Resources and Recommendations for People with Developmental Disabilities and their Families
The news and reality of the global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19, has been very stressful for all of us. But it is taking a particular toll on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. This outbreak could affect people with I/DD and their families in profound ways:
- Underlying health issues make them at higher risk for poor outcomes
- Increased isolation, which is problematic under normal circumstances
- Change in routines could increase anxiety and possibly challenging behaviors
- Need for additional support as schools and programs shut down
- Caregivers and support staff need to remain healthy and safe
- Loss of job income could have profound impact
Our community, particularly our self-advocates and families, have always looked out for each other. But facing a crisis like we’ve never seen before, we must help one another even more now. We are being told that we need to practice “social distancing.” But a wise friend has renamed it “physical distancing” because we still desperately need social connections, even if they are from six feet away from each other. That means reaching out by phone, email, and social media, to make sure that others have the support they need. We will get through this with the strong support of each other and the agencies and organizations built for this purpose.