RESOURCES

We have a wide range of resources available for you to browse and access.

Webinar – Growing Older, Living Well: Coping with illness, dying, death, bereavement and learning disability during the Covid-19 outbreak

Irene Tuffrey-Wijne has spent the past two decades researching the needs of people with learning disabilities who reach the end of life, and those who are bereaved. What are the challenges and difficulties for families, support staff, professionals and service providers? Crucially, what do people with learning disabilities themselves think about all this?

One of the big questions everyone struggled with was TALKING ABOUT DYING.

Should you? Could you? How? Who? When? Much of her research over the past decade has focused on these questions.

In this webinar, Irene draws on this research to think and talk about the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19) on people with learning disabilities and those that support them.

Who is it for?
Anyone working with people with learning disabilities who are affected by coronavirus. That is likely to be ALL people with learning disabilities, but it is specifically important for those who are in “at risk” group because they are older, frail, or have underlying health conditions. The webinar is suitable for those working in learning disability services, healthcare services, families, managers in health and social care services, and policy makers. Although the webinar will not be complicated, it is not recommended for people with learning disabilities themselves unless they are especially keen to join and have significant support, as it may be distressing.

The key requirement is that you are willing to talk about dying.

Learning outcomes
Webinar participants will gain understanding of the following:
• Why talking about dying with people with learning disabilities is difficult, and what stops us from doing it
• How it affects people with learning disabilities if we DON’T talk about dying
• Different ways in which we can support people with learning disabilities who are dying or bereaved – including people who don’t use words to communicate:
• How these principles can be adapted during a time of coronavirus restrictions.

Watch the webinar here>

You may also find the following resources, which Irene speaks about in her webinar, useful:

Books Beyond Words>

PCPLD Network>

Open Future Learning>

Irene’s website and blog>

Breaking Bad News>