How do people with intellectual disabilities experience death and dying? This book presents this topic with very practical examples. Caregivers, parents, and others often shy away from this subject. Here, they will find a framework for action.

Topics covered in the book include the grief of people with intellectual disabilities, the importance of visualization and concretization, rituals and symbols, end-of-life care, as well as the roles of housemates, colleagues, and the families of those affected. It also describes which guiding questions can be helpful. Furthermore, the significance of understanding a person's life world - their life story - is discussed, along with the necessity of a well-functioning team and a space where one can truly be oneself.

The author addresses one's own attitude towards death and dying: This topic strongly confronts us with ourselves and the questions of our own lives. Our own emotions are essential: When space is given to them, it paves the way for creating a space for those who are entrusted to us - more or less. This is a matter of respectful encounter.

This book is written for all staff in disability support services and for family members of people with intellectual disabilities. Questions for discussion or self-reflection at the end of the book also make it suitable for students of special education or for students in therapeutic education programs. Institutions and organizations can critically examine their fundamental attitudes and concepts regarding this topic using the provided framework.