When we hear or talk about people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we often just think of children with the disorder. On the news, they only talk about children with autism, but what about the adults who have lived with this disorder for years, whether they are diagnosed for not.
An adult with ASD is less likely to get married. Even the high-functioning autistics have a difficult time finding a job and if they do manage to get one, it is most often far below their qualification. Many young adults with autism are still dependent upon his or her family for care, something that can be hard for the parents who want their children to become independent. ” . . . 59 percent of people who receive autism services are living with their families,” according to Charlie Lakin, who heads the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota.
“Don Meyer, the founder and director of the Sibling Support Project and the creator of Sibshops, a network of programs for young siblings of children with special needs, said: “Parents need to share their plans for their special-needs child with their typically developing kids. After Mom and Dad are no longer there, it is likely it will be the brothers and sisters who will ensure their sibling leads a dignified life, living and working in the community.”
There was an “explosion” of children with autism born in the 1990s and now they transitioning into adulthood.
“We are facing a crisis of money and work force,” said Nancy Thaler, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services. “The cohort of people who will need services — including aging baby boomers — is growing much faster than the cohort of working-age adults that provide care.”
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