This is a collaborative post and doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of this blog or its author.
There is plenty of good, sound and helpful advice to be found on this blog regarding being a parent of a child that has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but now it’s time to look at the other end of the age spectrum. As your loved one gets older, they may also need help moving around the house.
To find advice on this matter, make sure to read on.
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First of all, consider just how autism can affect the elderly
The first thing to do when putting a care plan together to look after an elderly person who is autistic is to consider just how the condition affects them. And, the first thing to consider in regards to this is the fact that, more often than not, the condition forces the elderly to find going outside exceedingly difficult, especially when this involves meeting new people. Thus, the likelihood of them reclusing and subsequently becoming lonelier than they ever have been in their life becomes incredibly high. What’s more, this can then lead to them struggling with social interactions and, if they do still have to work for a living, them both finding it difficult to get work and then keeping a job. When you come to looking after an autistic elderly relative, you need to consider all of these facts.
Once you know the impact autism has on the elderly, work them in your plan
The care plan that you put in place should cater directly to targeting the impacts that autism has on the elderly that are found above; it’s as simple as that. What this means, first and foremost, is that you should continue to push your elderly relative out into the open, particularly out into social events where they will be forced to interact. You need to this because not allowing your relative to become a recluse in the moments of the day that you aren’t there for them is pivotal if you want them to retain the standard of life that they deserve in their old age.
Know that there is help out there, and then accept it
When doing all of the above and then attempting to put your care plan into place you need to know that there is help out there in regards to your venture. And, once you know that this is the case, you need to be open to accepting this help. This could mean accepting monetary assistance from a federal health insurance that caters to both the autistic and the elderly, such as Medicare Insurance. This could mean turning to professional support systems, such as visiting carers or even live-in carers, for care support. Or, this could mean attending support groups on the matter of autism support and taking all of the advice you find in the group home with you. Basically, you just need to find help whenever and wherever you can, and you need to accept it.
