People with Developmental Disabilities

The Task of  Their Grief  Process ( Part 2 )

In order for anyone to successfully complete the mourning process four task are needed.

 First.
 To accept the reality of the loss.The individual have to realize that the person is dead, or gone and will never return.

 Second
     To experience the pain of grief, that can be emotional or physical pain of grief once the reality is faced.

 Third
      To adjust to an environment in which a loved one is missing  Individuals will need to adjust to the loss of companionship, emotional support and the loss of activities.

   Fourth
    To withdraw emotional energy and reinvest it in another relationship this is not to say forget the one who died, but let it remain in their heart and mind forever. Individuals with developmental disabilities may need to be reassured that many other individuals care about them and are willing to be supportive of their needs.
  

Difficulty in learning or understanding is one of the major reasons why some family members and professionals do not talk about death to individuals with developmental disabilities and they get left out of the grieving process. It is critical for care provider's to realize that individuals with developmental disabilities do need to understand the concept of death in order to feel loss.

Many individuals with developmental disabilities do not express their emotions in a manner that might be considered typical. Their faces and words may not reflect their true feelings. The care providers must look for indicators of their feelings, such as behaviours. Individuals with developmental disabilities have a tendency to say yes to whatever question a person they are interacting with may pose. This is more to please people and a way to be socially accepted. For some individuals with developmental  disabilities a change in their behaviour may show us that they are upset more than what they say, it may be that they had experience a death or loss of someone close.

(To be continued with Part 3)