Supporting a Loved One Through Loss

An empty, unmade bed underneath a window. The first few days after a parent dies can feel disorienting. Time moves differently. There may be a lot happening around you—arrangements, conversations, decisions—but very little that feels settled. In addition, it may not feel real and accepting this permanent and profound loss will take time. For individuals in the IDD community, this period can be especially confusing. A parent is often a central figure in daily life, providing s

A blanket left behind on the ground in a meadow. When someone is grieving, we often feel a quiet pressure to do something. To say the right thing. To help move things forward. To ease what feels heavy or uncertain. To fix the issue. This can come from care, from discomfort, or from not knowing what else to offer. But grief does not ask to be solved. It asks to be met. For individuals in the IDD community, this becomes even more important. Grief may not always be expressed cle