Grief and Loss

This website is a resource for people who have experienced grief and loss. There is a helpline phone number for support you can access, as well as training and education available.  

Learn more about the BC Bereavement Helpline here.

A book of memories commemorates the death of a loved one and highlights the importance of their relationship to survivors. For people with developmental disabilities, creating a book of memories may be a concrete way to help remember deceased loved ones. Working on the book with a support person provides a concrete time for memories and recollection. 

Learn about creating a book of memories here.

For some people, their instinctive response to pain and loss is to isolate themselves. Others may find themselves feeling isolated due to the stigma associated with drug use and the responses they receive when they talk about having lost a loved one to substance use-related harms such as overdose. You don’t have to grieve alone and may find it very helpful to talk to a professional or to others who have experienced similar losses.  

Read the online handbook Gone too Soon: Navigating grief and loss as a result of substance use here.

Losing someone can be very challenging. This website provides access to helpful learning modules with steps to move through the grief. 

Visit: MyGrief.ca

Note: this resource is from Australia, and may not reflect local Canadian resources –

This resource is about talking about death and dying and has information to help people understand what death is and how to have conversations about it. It explains that talking openly about death can help people plan ahead, share their wishes, and make things easier for their family and friends later on.

It also encourages people to use simple, honest words and to ask questions so they can feel more prepared and less worried about what will happen.

Read the Talking about death and dying resource here. 

This video shows how one person with a developmental disability experienced grief and loss. Each person may experience these feelings a bit differently.  

Watch the video Individuals with intellectual disabilities experience many different kinds of losses here.