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Older Adults on the Spectrum Face a Variety and Number of Major Challenges
In spite of being fortunate enough to have avoided many of the challenges presented by aging on the autism spectrum, I nevertheless feel that I am in a position to write about these as an older adult on the spectrum who recently became a senior citizen. I was already a middle-aged adult (age 44) at...
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Autism After 65 – Making the Most of the Golden Years
For the most part, this article is not based on research. I am using personal life experiences and the reports of individuals with whom I have corresponded and/or personally known for many years through research for my previous book, The Partner’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome. Many of the subjects...
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Supporting Pioneers: Building Better Networks for Adults Aging with Autism
Although traditionally understood as a childhood condition, autism is a lifelong disorder that presents in both children and adults. Many of the children with this disorder who were born during the last century and who are now reaching mid- and later-life did not receive formal diagnoses of autism....
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Best Practices in Support of Aging Adults with Autism
The DSM V which was released to the public in May, 2013, took the controversial decision to consolidate the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, or High Functioning Autism (HFA), under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The particularism of Asperger Syndrome had provided a framework with...
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Three Strategies to Strengthen Communication for Adults with Autism and Learning Differences
Communication is an essential skill that contributes to success with relationships. Individuals with ASD particularly focus on growth in their communicative skills for a majority of their lives. With young adulthood comes the combination of self-identity development and the presentation of more...
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Moving Forward with Will Power
My name is Will Peters, I am a recent graduate of AHRC New York City’s Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MRHEP) at the College of Staten Island. The College of Staten Island is one of the colleges of the City University of New York, which provides students with intellectual and other...
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Transition to Adulthood: Many Difficult Yet Essential Challenges for Autistics
As a group, autistics are well-known for having difficulty with many kinds of changes in their lives. The transition to adulthood constitutes one of the most difficult and, at the same time, one of the most important that most people ever make. This transition usually presents challenges for...
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Preparing for the Challenges of Adulthood
The transition for individuals affected by autism from special education services to adult services often poses a great deal of anxiety and barriers for the individual in transition, as well as for their parents, caregivers and service professionals. Under the Individuals with Disabilities...
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Online Dating and Neurodiversity
Much has been written about the basic safety considerations of online dating, yet little research has been conducted to understand the nuanced difficulties that may be present for individuals on the autism spectrum who date online. A survey by Roth and Gillis (2015) found the most commonly reported...
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Adults with Autism Face a Unique Set of Dangers and Hazards
The dangers and hazards of the world that are faced by autistic children and adolescents are very well known, and much has been said and written about them. Adults with autism, however, all too often face a variety of threats not frequently encountered by neurotypicals. I will be discussing these...
