Spirituality and the Lives of People with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The spirituality of people with learning disabilities is under‐researched and frequently misunderstood. Despite evidence to suggest that a focus on the spiritual aspect of the lives of people with learning disabilities can be health‐bringing and life‐enhancing, this dimension of people's lives is often overlooked or considered irrelevant. This paper seeks to explore some significant aspects of the ‘forgotten dimension’ of spirituality and to show that both the available research evidence and the experiences of people with learning disabilities suggest that it is an aspect of life which should be taken seriously. Neglect of this dimension has significant moral, legal and interpersonal consequences, which service providers are often unaware of but which are central to genuinely person‐centred and holistic support. The paper offers some insights and pointers that will enable service providers to begin to understand and incorporate spirituality into the lives of people with learning disabilities.

Citation

Swinton, J. (2002), "Spirituality and the Lives of People with Learning Disabilities", Tizard Learning Disability Review, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 29-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/13595474200200037