*1.5.5 Grief support on different environmental levels*

The requirement for the integrated support system for bereaved individuals with ID is important [50].

The provision of support by family and friends comes under the umbrella of Micro level. It involves the participation in grieving rituals, processes, and discussion related to death of a loved one. Family is considered an integral part of a life of a person with ID in managing the emotional reactions and grieving manifestations [51]. Support from family is also important in prevention of development of CG in a person with ID [52].

*Searching in Bewilderment: Bereavement in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disability DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113748*

The Meso level describes assistance from psychologists, educators, and bereavement counselors that is given outside the close family [38]. When a loved one's loss affects the entire family, support is thought to be especially crucial at this phase.

Professional assistance for grief management can be taken at Meso level if social support is not sufficiently beneficial and there is an increment in psychological crises that require active management [48]. In this regard, professional grief assistance services are suggested [53]. The group psychotherapeutic intervention based on play and/or behavior therapy can help individuals with ID revive their lost spirits and acceptance of loss through guided techniques.

On the Exo level grief support is not directly involved usually [38]. It includes supporting the parents or families to equip them in handling people with ID by allowing them to actively participate in death related rituals and other grieving processes [41]. Parents of individuals with ID at times also need support to handle their grieving processes [48]. It involves engaging parents to seek other useful resources for the facilitation of their young one's grieving experiences.

### **2. Conclusion**

Grief is characterized as a painful subjective experience that is unique to each individual, yet suffering is universal. People with ID may express the loss through different behavioral and/or emotional manifestations which may vary from the general population. The significance of religion and societal influence cannot be overlooked but the immature understanding may cause problems in comprehending death phenomenon which may manifest in multiple ways in life of a person with ID. Understanding and accepting the idea of management of grieving expression in people with ID is important and it can be done with the aid of social support and professional assistance if required.

### **Acknowledgements**

I'm grateful to my Doctoral Thesis supervisor Dr. Noshi Iram Zaman for her continuous guidance and to my student Ms. Ayesha Nayyar for supporting me in qualitative findings of the research.

### **Declarations**

This Chapter is extracted from my PhD research work and it entirely belongs to my research findings, and personal reflections.
