Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Cara – Intellectual disabilities and advance planning

Cara explains that people living with intellectual disabilities are growing to older ages, much like the rest of the population. And as folks are aging what we’re seeing is the need for families more so than ever, to do some advanced planning for who will take over any caregiving decision making or where that person may live, what sort of support they may need and what that’s going to look like after the parents or the guardians die so that this doesn’t become a crisis situation.

Alongside

That is also our best, and only role, when supporting a person with a developmental disability to grieve. We must be the one that comes alongside. There is no closer place we can get to. We must be present, be with, perhaps not understanding or comprehending what the person we support is experiencing, but alongside them nonetheless. We must be there, ready to provide whatever we can discover of their unique need in grief.

Donna – “Helping a grieving friend”

Donna shares some practical ways to help someone in grief.

Janice- “Stay with feelings”

Janice talks about how feelings can be buried and how working through them can help.

Sara – Creating music

Sara explains how creating music can be a part of the grieving process

Keith – “You need not be alone”

Keith discusses getting help, resources and that you don’t need to be alone.

Donna – “Living with grief”

Donna talks about the threads of grief and her personal experience.

Jenn – Art can give voice

Jenn talks about the barriers that may prevent someone from including art as part of their grief or emotional process including judgment of your art skills and more.

Amanda – “The Little Things”

Amanda talks about how little things can be a huge gift during palliative care.

Cara – The real issues for grieving people with intellectual disabilities

Cara provides some context for the real issue of grief in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and those supporting them, including that we consider that there’s not a lot of education or information out there about how best to support someone with an intellectual disability who is grieving.

Jacqueline – My Story

Jacqueline talks about getting through the feelings after her mother’s death

Jenn – In grief an art therapist can be there to walk with you

Jenn discusses how an art therapists can support you in those moments of pain. They are there to honour your stories and experiences.