can you help me develop high quality support for Autistic adults?

KerrieLightwood · January 21

Hello everyone, I have a supported living service in development and I really want it to provide the kind of support you or your loved one would be excited to live in. To do that I have linked with N.A.S and will be working with them but as the parent of an Autistic adult myself I know the best person to tell me what looks like great would be him! or you! If you are an Autistic adult or the partner/parent/family member of an Autistic adult would you help me? I will be posting new challenges regularly and looking for advice as to how to best rise to that challenge. I would be so grateful for any input

Cher_Scope · January 21

Hi @KerrieLightwood

This sounds like a great opportunity for our members to get involved with, thank you for sharing it.

What would participation look like for people? Also, would you be collecting any of our members details? If so, could you pop us an email through to [email protected] so we can run through a few safety bits

I hope you are having a great day and speak soon.

KerrieLightwood · January 21

Thanks for the response Cher, I haven't quite figured it out the detail as yet but I have a development plan which might ask a question such as "how will you make sure tenants views are heard in relation to how the rooms in the home are used" (made that one up) and I would post the question in this thread and invite people to let me know how they think I can do that.
I have no plans to collect peoples details but would possible transcribe their comments into my development plan

Tubz · January 22

Hi Kerrie. I have Aspergers and am passionate about developing support for the condition. Therefore, I am happy to help if I can.

KerrieLightwood · January 22

Thank you so much Tubz, if you wouldnt mind keeping an eye on this thread I hope to start asking questions at the end of next week

Ross_Scope · January 22

Sounds like a fun, engaging opportunity @KerrieLightwood

Looking forward to the questions.

[Deleted User] · January 24

I have Asperger's and it'll be 15 years in August since I moved into a supported living Flat in Netherthorpe, Sheffield, for about the first 5 years the support was excellent, and then just over 5 years after I moved in the Housing Association started making noises about me moving out, even though I was nowhere near ready and I'm still not... If I could move into Autism specific accommodation though with staff on site and my own Flat (I don't do shared living, never have done) I'd possibly like that.

Especially if it was in an area this end of Sheffield on a good Bus and Tram route.

KerrieLightwood · January 25

MrAllen Hi and thank you for the message, I hope you find your ideal home soon. so for you a place of your own is the most important thing or is there anything in a shared home that would encourage you to give that a try?

KerrieLightwood · February 12

Hi folks I have made a start and have a few questions around communication, if you have time to let me know what you think and please share with anyone else that might have an opinion

Thanks for the help

what is the best way to help you or an Autistic person you know to;
A. Understand what is being asked of you
B. Understand Information being given to you
C. Tell others something that matters to you
D. Cope with a social situation that is difficult

RichardLel · February 12

I like it, Austistic interests tend to come first above everything else, in getting someone to engage with someone wanting to interact. I not for everybody stuck in this situation with ASD as all individual and have own needs and abilty. But found with caring with family with autism, even with my self with autism, have to take on board their expectations first that able bring something new into the discussion. Talk about a social situation human interaction and there a sensory environment also to consider I find can cause breakdowns.

KerrieLightwood · February 12

Thank you Richard! so if I find out your interests and use that to communicate with you it helps? for example if someone is skilled at Art I might draw something that shows what I need or ask them to draw what they want to share ?
If I were to add a picture of something you were interested in would that help me to get your attention?

[Deleted User] · February 21

KerrieLightwood said:

MrAllen Hi and thank you for the message, I hope you find your ideal home soon. so for you a place of your own is the most important thing or is there anything in a shared home that would encourage you to give that a try?

Nope.

Worst thing was not being able to get in the Bathroom in a morning, especially when most mornings I wake up bursting for a wee, and couldn't back then because somebody was already in the Bathroom! Also not being able to choose what the evening meal was, for some bizarre reason they insisted on having Spag Bol most nights, and I hated that! Every night I'd end up going across to AJ's (local corner shop) for a Mars Bar or up the Chippy for a bag of chips, that was the good thing about living in Grimsby back then, because it's a Fishing Town there's a chip shop on most roads.

Nice little Town as well, if I could afford to live there I'd have possibly stayed on after I left College.

Kit_ · March 5

I think offering lots of options like text/writing, verbal or multiple choice (either written or pictures to choose from) is best. Someone could be happy speaking one day and non-verbal the next. Remembering what worked in the past is obviously great but no guarantee that it will always work. Making sure things are clear as well is important, sometimes if a question has 2 parts I won't know which is the bit you want me to answer, or if you're saying "it" but could be referring to 2 different things, that could be confusing. (I can't think of an example right now but it has happened a lot to me)

can you help me develop high quality support for Autistic adults?

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