AUT-OLDER: adolescent and adult issues.

Purpose: Many of the existing lists are dominated by parents of very young children. The issues involved in caring for an adolescent or adult with an autistic spectrum disorder are considerably different. While parents and others involved with older autistics may serve as guides and mentors to others earlier in their journey, it is also beneficial to have a place for people to discuss issues more relevant to their lives and loved ones without having to sift through hundreds of posts of irrelevant material.

Discussion Topics:

• education: transitions, post secondary
• housing: residential placement, supported living, independence
• life planning: wills, estates, and special needs trusts, guardianship
• life skills: cooking, household management, mobility, safety
• employment, day programs, sheltered workshops, supported employment
• health: puberty, fertility and family planning, hygeine and personal care
• behaviour: self-injury, aggression, risk-taking
• late diagnosis
• any other issues of importance to list members

Target:

• parents of adolescent or adults with autism
• caregivers for autistic people
• secondary level special ed teachers
• people with an autistic specrum disorder
• people who work with adolescent or adult autistic people in any setting