Autistic and old

I'm wondering what it will be like for autistic people as we age and maybe need residential care, will there be any provision for us? Will the cognitive tests for dementia be modified to accomodate us? I could well see a situation where I'm asked to do something and can't do it because I've never been able to do it and its not a sign of cognitive degeneration.

How will care homes cope with us? Will we be force fed ABBA or The Beatles because thats what some well meaning NT decides was popular in our youth? What if we want to listen to the Sex Pistols or the Clash, or Pink Floyd? I see older people in care homes and what they're made to put up with in terms of "activities", a steady diet of soaps would make me wish to to impaired to care, will we be able to watch re-runs of Game of Thrones? What about our need for personal space? I've heard that called "self isolating" by dementia nurses, it dosent' seem to occur to them that for many of us hell is other people.

Parents
  • When my mother was in a care home she was asked if she would like to go down to the lounge to sit with the other residents.

    She said 'no'.

    The staff member asked her why and her response was 'I don't like people'.

    This appeared to cause some consternation amongst the staff but it was so true of her and at least she still had the mental capacity to tell it as straight as she had all her life!

Reply
  • When my mother was in a care home she was asked if she would like to go down to the lounge to sit with the other residents.

    She said 'no'.

    The staff member asked her why and her response was 'I don't like people'.

    This appeared to cause some consternation amongst the staff but it was so true of her and at least she still had the mental capacity to tell it as straight as she had all her life!

Children