Community opportunities for the disabled population are needed!

 

My name is Kathy and I work for Stepping Stone Support Center as a family care provider. I am blessed to be compensated for taking care of my adult son with autism. It is meaningful work because I can keep him in the home and care for him without having to be at another employer. 

Although I am glad to be the one caring for my son, there are many things about caring for an adult with autism people should know. There is not much available in the world for this population. Stepping Stone is one place where he is accepted, embraced and valued for who he is. Getting services for his deficits is hard if not impossible because he is an adult. The world needs to know that autism does not stop at age 18 when they become an adult and most services end.  Everyday we have to decide how to keep him entertained and happy through our efforts because not much is offered for an adult with developmental disabilities of a young child. Other than day program, which he can only handle once weekly due to high anxiety, he ends up doing things with us like running errands in the community, going to restaurants, the library and bowling. The hardest part is it's a 24/7 job with little to no breaks. Hiring respite or someone to help watch him is expensive and unaffordable.

In a perfect world, there would be places of entertainment that children enjoy-parks, playgrounds, gyms/play centers, arts & craft classes, etc. for adults who function at a younger age. My son's life is meaningful to him because we take him to do things he enjoys despite accessibility due to his autism. Caring for him is my full time 24/7 work which I wouldn't want anyone else to do. But more community opportunities-for the disabled population only-is needed.