entities and other partner agencies to shape services such as the use of food programs, nutritional assessment and ability to access food (Feed America, 2015, p. 22) and health care providers can better address their patient needs by assessing for hunger, and partnering with agencies for wellness programs and programs to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes (Feed America, 2015.)   These concrete suggestions offer ways for the aging network to be responsive to the nutritional needs of aging baby boomers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Health, wellness, and management of chronic disease is another area of aging services network and supported through the Older Americans Act that has the potential to expand and is of interest to aging baby boomers. Golant (2017) argues that baby boomers have repeatedly received messages that they must proactively take care of their bodies to prevent disease, maintain high physical and mental functioning, and keep actively engaged to remain health and reduce the possibility of being frail (p. 80) which translates into the importance of regular health checks ups, falls prevention strategies, eating right and exercising.   Additionally, he also notes because of these messages and importance of remaining self-reliant, baby boomers may be willing to explore and change the environment to meet their needs and use physical and social resources such as assistive devices, sensitively designed buildings and products, and caregiving family members and professionals (Golant, 2017).   Likewise, they are open to technology being integrated into daily life to help aging baby boomers remain independent.   The use of smart phones and technology to arrange transportation, maintain smart homes including the monitoring home security, home functions, appliances, and lighting, conducting health checks through telehealth and telemedicine, assist with mobility, and assist with social activities are all designed to help maintain independence and provide care (Golant, 2017.)   For the aging service network, this provides both opportunities and challenges as boomers may be healthier into later life, more willing to try and accept help and services, however, this also comes at a cost which an already underfunded system may not be able to sustain.  Ã‚   Likewise, while baby boomers are healthier and living longer, inequalities in health status and life expectancy continue to exist due to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education.   Moreove r, technology can be costly, requires individuals to learn how to use it, is not currently widespread in homes throughout the country and it can potentially increase social isolation (Golant, 2017.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where and how baby boomers live will be important to the aging network in determing home repair, home maintenance, and location of services.   Boomers also want to age in place for as long as possible and universal design becomes increasingly important to help them remain independent such as lower cabinets, contrasting colors, where the door handles are placed, and first floor bathrooms (Mather et al, 2016.) Also, a higher percentage of aging baby boomers are aging in place in suburban locales and neighborhoods rather than in the 1970s and 1980s when a higher share of older adults lived in more populated areas and inner cities and while not wide spread, there is growth in   naturally occurring retirement communities and age friendly communities as well as the growth in home care, adult day services (Golant, 2017; Moody Sasser, 2018.)   Transportation will continue to be an issue to help maintain older adults independence, but, boomers may be more a pt to use services such as Uber and Lyft and quite possibly self-driving cars.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based upon responses to the questions proposed earlier in this paper about the aging network, it certainly seems that there is a future role.   However, providers of aging services need to be able to keep up with the market demands and remain relevant to the potential consumers of their products and services.   While the broad, overall categories of the Older Americans Act continue to appear relevant, the manner and methods need to continue to evolve and change to meet the current interests, demands and wants of baby boomers.   And soon, it will be time again to look at the next generations from the Gen Xers to the Millennials to determine how to continue to offer services and supports as these cohorts age that are of relevance and need.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Fast Food and Obesity Essay - 926 Words

Fast Foods Effect on Obesity Now a days, fast food is becoming a cheap and yet a popular way for people who are too busy to cook. But the cheap price of the fast food is nothing in comparison to the true price that these people are paying. Every 4 out of 10 adults in the USA will become obese in the next 5 years if they keep eating this food the way they are. Eating fast food like this is causing major health risks. Since this food is so cheap, it makes it convenient for people to go out and get food instead of staying home to cook. In addition, fast food companies are trying to target kids. If the companies get to the kids at a young age, they will get hooked on the food. Because of all this, people need to stop eating fast food before†¦show more content†¦E. Coli is now becoming the major reason for renal failure for American kids. People would rather spend their money on a cheap burger that tastes good compared to a burger that tastes just as good for six times the price. The great thing about fast food is that over these many years their products taste hasn’t changed. â€Å"The whole experience of buying fast food, has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it is now taken for granted, like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light.† Says Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. Millions of people a day are buying fast food because it’s so convenient to get to. Today’s economy is also dropping and because of this going out to buy fast food has become easier to feed people’s families. Instead of a family going out to a restaurant to feed the family for 60 dollars, they can go to a fast food restaurant and spend about one third of that. These fast food restaurants are making a lot of money off this cheap food With the money they make, they spend some of it for advertising to grab people’s attention Since most kids watch TV they are the ones that are affected most by this McD onald’s spends billions of dollars on advertising each year. Most of the kids know Ronald McDonald more than they do their own president. Just about 30% of all children each day eat fast food according to a Harvard study. ThisShow MoreRelatedObesity And Fast Food1444 Words   |  6 PagesStates? In the United States, obesity is one of the public health issues that causes thousand of deaths. When a person’s body mass index shows an extremely high number, he or she is considered having obesity. It is important because it is a serious health problem due to mortality and morbidity. In addition, eating many unhealthy food and lacking exercises lead to dangerous chronic illnesses which then leads to premature death. Lifestyle choices contribute to obesity, in general, and can have adverseRead MoreFast Food And Obesity771 Words   |  4 Pages Is fast food causing people to be obese or is it just a part of the equation? Three hundred thousand people die each year from obesity linked deaths. According to the health care costs of obesity, obese adults spend 42 percent more on direct health care costs than adults who are a healthy weight. Obesity has been an ongoing epidemic for many years not only in America but many other countries. Kids nowadays eat more fast food because it is easy for them to choose this option. Even some schoolsRead MoreFast Food And Obesity : Obesity2432 Words   |  10 PagesKimberly Vang English 1A Andrew Bligh 30 July 2014 Fast Food and Obesity In the Fresno County, a lot of children are becoming overweight and obese. Parents are not doing their proper jobs by looking after or taking care of their children. 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Others like the Center for Consumer Freedom, would argue that it is not only their choice to eat healthy or unhealthy but also every individuals right as Americans to make that choice without the interferenceRead MoreFast Food and Obesity in Adults990 Words   |  4 Pages2013 Fast Food and Obesity in Adults In Aprils addition of Men’s Health magazine there is a picture of salted golden French fries inside a white cup. This advertisement invokes hunger for unhealthy and cheap fast food to consumers. The fast food industries false advertisements, unhealthy food, and long term effects of consuming fast food all lead to the causes and effects of adulthood obesity in the lives of thousands of Americans today. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, and other fast food industriesRead MoreFast Food And The Obesity Epidemic933 Words   |  4 PagesFast –food Industries are to be Blame for Obesity Visualize the world somewhere a school-age child can step out of his school and walk into a McDonalds. Fast-food causes an array of problems in your body. The food is often high in sugar, fat, and calories while providing very few nutrients. The obesity epidemic Americans face today is a growing problem that affects more than half of the population with growing body sizes and serious medical problems associated with obesity. It is a problem thatRead MoreFast Food And Its Effect On Obesity1655 Words   |  7 PagesKhalid Alebraheem ENG 101 November 25, 2014 Fast Food and Its Effect on Obesity Today, the names of fast food and obesity are synonymous worldwide. Since the 1970s, the number of fast food restaurants in the US has doubled, corresponding to approximately 300,000 new chains (Egger and Boyd 23). Equally, there has been an exponential increase in the number of obese people over the same period, turning obesity into a public health problem in the US and most developed nations (Egger and Boyd 25). HenceRead MoreFast Food Is The Reason For Obesity955 Words   |  4 PagesFast food is the reason to blame for obesity. Food made and prepared in a matter of minutes should certainly raise some flags. ---- Roberto De Vogli states in â€Å"†globesization’: ecological evidence on the relationship between fast food outlets and obesity among 26 advanced economies† that â€Å" the diffusion of ‘fast food restaurants’ resulting from rapid global market integration (Hawkes 2009) and trade liberalization policies (Thow and Hawkes 2009) seems to b e one of the key contributing factors behindRead MoreFast Food Restaurants And Obesity1528 Words   |  7 PagesDo fast food restaurants contribute to obesity in America? One out of every four Americans stop by to eat fast food daily. Many people may not know this, but you would have to walk seven straight hours to burn off a super sized Coke, fry, and Big Mac. Sixty percent of all Americans are either overweight or obese. Did you also know that some fast food restaurants sell more toys than Toys-R-Us? Fast food restaurants contribute to obesity in America by promoting time-saving eating options, using celebritiesRead MoreFast Food And Childhood Obesity1166 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic, affecting children across the world. In our country alone, 17% of all children and adolescents are now obese, triple the rate from just a generation ago† (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). This drastic increase leads researchers and ordinary citizens alike to speculate about possible causes. Fast food consumption is one potential cause that has received widespread attention. Many researchers have looked at the relationship

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Performance and Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Question: Discuss about the Performance and Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Answer: Introduction: The concept of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has been originated from management theorist who has depicted that individual willingness to contribute forces to cooperative system forms the basis of organization. Organization citizenship behavior may be defined as behaviors that are extra work related and this go beyond the routine duties by descriptions of job. It is used to describe behavior of employees within social system of different organization. There are five antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior identified by organizations and they include conscientiousness, altruism, civic virtue, sportsmanship and courtesy. This particular behavior has become increasingly necessary for maintaining roles of employees and social system within the organization. Employees role along with their organizational citizenship behavior is fundamental to organizations at both micro and macro level (Bergeron et al. 2013). An organization is directed as a whole toward making suggestions for improving facilities at workplace, helping to recruit appropriate people for performing specific tasks. However, such behaviors are difficult to cultivate within typical structure of organizations. It is important for organization to make identification of actions and characteristics that might lead to organizational citizenship behavior and help in their proper functioning. An OCB contribution to an organization comprise of two categories and this involves challenging and affiliative. Present work circumstances in an organization are supported by affiliative OCB (Gilmore et al. 2013). An example would be providing new recruitment tips on working with workplace resources. On the other hand, the current circumstances at work by voicing problems or improving existing processes are directed using challenging OCB. An example would be to develop new website page by proposing a new reporting system. Contribution of OCB toward positive organizational outcome: OCB has a positive impact on wellbeing and performance of employees and has noticeable flow effects on the organizations. There is correlational behavior between employees satisfaction and their performance. Behaviors of employees such as cooperation with supervisors and colleagues, making compromises and sacrifices are well incorporated in OCB. Workers engaged in OCB receives better rating by their managers and this may be because of hallo effect. Voluntary nature of OCB is they play a significant role in overall success of organization. Employees performing well are rewarded and this in turn contributes to their success (Moorman and Byrne 2013). This behavior is linked to absenteeism and lower rate of employee turnover and help in increasing productivity at organizational level. It also results in customer satisfaction, efficiency, and thereby reducing costs. Social capital such as facilitating stronger network for information transfer, better communication and improved efficiency. Citizenship behavior of organization helps in contributing to organizational effectiveness by shaping psychological, social and organizational context by serving as a catalyst of processes and task activities. It is argued by DiPaola and Tschannen-Moran (2014), that literature gives more focus on understanding relationship between OCB and various constructs instead of defining the nature carefully. Identification of antecedents of OCB: There are five antecedents or dimension of organizational citizenship behavior. Conscientiousness- This particular antecedent relates to discretionary behavior that goes well beyond the minimum role requirement level of organization such as extra-long days work, not taking extra breaks and obeying regulations and rules. It is indicative of the fact that an individual is self-disciplined, hardworking, organized and accountable. It is regarded as prototype that goes well beyond minimum required level of housekeeping, attendance, punctuality overall impression that regards them of being responsible citizen and an attitude toward conservation of resources. An employee having high level of conscientiousness indicates that he requires less supervision and is responsible (Somech and Drach-Zahavy, 2013). Altruism- It is used to indicate whether the organizational members are helpful and assists other member in their tasks. This includes providing assistance to absent workers, helping workers who are overloaded, helping new employees voluntarily and guiding employees for accomplishing their works. Civic virtue- Civic virtue involves constructive involvement of employees in the organization political process and contribute toward process by frankly expressing their opinions, attending meetings, reading organizational communication and discussing issues concerning organization with employees. It indicates that employees participate dutifully and is actively involved and concerned about companys wellbeing. Such behavior comes when employees consider themselves as part of the organization. Under this dimension, employees effectively monitor environment of the organization for several opportunities and threats. Findings of Graham indicates that it is the responsibility of organization for being good organizational citizen (Shahin et al. 2014). Sportsmanship- It refers to the willingness of employees for tolerating inconveniences that are inevitable and work impositions without working. There are some inconveniences that can be generated in exercising professional activity and sportsmanship is the employees desire if not complaining when facing such circumstances. Difficulties faced in an organization and being tolerant towards any problems forms a part of this dimension. This particular antecedent help in conserving energies of organization for accomplishing the tasks and makes managers stress free from unnecessary workplace. Morale of employees at workplace is enhanced with the help of sportsmanship and this helps in reducing turnover of employees (Naqshbandi and Kaur 2013). Courtesy- Courtesy is another dimension of organizational citizenship behavior and it refers to gestures that helps in preventing occurrence of interpersonal problems. Such interpersonal problems involves consulting others before taking any actions, giving prior notice to employees who are in needs. This dimension demonstrates or lies in interest of prevention of problems for co-workers that is created in organization. An example of courtesy at work is leaving printer or laptop in good condition for enabling application by other users. Employees who are courteous assist in preventing managers from falling into situation of crisis management by taking efforts in avoiding problems for coworkers (Podsakoff et al. 2014). Conclusions: From the evidence depicted by literature review of OCB, it can be concluded that antecedents are the factors contributing that is responsible for enhancing the performance of employees in an organization. The agreement is that there is organizational performance and employees behavior is positively impacted by OCB. It is suggested by growing literature evidence that the pleasantness of workplace settings is enhanced by this citizenship behavior and contributing to improved performance and efficiency. Reference: Bergeron, D.M., Shipp, A.J., Rosen, B. and Furst, S.A., 2013. Organizational citizenship behavior and career outcomes: The cost of being a good citizen.Journal of Management,39(4), pp.958-984. DiPaola, M. and Tschannen-Moran, M., 2014. Organizational citizenship behavior in schools and its relationship to school climate.Journal of School Leadership,11(5), pp.424-447. Gilmore, P.L., Hu, X., Wei, F., Tetrick, L.E. and Zaccaro, S.J., 2013. Positive affectivity neutralizes transformational leadership's influence on creative performance and organizational citizenship behaviors.Journal of Organizational Behavior,34(8), pp.1061-1075. Moorman, R.H. and Byrne, Z.S., 2013. How Does Organizational justice A?ect Organizational Citizenship Behavior?.Handbook of organizational justice, p.355. Naqshbandi, D.M.M. and Kaur, S., 2013. A study of organizational citizenship behaviours, organizational structures and open innovation. Podsakoff, N.P., Podsakoff, P.M., MacKenzie, S.B., Maynes, T.D. and Spoelma, T.M., 2014. Consequences of unit?level organizational citizenship behaviors: A review and recommendations for future research.Journal of Organizational Behavior,35(S1), pp.S87-S119. Shahin, A., Shabani Naftchali, J. and Khazaei Pool, J., 2014. Developing a model for the influence of perceived organizational climate on organizational citizenship behaviour and organizational performance based on balanced score card.International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management,63(3), pp.290-307. Somech, A. and Drach-Zahavy, A., 2013. Organizational citizenship behaviour and employee's strain: Examining the buffering effects of leader support and participation in decision making.European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology,22(2), pp.138-149.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Plant Cell Essays - Organelles, Membrane Biology, Cell Biology

The Plant Cell Cell Wall Size: Around 1? Basic Function: * Hold the shape of the cell. * Strengthen the cell. Covering the cell membrane of the plant cell, there is the cell wall. The cell wall is composed of two layers of rigid, hard cellulose embedded in compounds like pectin and lignin. Pores in the cell wall allow molecules to pass through. The cell wall has two parts. The primary cell wall is formed during the growth of the cell. After the cell has stopped growing, a secondary cell wall forms. This secondary wall is made of lignin and cellulose, woven together tightly, to prevent further growth and to form and strong protective barrier. Cytoplasm Size: Unmeasurable Basic Function: * Helps dissolve waste products * Creates a "medium" for vesicles to travel through * Aids in cell metabolism * Serves as a home for the cytoskeleton. The cytoplasm is the jelly-like material that makes up much of the cell. It is 80% water and usually clear in color. It also contains many salts. The liquid portion is referred to as cytosol. In fact, "cytoplasm" means "cell substance." The cytoplasm is also the home of the cytoskeleton, a network of cytoplasmic filaments that are responsible for the movement of the cell. The cytoplasm is constantly moving and churning due to cytoplasmic streaming. Golgi Apparatus Size: Between 2 and 3? Basic Function: * Serves as "processing center" for cell. * Packages and processes new proteins. * Prepares proteins for secretion or storage. The Golgi Apparatus is a series of stacked membranes in the cytoplasm that packages proteins for secretion or storage in vesicles. Inside the membranes are sacs of fluid or gel-like substances. The Golgi Apparatus takes proteins in transport sacs from the endoplasmic reticulum and sends it through a series of these membranes. The proteins are then "modified"' as they pass from membrane to membrane. After the vesicle of proteins has finished its trip through the Golgi Apparatus, it buds off the organelle in a Golgi sac, ready to be stored or transported to other parts of the body. Cell Membrane Size: 7 to 8 NM (nanometers) Basic Function: * Controls what enters and exits the cell. * Separates cell from outer environment. On the outside of all cells, there is a layer of protein and lipid (fat) called the cell membrane or the plasma membrane. This membrane is found in ALL cells. The membrane is selectively permeable, meaning it allows some molecules to enter and some not to. The membrane allows molecules in through two forms of transport, active and passive. Passive transport consists of simple diffusion through the pores in the membrane or carrier molecules. Active transport consists of endocytosis, exocytosis, and the sodium- potassium pump. The membrane also protects the cell from the outside environment, keeping the cytoplasm and its organelles in, and all of the stuff outside out. Mitochondria Size: 2 to 3 ?m Basic Function: * Serves as "respiration" center" for cell. * Makes energy for the cell. Floating inside the cytoplasm are a series of fairly large organelles called Mitochondria. These organelles, the size of some bacteria, serve as the cell's respiration centers, the place where energy for the cell is produced. Since the Mitochondria serves as a center for energy production, there are varying numbers of mitochondria in different cells. Muscles have many mitochondria due to the amount of energy they need, but skin cells have very few. The mitochondria (singular: mitochondrion) have two membranes. The outer membrane protects the organelle, and the inner membrane is folded into a series cristae or long folds. Endoplasmic Reticulum Size: Highly variable Basic Function: * Serves as "transportation system" for cell. * Moves proteins and vesicles around cell. The Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (or ER) serves as a home for the ribosomes of a cell and as a "highway" for the cell's proteins to be transported on. Being close to the ribosomes allows for the quick transfer of proteins from them to the rest of the cell. This "highway" is composed of interconnected membranes and vesicles. The process of transporting these newly created proteins is critical to the cell, and is required for furthur survival. The ER is very closely associated with the Golgi Apparatus. Vacuole Size: Varies from 10+? to quite small. Basic Function: * Serves as large storage centers for cell. * Hold water and many nutrients Inside the cell, surrounded by the cytoplasm, is