After Graduation Part 2
Some individuals with autism will strike out on their own after graduating from high school and others will need some help to live semi-independently. Others will need significant support and may choose to live at home. We are continuing the discussion about making plans to ease that transition from “high school student” to “young adult.”
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1. Friends. After high school graduation, most young adults lose contact with long-time school friends. If they just sit around the house, recent graduates with autism can become very isolated. Family members can scout opportunities for making new friends. Check out the community center for exercise groups, bowling leagues or t-ball for adults with special needs, gardening groups, or other recreational groups that match the interests of your friend with autism. If none are available, get something going. Check out a future installment on FAQautism.com called “Circle of Friends.”
2. Decreasing dependence. Sometimes family members do everything for a person who needs significant support, so the individual with autism never learns to take care of any personal needs. Decrease this dependence by taking time to purposefully teach daily living skills, step by step. For example, with systematic patient teaching, he might learn to put his clothes in the washer one week, transfer them into the dryer the following week, and, finally, learn to transfer them from the dryer to their closet the following week. If your friend just learns to take care of one little self-help task a week, he will be 52 times more independent by the end of just one year. For more ideas about teaching daily living skills, check out a future installment on FAQautism.com called “Decreasing Dependence.”
3. Leisure time. Although most teenagers wish they had more leisure time, they realize that free time quickly turns into boredom after graduation. Family members can help decrease boredom and increase contentment by helping individuals with autism fill that leisure time productively. Rather than parking a person in front of a television for hours on end, provide a variety of leisure time options so they have choices for free time. Hang a hammock or hammock swing in the back yard or on the porch or in a room. Get a puppy or cat. Get an iPod and help your friend download a new song each day. Teach them to play challenge games on the computer or a game system. Check out three new books or DVD’s at the public library each week. Think creatively and consider the person’s interests and functioning level when searching for options for their free time.
These are just a few of the areas that warrant consideration as a person with autism who needs significant daily support jumps into the adventure of adulthood after graduating from high school. We welcome your suggestions and your questions. Just click on the comments button or send us a message talk@FAQautism.com
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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