Older Autistic Adults’ Experiences, Attitudes and Support Needs

The paper presents new empirical data on the living and employment situations, aspirations and barriers to improving these situations of 78 autistic people aged 50-79. It uses a mixed methods approach with both qualitative and quantitative data collection from a single survey instrument. The work makes a significant contribution to the scarce literature on older autistic people, which is rarely concerned with their lived experiences. It provides both statistical data and gives older autistic people a voice through direct quotes from them which show them as actors and agents in their own lives. The analysis shows the importance of appropriate support as a potential enabler and contributor to quality of life, but more often its lack acting as a barrier to high quality living and occupational situations. It also highlights both some broad similarities between older autistic people’s living and employment situations and aspirations to those of the general older population, and some important differences. These differences included a greater need for quiet environments and their own space, sometimes even separate from partners, concerns about being accepted for who they are and a greater likelihood of living along and less likelihood of living with a partner.