Circle of Friends
After high school graduation, most young adults lose contact with long-time school friends and acquaintances. Unless family members take purposeful steps for regular social contact, recent graduates with autism can end up spending their days sitting around the house and can become very bored and isolated from other people.
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School gives us a chance to hang around with people and to be in touch with acquaintances. Once a person graduates, those chances for regular, daily contact with other people evaporate unless a person is able to get a job. And, even when a person does have a job, the work setting may not allow for much spontaneous social interaction. We can help our friends with autism by scouting out opportunities for being in contact with other people and for developing new friendships.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. Check out your local community center for exercise groups, swimming, gardening groups, or other recreational groups that match the interests of your friend with autism. They may even have some activities specifically for adults with special needs e.g. adapted bowling leagues, equine therapy, softball leagues, or t-ball. Weekly visits to the library or assisted volunteer work with Meals on Wheels or other projects also help strengthen community ties.
LOCAL FESTIVITIES. Most communities offer lots of free events that could be of interest e.g. car shows, outdoor concerts, holiday parades, air shows, little league games, softball tournaments, fairs, and festivals. Just keep your eyes peeled and mark the calendar when an interesting activity pops up.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS. Family members and friends can set up some regular events to keep individuals with autism in the social loop and in contact with people. For example, one family hosted an informal “circle of friends” dinner once a month for their adult daughter with limited communication and social skills. They invited friends from school days, neighbors, past teachers and therapists, and family members. Photos and videos of the event helped their daughter remember names and faces, and they provided a good topic of conversation in the intervening month.
SOCIAL MEDIA. One young adult keeps in touch with his far-flung extended family and friends through e-mail. He needs a bit of help typing and reading messages, but he has learned how to share photos of family events with relatives who live in other states, including his brother who is an out-of-state college student. This young man thrives on the regular contact with others.
We welcome your input. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to 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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