136 Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan
Americans, often living in low socioeconomic communities, there are numer-
ous survivor-friends who need attention. Sensitive and attuned adults from
various walks of life serve as major sources of support. Also, there are formal
group interventions designed for this population (Salloum, 2004). It is impor-
tant to appreciate the complexity of bereavement for teens after the violent
death of a friend. In the face of this complexity, teens do, nonetheless, con-
tinue on with their lives. Heather and Marie continued on. Heather, Marie,
and other teen girls in the project were resilient, demonstrating an ability to
productively continue on with their lives, and they expressed a commitment
to hold their deceased friends in their hearts and memory.Sophie’s Move to a Residential Care Facility
Bonnie Fader Wilkenfeld
Bonnie Fader Wilkenfeld, PhD, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker
and a recent graduate from the doctoral program at the Rutgers University School of
Social Work. Dr. Wilkenfeld has extensive experience working in a variety of medical
and educational facilities, most recently as a social work clinician in a school, resi-
dential facility, and hospital for children with multiple physical and developmental
disabilities. She enjoys pastel painting, reading, and spending time with her family in
her free time.BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is a condition comprised of a group of permanent disorders
which impact movement, tone, and posture. This condition occurs in the devel-
oping fetal or infant brain and causes functional activity limitations (WHO,
2001). CP is manifested in a heterogeneous manner across individuals; hence,
the impact on functioning for affected persons can vary greatly. Oftentimes the
motor disorders of CP are accompanied by an array of comorbid conditions,
such as sensory, cognitive, language, feeding, and behavioral issues.
Many families struggle with the burden of care as their child with devel-
opmental disabilities of a medically complex nature (such as those associated
with CP) age and grow physically larger. When first diagnosed, it is difficult
to imagine the trajectory of development for these children. The advent of
early intervention has greatly improved the functional abilities of children
born with developmental disabilities. When children grow and it becomes
difficult to manage their activities of daily living and education within the
family, parents must consider the possibility of moving the child to a resi-
dential care facility (RCF). Arriving at the decision to place one’s child in an
RCF is a difficult, painful process for families, and invokes guilt and a sense
of loss of future hopes for functional rehabilitation of their child.
Although RCFs differ, the RCF in this case, in addition to a residen-
tial component, is comprised of a specialized school and hospital, as well
as medical clinics that provide for the needs of facility residents as well as
individuals with developmental disabilities (IWDD) in the community at