Autistic Adults

[Jack Parkman]

As one of the people in this title, I think it is time to talk about this issue.

Autism is a spectrum, and no two people on it are alike. You can have average IQ people, Low IQ people or High IQ people. You can have a minimal gap between performance and intelligence, an average one or an incredibly high one. Among those that are high functioning(considered Average to High IQ) some combination of that, along with repetitive behaviors, and lack of understanding of social skills/protocol are the major issues that come with this diagnosis.

 

There are many resources for kids, while in school, but next to none for adults. Those that do exist are for those on the lower end of the IQ scale combined with a high gap between performance and intelligence. They throw people like this into grocery bagging jobs, or dishwashing, etc. Jobs that one can't support themselves with. With over 2% of males and just under 2% of the population diagnosed with this condition now, I think that the lack of acceptance of autistic adults into the neurotypical workforce is just shortsighted. If we have 330 million people in this country, there are around 6 million people that are being discarded by society. Most of them are useful people who have good brains that are being rejected constantly. The job search protocol is rigged against autistic people. You have to sell yourself, that is the hardest thing for an HFA(high functioning autistic) to do Most will be brutally honest in an interview, acknowledging both strengths and shortcomings in full detail. Employers claim they can't hire someone on the spectrum because they don't know this and that and that about social protocol and workplace expectations. Also, the traits that most employers want (soft skills, tactfulness, conforming to the company culture) HFA people won't do, because we don't understand and have no concept of these things. We can get it eventually, after it being explained multiple times, it seems nobody has the patience for that.

 

Anyway, my point is, that there has to be something done because a)HFA people are going to college, taking out loans under the presumption that they are going to be treated fairly and are not being treated fairly. b) No services for those over the age of 18-21, to make wise choices about their future lives c) Those who haven't done a) are stuck doing minimum wage jobs indefinitely, and that is not going to cut it when their parents die and those who have done a) aren't being given a fair shake in their chosen field, whether it is a tech job or not. The estimated numbers of the unemployed autistic have gone up each year: The first time I looked in 2012 the estimation was 85% By 2016 the estimation is now 92%. That is unacceptable behavior from society, IMO. You can't just discard people because they, in computer terms, run a different Operating System in their brains. There are incredible advantages to this condition, and the biggest one is hyperfocus. If given clear, concise instructions, a HFA individual can block everything around him/her and just focus on work. I know this because I have done it. I hyperfocus about anything and everything. I could outperform everyone on certain things, but when I try to explain this in an interview, just the fact that I say that word seems "cocky." IMO, employers are just making excuses not to hire us because we're very different and require a little more molding.

 

There should be a class that teaches workplace skills to those like myself available, so that we're more prepared for the real world. There is almost nothing out there. There are people who are willing to help all over the country and world, but they are focused in the urban centers, but we have to reach those who are far away. For example, I have to go 45 miles one way to get from my home to my job. They are one of a few places who help in Chicagoland, and I found them when they were the only one. Even so, there is the final problem: Independence

 

The biggest issue for those on the spectrum is becoming independent of your family. We want to live like any Neurotypical adult would. We can't afford to because the jobs aren't there for us. Those that do exist pay better than minimum wage, but not enough to live on, even with a single person. Social security doesn't help either, because if you make enough to barely survive you don't get it anymore. they limit you to 720 dollars/month and give you nothing if you make 1000 dollars/month. How is one supposed to live on 1000 dollars/month??????? No job that is available to us makes us even that. So we all live at home or independently with financial support indefinitely. And therein lies the problem. What is going to happen when we reach our 40s and 50s and our parents are no longer there or able to financially support us? It seems like society is punishing our families because they have a son/daughter who is different, but able, and they won't let us do a damn thing to support ourselves.

 

Now should we get paid the same as someone else who can do the job without the social support network? Not right now. But.......we should be able to make an independent life for ourselves, and we can't. We're being shunned. There are plenty of ways that we can help a company, but they won't let us.

 

This is what was said to me by my professors when I was in college: You are one of the smartest, best students we've ever had walk through this department, you just can't get out of your own way sometimes. Not kidding. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering. I received one interview over the course of 4 years for anything related to it. Every time I go back to my school. I have gone through the disability networks for work, nothing. Persona non grata, I am. I have accepted my lot in life at this point, but I'm not happy about it. Society's attitude towards us doesn't only need to change, it HAS to change. There are too many people like myself that need to be independent, productive members of society. 4-5 million of them.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Elgin Slim

[Iwritecode]

I have a nephew that is autistic. He is non-verbal and my wife and I have often wondered what is going to happen to him when he gets older. At this point I don't see him ever being able to care for himself.

 

My daughters also have a friend that is autistic but a bit higher functioning. She is 20 and out of HS now but doesn't really have much of a plan for the future. She lived with us for a couple of years but now is back living with her mom. She could probably hold down a job but it would probably be one that is low-skill/low-pay. Again I have no idea what is going to happen down the road when her mom is no longer able to care for her.

[knightni]

The future is probably group homes, There's a growing trend of development in this area.

[Jack Parkman]

Bringing this back because I would like more people to read this. I want to get the word out, the more people that read what I wrote the better. I can blog all I want but that will only be read by parents of kids on the spectrum or those who are themselves. This affects everyone people, not just me or those who it affects directly. This is a public health issue, because in 20 years or so if nothing changes those who are in their 20s and 30s will be either a) homeless or b) Well, we as a society have to do something with this large group of people who don't "fit in."

 

Group homes aren't an answer IMO, because those basically trade labor for food and shelter. Might be ok for those who are intellectually disabled, but not for those who aren't. it is insulting to me to do that. All I want really is to fit in with society as best as I can and be able to live similarly to anyone else with average intellect. I'm speaking out about my situation because I think that it is really hard to wake up every day realizing what is happening to you but being nearly powerless to change anything about it. Really, what am I supposed to do? Just accept it? That is giving up. I don't do that. I will continue to fight for people on the spectrum and there has to be a way to integrate those who are high functioning into society at large. There are plenty of jobs that would be good for us and some organization, what do we have to do to break the barrier?

Edited September 8, 2016 by Elgin Slim

[bmags]

Thanks Elgin for sharing this.

 

The previous owners of our current house had a nonverbal autistic son. Mortgaged house to care for him then lost job. Group homes are something but seems a bit like an outta site outta mind solution.

[Jack Parkman]

Thanks Elgin for sharing this.

 

The previous owners of our current house had a nonverbal autistic son. Mortgaged house to care for him then lost job. Group homes are something but seems a bit like an outta site outta mind solution.

RE: group homes-exactly my thoughts.

BTW as an update, my current job is getting better/more consistent, and a family member hired me to do some office work either indefinitely or until my contract/part time job becomes full time. My part time job is a great thing because without it I'd have nothing. I feel incredibly lucky to have found it when I did and have been able to help the business grow as much as it has. I'd suggest you guys check it out sometime, and read some of the testimonials from employees there. We're all just happy that someone gave us a shot to do something productive. Otherwise we'd be doing a whole lot of nothing as society continues to reject us.

http://aspiritech.org/

 

My point is and always has been though, that companies like that shouldn't have to exist, because society is failing to integrate pepole on the spectrum by finding jobs with a high turnover rate for neurotypicals that involve repetitve tasks, and assigning them to those on the spectrum.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Elgin Slim

[Texsox]

Group homes aren't an answer IMO, because those basically trade labor for food and shelter.

 

We all trade our labor for food and shelter. That's why we work. It really doesn't matter if the company that pays you also provides the shelter or you take an additional step and cash a check from company A and write a check to company B. You are still trading labor for food and shelter.

 

In the broader view there are two major issues here, work and shelter. Each should be maxed for the individual. For some who need help caring for themselves and need help paying for the care the most appropriate facility may be a group home. And that regardless of the circumstances that led to a person needing assistance with their day to day living. The people who can afford better accommodations of course are free to buy whatever services they like. But as you know that also ties in with

 

Work. We can't escape an economic system that requires business owners to seek out the greatest labor for the least cost. There just isn't an incentive in our system for business owners to sacrifice profits for people. The better the skill set you have the better leverage you have with employers. There does need to be better awareness of the abilities of Autistic individuals so that employers are more willing to employ people with Autism.

[Jack Parkman]

We all trade our labor for food and shelter. That's why we work. It really doesn't matter if the company that pays you also provides the shelter or you take an additional step and cash a check from company A and write a check to company B. You are still trading labor for food and shelter.

 

In the broader view there are two major issues here, work and shelter. Each should be maxed for the individual. For some who need help caring for themselves and need help paying for the care the most appropriate facility may be a group home. And that regardless of the circumstances that led to a person needing assistance with their day to day living. The people who can afford better accommodations of course are free to buy whatever services they like. But as you know that also ties in with

 

Work. We can't escape an economic system that requires business owners to seek out the greatest labor for the least cost. There just isn't an incentive in our system for business owners to sacrifice profits for people. The better the skill set you have the better leverage you have with employers. There does need to be better awareness of the abilities of Autistic individuals so that employers are more willing to employ people with Autism.

Point taken about trading labor for food and shelter. And you are correct about about the fact that there isn't an incentive for business owners to trade profits for people. That needs to change, IMO. There are too many people with not enough jobs, regardless of whether they are Autistic or not. When there is a surplus of labor, as there is now, there is a problem because too many people can't find work. They get stigmatized based on past times where if you wanted to work, you could. This is no longer the case, whether one wants to admit it or not. I'm sure there are plenty of people who WANT to work but CAN'T, because there simply isn't enough demand for ANYTHING right now. All of you who have jobs should consider yourselves incredibly lucky. IMO those in their 20s or early 30s in order to work, have to be the best of the best, otherwise f*** you, you don't get to. Go live in your parent's basement like a troll until they die, and then you will die too. That is the essence of our system right now, you know, maybe it's not the economy that is the problem, maybe it is the system.

[iamshack]

My wife's brother has some sort of developmental disability. I am unsure exactly whether it is autism, or something else...my wife has never really formally told me.

 

He is a very intelligent young man. Thirty-one years old. Can have very intelligent conversations on subject matter he enjoys, particularly history. On the other hand, he struggles in certain social situations and seems to enjoy leading a lifestyle similar to what I recall myself living when I was in my early teens. Enjoys playing video games, collecting toys, and just generally keeping to himself. He worked as a cashier at Target for a year or so, but then quit because of the stress it caused him.

 

Very nice person, but just not quite comfortable out in the world.

 

I've known since the time my wife and I got serious that the burden to support him would fall upon us at some time in the near future. He lives with her parents, and they very much enjoy having him there, but at some point, as they get older, it will become more and more of a struggle for them to care for him. My wife and I have already been planning on him moving in at some point and living out his adult year with us. He is truly a great person - he is great with our son - and so I have no problem whatsoever with this.

 

It does make me wonder, however, what he would do if something happened to us or if to others who may not have family to support them.

[Balta1701]

Tangentially related and found this interesting in my weekend paper - the State of Texas appears to have decided to enforce an upper limit to the fraction of students in public schools that they are willing to consider special needs. Once a school goes past 8.5% of their students qualifying as special needs, officials get on them to reduce the numbers in order to keep the costs down. Enforcement has Texas with the lowest fraction of students in special needs and a number of stories of people trying to get their children into that program but with little response from the state.

 

Anyway, sorry for the hijack, just found that a worth sharing article.

[Chisoxfn]

Elgin...In case you hadn't seen it, below is a link to a new study that seems to be showing some promising leads as it relates to autism. World is lucky I'm not a scientist as I would have never put two and two together. Hopefully this truly is a breakthrough and from here they can get closer on treating autism (would also be nice to know what the cause is of the increasing rates of autism).

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/h...0130-story.html

 

[Jack Parkman]

Elgin...In case you hadn't seen it, below is a link to a new study that seems to be showing some promising leads as it relates to autism. World is lucky I'm not a scientist as I would have never put two and two together. Hopefully this truly is a breakthrough and from here they can get closer on treating autism (would also be nice to know what the cause is of the increasing rates of autism).

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/h...0130-story.html

Maybe this would make life better, maybe it wouldn't. The point that I was trying to make though, is that we need to move beyond awareness, to acceptance. The reason why there are more people with Autism are: a) better understanding and recognition about what autism is (i.e. that it isn't just nonverbal and sensory issues) and diagnoses for that, b) disability is less stigmatized than it used to be. In the past people with mental health issues or autism would be institutionalized indefinitely. Not so anymore. That in and of itself is a big difference, but not enough. The way I like to look at it is that I am an "alien" (and by "alien" I mean ET not an immigrant) that is trying to assimilate into society and is finding it difficult if not impossible. People look at you funny. I'm not shy about being on the spectrum. When I go to find work I disclose and I won't do it any other way. If they don't hire me then f*** off. I don't want to work for you anyway. Unfortunately, I have had to tell almost everyone to f*** off so far. I am an unusual case, as I am not shy about meeting people, talking to strangers etc. I am very extroverted. I like being around people. My confidence is shot because of the constant rejection by society. I want to fight for people like myself, and take it an extra step further.

 

All in all, there has to be give and take for both an autistic person and the neurotypicals they interact with, in order to make a place for us. There are studies out there that prove that an autistic person will greatly outperform an NT at work in the right setting and given proper support. Being in the right setting is the easy part, giving the proper support is the hard one. IDK when or who will do what needs to be done. We're valuable, and nobody is giving us a chance to prove ourselves. Start up companies need not exist to give autistic people employment. Anyone can do it, and whoever does will be ahead of the curve. Microsoft, SAP and Ford are being the pioneers. Let's hope others follow suit. Things are on the up and up(I hope) Let's see who creates a program next.