Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Grief and Disability: Carrie’s Story

It has become clear to me over time that we have much work to do to ensure the delivery of disability-sensitive grief literacy and grief support. In March of 2022 my proposal for four 1-hour sessions was approved, we provided the program for 20 participants. My heart was full in each session.

My heart remains full of hope that conversations, education, and expertise about disability sensitive end of life care and grief support will gain momentum as more and more people join in on this vital conversation.

Maureen – “Grief is a messy non-linear place”

Maureen explains how you wind your way through grief and that is normal.

Amanda – “The Little Things”

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

Marija – Acknowledging feelings

Marija talks about our tools for coping

Craig – Resilience in the Face of Adversity

Craig how he overcame a series of challenges, including the loss of his marriage, his job, and his home. He talks about how he found the strength to keep going and how he learned to be more resilient.

Adrianna – Metabolizing grief

Adrianna explains metabolizing grief and grief literacy training

Maureen – “Trust yourself”

Maureen talks about finding your own way in your healing process.

Carrie – Thanatology

Carrie explains how thanatolgy is the study of death dying grief and loss.

Amanda – “It’s a gift to love someone”

Amanda talks about grief and it’s connection to love.

Jacqueline – Art Therapy & Grief

Jacqueline discusses about art therapy and how it brings a special layer to help move through grief

Claudia – Waterlillies

Claudia talks about how she painted on panels big enough to hug to help her with her grief

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.