ABSTRACT
Many patients develop friendships with fellow patients through their shared experiences. This may be a recent friendship, such as with someone in the same bay in hospital or hospice, or may be over months through attending the same day hospice, or over years through living in the same community home. Regardless of the length of the friendship, the death of one patient can be a great loss for fellow patients. Every person will experience loss and bereavement at some point in their lives, but many people shy away from discussions involving death and dying, and as a consequence these issues have become stigmatised by society. Historically it is believed that people with learning disabilities were not capable of understanding or expressing grief. Whether through ignorance or a misguided attempt to protect the person the death of a relative is often glossed over. Individuals are prevented from attending the chapel of rest or funeral following the loss of a loved one.
