'Sad, just sad': A woman with a learning disability experiencing bereavement

Abstract

This is the story of how we helped a lady with a learning disability whose mother had died. We know it is difficult for people to talk about death and we know that it can be very difficult to talk to a person with a learning disability about death. We talk about how we worked with this lady and her carers to help her to cope with her mother's death. We worked with this lady for eight sessions during 3months. +Summary: This case study considers the psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of Hannah, a woman with a learning disability who recently experienced the death of her mother. Death still remains a challenging and often taboo subject. Moreover, when the grief is of a person with a learning disability, this combines with underlying difficulties in understanding the emotions of death and leads to an increased risk of behavioural and emotional issues. The assessment process is described; in particular the process with those involved in Hannah's care. The interventions used to assist Hannah in the bereavement process are also set out and took place during eight sessions over a 3month period. A discussion and critical review of the case follows. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.