Although society has made many advances in the way that intellectually disabled persons are taken care of, grief counseling is one protrusive example of where society is falling short. Everyone is entitled to all appropriate resources available to enable them to effectively cope with death and loss, including those that are intellectually disabled (Hollins, 1995). Significant evidence shows that individuals with developmental disabilities require better access to adapted grief counseling due to their caregivers assuming that they don’t understand the loss, an increased risk of behavioral and emotional disturbances, and they have a smaller support network.
Commonly, many in society make the assumption that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are unable to grasp the concept of death and or loss, and subsequently don’t have the need to go through a grieving process. According to John McEvoy and Elaine Smith (2005), 82% of caregivers surveyed thought that people with intellectual …show more content…
Without a firm understanding of what a normal reaction to grief in people with ID is, and how it differs from a normal population our understanding of these individuals’ bereavement is largely based on their behavioral, emotional, and psychiatric changes (Dodd, Dowling, And Hollins, 2005).
Individuals with ID will normally grieve in very similar fashion to their non-disabled counterparts. General indications of grief can include physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses. Physical symptoms may include nausea, body aches and pains, and headaches. On the emotional side anger, guilt, jealousy, anxiety, sadness, and regret are commonly seen. (Doody, 2014). Cognitive responses exhibit as shock, disbelief, and denial of
Commonly, many in society make the assumption that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are unable to grasp the concept of death and or loss, and subsequently don’t have the need to go through a grieving process. According to John McEvoy and Elaine Smith (2005), 82% of caregivers surveyed thought that people with intellectual …show more content…
Without a firm understanding of what a normal reaction to grief in people with ID is, and how it differs from a normal population our understanding of these individuals’ bereavement is largely based on their behavioral, emotional, and psychiatric changes (Dodd, Dowling, And Hollins, 2005).
Individuals with ID will normally grieve in very similar fashion to their non-disabled counterparts. General indications of grief can include physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses. Physical symptoms may include nausea, body aches and pains, and headaches. On the emotional side anger, guilt, jealousy, anxiety, sadness, and regret are commonly seen. (Doody, 2014). Cognitive responses exhibit as shock, disbelief, and denial of