Death Education and Grief Support for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Hidden Need

Within the past 20 years, there has been increased service provision focusing on the needs of older adults with intellectual disabilities in heath care, residential support, and vocational/retirement options. Some families and professionals have also recognised the need to address the issue of death and grief. Awareness of this issue, along with appropriate support and intervention, however, may remain dependent upon the compassion, knowledge, and creativity of individual family members and professionals, rather than well-developed practice. The author describes ways in which grief and bereavement affect adults with intellectual disabilities and offers suggestions to prevent or reverse the hopelessness that some individuals with intellectual disabilities feel after a death or other loss and to empower others to provide assistance.