Published on 12, July, 2020
To me there still seems to be a gap in the market, with most resources focussing on autistic children and young adults and hardly anything for older people. So it makes a change to see a video on the experience of older autistic people. We could really due with resources that cover the whole lifespan, I think, including end of life care (my unidentified autistic dad died on a busy, noisy ward (radio 2 blaring constantly, as if this would automatically be helpful to patients) which, even though I wasn't aware of our neurodivergence even just a few years ago, I know would have made him much less comfortable).Dad enjoyed peace and quiet, or maybe a little Radio 4 and I remember thinking that it was a pity he wouldn't wear earphones (great difficulty putting up with anything around his head or face, including glasses). We all need and deserve much better as we grow older. www.youtube.com/watch
Part of the problem is that there aren’t that many elderly autistic people. I read a paper recently I think it said the average life expectancy of a high functioning autistic person was 58
With both Asperger's/ASD & sz/sz-a, both known for people dying prematurely, I guess I'm lucky to still be alive at 65.
This worries me more.Especially as the chances of dementia are increased with a sz/sz-a dx too. https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20211011/adults-with-autism-more-than-two-times-likely-to-receive-dementia-diagnosis I have very few things I'm even remotely good at. I'm crap at lots of things. Although it's not resulted in great achievements, and is just a sticking plaster covering a gaping hole of ineptitude, I am quite good at high range IQ tests. It's said the average person will get 10-15% of questions right on such tests. I'm getting 70%+ verbal,50%+ numerical and 30%+ spatial questions right. To lose that ability would be awful. Whereas physically I've always been badly coordinated with poor balance,gait and posture. Age has just made it a little worse than it used to be.
I should clarify that's a joke at my own expense - I've just wished you improbable immortality! No offense remotely meant. 65 isn't really 'old' any more, so hope you have many more years ahead
I'm very glad you are. And I hope you stay that way. Within reason! :-)