Resources
Everyone will come to a dying phase of their life at some point. This section provides information and resources to support people with a learning disability at this difficult and often challenging time. Resources from a personal, professional and family perspective are highlighted.
Loved and Lost
Voice is a self-advocacy group in Wrexham with whom we have been working together with for two years, in conjunction with Reach, Asist, Staffordshire. They have supported a number of people with a learning disability and worked alongside an animation facilitator to develop an animated film around loss, entitled ‘Loved and Lost’ This is a delightful short film that is very powerful and illustrates well the impact of loss and the experiences of people with a learning disability experiencing many losses, including the loss of a pet. The animation makes the film quite unique and different, and as medium works well in this context. Voice have kindly given us permission to have access to the film on our website to maximise the potential for its usage.
Making a Difference Toolkit
The toolkit aims to support access to health care wherever it is delivered, albeit in the community, at the GP surgery, or in generic hospital services. It contains over 40 components that we hope clinicians will find useful whatever (or wherever) their clinical practice.
A new communication resource is an app called picTTalk, which was developed over five years by professionals, children and adults with a learning disability. It includes a number of pictograms, developed to facilitate stories and conversations, helping people to have a voice in what’s happening in their lives.
The picTTalk app was developed for use on tablets with 10 inch screens, and can be freely downloaded on both iPad and android devices. Although the app will work on devices with smaller screens, image display may not be optimal. The communication app is available to down load from:
Google Play Store
Apple App Store
Professionals can use picTTalk to help people to ask questions, to indicate choices, share information about health issues and to explore sensitive topics such as loss and bereavement.