Autism fact – Autistic people have difficulties with interpreting both verbal and non-verbal language like gestures or tone of voice. This can affect social communication.
For over ten years, I worked in the care industry supporting those with learning difficulties and challenging behaviours, of all ages. It was a job that I loved. The people I worked with and those I support were truly amazing.
Autism comes in all shapes and sizes. No two people are the same, which is the same for us who don’t have it. We’re all individuals with our own quirks and idiosyncrasies. The same applies to Autism. I have worked with people who were high functioning, who had a high capacity to live their life and those who unfortunately needed greater support in their day to day lives.
They are individuals who welcome you with a smile and take joy in life. That’s not to say that there weren’t bad days too. Days when you spent more time ducking and diving than smiling and laughing, but we are all human, we simply express ourselves differently.
The people I supported generally needed a routine. Deviating from this would cause them to feel anxious and stressed. As a way to alleviate this, we found ways to inform them of the day’s activity. This could be via a number of different ways. Verbal, or visual, or sign language. Whatever worked best for that person, and tailored specifically to them.
Some of the individuals I supported had jobs and went out to work, where others needed great support. Help with personal care, dressing, eating, taking their medication, getting out and accessing the local community.
This reminds me of a teddy bear given by a parent that a man still keeps. He is non-communicative but he smiles when he sees and holds it. Is it the smell, or a happy memory? I still have a bear from my childhood and it provokes warmth and love and reminds me of my family and I like to think that he might have those same reactions.
Unfortunately, as we live in times of austerity, certain avenues of support are slowly dwindling away.
New ‘villages’ are now considered the way forward. These villages will cater exclusively for individuals with learning difficulties including Autism. They’ll have their own shops, but in effect, this will become their only access to community.
It means less support in place; less staff required. I personally don’t consider this a step in the right direction, but money in the care sector has been cut drastically over the years and so cuts for those that require support and those that provide it need to be made.
On the plus side, these villages would offer a level of independence to some who may not have that in their current circumstances. They may be able to learn new skills and increase their knowledge.
It all depends on what is available and how it would benefit the individual involved.
I’m hoping in the future we will find a balance that works for all, enabling those within the system to have the support they need and be able to access the wider community.
I didn’t want this blog post to be negative and I have left out many areas that can cause concern for those we support. Contract changes, new companies being brought in that mean staff changes and changes to working patterns. All these can affect the individual we support: some positive and some negative.
The care sector needs support and more money injected into it. Staff need more support and better training and a more rigorous screening before being offered a job.
However, overall, the sector is trying to address these issues and I have hopes that one day it will succeed. All life is precious and everyone has the right to live their life to the best of their abilities.
