Reference no: EM133334861

Question: One end-of-life issue is bereavement support. It was believed that those with an Intellectual Disability (ID) would just forget about the person who died and often were lied to or ignored when they sought information about the individual who passed (Botsford & King, 2005). The second issue is insurance coverage.

Medicaid is the most commonly used insurance company for individuals with an ID, and fewer companies are accepting it or giving the proper resources in a timely manner because of it. Having access to the proper medical care is essential for everyone, especially an individual who may have greater health concerns or medical needs.

The third issue is communication. Many healthcare workers feel uncomfortable communicating with an individual with an ID as they might not communicate in the same way, or some may struggle to communicate at all. Understanding the patient is important to ensure their needs are met, but without proper training and knowledge, healthcare workers can be left in the dark and give inadequate care.

Strategies to improve end-of-life care would include proper education for staff, access to insurance that is widely accepted and end-of-life care plans. Having the resources that are necessary should not be an option and these are easy fixes. Changing some regulations in the ADA may assist with allowing everyone to have access to insurance that is accepted for disability related healthcare expenses.