Hi,
You will have to forgive me if I sound extremely uneducated but if someone has mild/medium autism, would they be able to live a life on their own - live in their own property, look after themselves, cook/clean/shop etc?
I understand autism affects people differently, some have it very mild and can work and live life on their own but others have it really bad and need constant care and support.
I’m asking because I had a case at work where someone was being looked after by a grandparent who has now died. The extended family have made the person homeless.
I’m also asking because I have an older sister and when my Mum eventually passes, she is going to be in the exact same situation. She has never been diagnosed with autism but shows slight traits.
Thanks,
Hi. My name is Kristie and i am an online community host for carers uk. Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment are you getting any extra outside support? I know it might not feel the same but the forum has a number of carers from all walks of life who understand what your going through and are happy to support you and share their experience.
Best Wishes.
Kristie.
@ontheverge it very much depends. They would likely have to be taught how to do these things for themselves, especially if they have never been shown nor expected to do them before. Just because they can do it in one environment doesn’t necessarily mean they can generalise it to another. They are likely to have difficulty with ‘executive functioning’ so would struggle with organisation and the order in which to do things. A person’s functioning will vary depending on a variety of factors. They may struggle with initiating activities and need prompts.
The case at work is not as dire as the relation was making it out to be. They did an assessment and the person was able to manage most things. The autism was also not diagnosed, it was the relation self diagnosing.