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Any advice from latelings on what's available online for ancients (I'm 71) for socialising

Sweetpea

I'm recently diagnosed, and have thus missed out on a near lifetime of potential links with humans like myself.

I've had plenty rejections in the neurotypical world, so have more or less stopped trying.

I think online would suit me best, for a couple of reasons. It feels safer, and I'm in Scotland so face to face resources appear to be thinner on the ground, unlike in London and the South.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Another thing is how unprepared services are for older people with autism, at the age of 64 I seem to fall into "geriatric" services as theres a similar cliff edge as there is when you reach 18, trouble is all the "Age" services have no clue and think I'm to young for them. GGrrr

  • in reply to Bunny

    Is there one for North Wales, if not there should be! The service I went to was supposed to be for adults but I was the oldest one there, it was drop in and the whole thing was about as autism unfriendly as you can get.

    One of my big bug bears with so many services and it seem particularly autism services is they always want you to do everything online and think digital stuff is the best thing "as we don't like socialising", grr

  • in reply to Sweetpea

    Glad to help!

    Sweetpea said:
    And I suspect you enjoy putting them together.

    I do, but all the more so when I know it's been appreciated, so thank you for saying so.

  • in reply to Bunny

    This looks great. I wish there was something similar in England. 

  • Thank you Bunny, for your effort in putting together this information for me. You're spot on, I appreciate comprehensive communications! And I suspect you enjoy putting them together.

    I like the sound of the what's next programme from NAS Scotland, so shall pursue that first, and then work through the other links you've sent me

  • What's Next? from the NAS Scotland might also be of interest. It's a new service for newly-diagnosed and self-realised adults in Scotland.

    Sorry for yet more links, but I suspect from your other thread that you might not mind them! Slight smile

    From the two linked pages - which include sign-up details:

    "What’s Next? is a programme of support designed for recently diagnosed or self-identifying autistic adults who are over the age of 18 and living in Scotland."

    "The programme aims to support and empower autistic people by deepening their understanding of autism and autistic identity, improving wellbeing, and fostering peer connections.

    Participants will attend a six-week block of online sessions where they will explore a variety of topics including diagnosis, identity, masking, executive functioning, spoon theory, and making connections."

    NAS Scotland - What's Next?

    NAS Scotland - What's Next? Programme Launch

  • Alongside enjoying chatting with others here (where friendships can develop naturally over time), you might find some of the suggestions below helpful - they include both "real world" and online options.

    My main thought would be to consider asking your GP for a referral to your local social prescriber / community link worker (they're the same thing). Or just ask your GP’s admin team, who might be able to tell you how to self refer. A social prescriber’s (non-medical) role is to develop a personalised care and support plan that meets your social, practical, and emotional needs. That could include, for example, helping you to find local groups or socialising activities that fit with your interests and other preferences. Here's an example of a service in Scotland:

    NHS Tayside - Social Prescribing in Perth & Kinross

    This article explains more about how the it works (it relates to England, but the same model operates throughout the UK):

    NHS England - Social prescribing

    You might also find some of the advice in these articles helpful:

    NAS - Loneliness 

    NAS - Making friends - a guide for autistic adults

    You might also be able to find some socialising opportunities via the the NAS's directory, or through a local or online NAS branch:

    NAS - Autism Services Directory

    NAS - Branches (including online-only branches)

    As a final couple of suggestions, you could:

    • Search on Facebook and/or Google for any local or national groups that might fit with your interests and hobbies.
    • Perhaps find some online games you enjoy that also include a social element (eg perhaps they have an associated chat group, or a built-in ways to socialise - like chatting in the game itself).

  • If you live near Glasgow, you could tale a look at DIFFERabled Scotland. They run a fortnightly adult friendship group, which meets on the Glasgow University campus. At the moment, they're taking a summer break (though with a couple of trips to the cinema and a couple of lunches during the break). In the past, they have also run a monthly online friendship group (but it seemed to peter out in the spring and there has been no word of it starting up again in the autumn).