Effective communication the person you are caring for who has an intellectual disability is essential.
Below are ten tips to ensure that you always respect the person and treat them as a unique human being.
People with an intellectual disability sometimes, but not always, have limitations with respect to adaptive functioning. Adaptive functioning refers to the way in which the person adapts to their environment depending on the context.
Intellectual disability sometimes affects communication development and may have an impact on social skills. Your care receiver may feel that they are experiencing prejudice.
In turn, this affects communication between you and the person you are caring for. As a caregiver, communication becomes a central issue.
Working with games in class, educational activities at school or at day camp, artistic activities or physical or sports activities can be crucial in this regard.
Communication is therefore a global issue: to help your care receiver communicate and to be able to communicate with them, you yourself must learn to communicate with assistance, support and mutual aid resources.
Participation in physical activities or sports can have a positive impact on many levels for a person with an intellectual disability: the development of physical skills, self-esteem, autonomy, the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits. And so much more.
Participating in art activities can give your care receiver the opportunity to discover their artistic potential and thus improve self-esteem, pride and a sense of accomplishment. Art allows the person you are caring for to communicate, connect with their surroundings and express their emotions.
Art is also an interface between the person and society: it is a useful tool to raise awareness of the reality of people living with Intellectual Disability. Here are a few suggestions:
Communication is also important between yourself and assistance and support resources. The Office des personnes handicapées du Québec offers personalized assistance to people living with a disability, their families and their care receivers to help them access services:
Classroom games and educational activities
Centre de documentation pour le sport. Adapter le sport et l’activité physique aux personnes souffrant de déficience intellectuelle et de développement : faits saillants et résultats d’une décennie de mesures d’inclusion.
Chaîne Youtube de Compagnons de Montréal. D'un oeil différent, quand l'art rassemble.
Need to talk?
Contact our Caregiver Support Helpline for counselling, information et referrals.
Every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Free of charge.