There is so much emphasis on young kids diagnosed with autism. What do we need to do when they are first diagnosed? What things can we do to support them? How do we get them in the right program? Let’s make sure we understand their strengths and weaknesses. Phoebe was about 6 when she was clinically diagnosed as having Autism (PDD-NOS), so I’ve done all that for her. She got in the right programs, got medications adjusted, and adjusted again (and again). She spent time doing different therapies (some worked, some didn’t), and got out of high school with a certificate of completion. She’s even in a fantastic post-secondary program. Yep. Did that.

Now she’s 23. At 26, she will age out of her fantastic program, and then what? Then, what happens to these adults with disabilities like autism? I’ve been looking at Adult Foster Care homes all around the Saginaw area. None of them meet her needs. They aren’t just women, or have a non-shared room, or haven’t been investigated for abuse of some kind. I get to be picky on this one, because I know her the best. This journey of finding the correct placement falls on me.

There is also this sense of wanting her to have the best life she can. What does that mean for her? She enjoys shopping, eating, going to arcades, etc. I would like her to be able to work a simple job down the line. She can’t sit at home and watch the Wiggles for the rest of her life (Insert eye roll). Her fabulous daycare (A Place for Grace) is working towards a place that this could happen – A Place for Grace Community. There would be housing, 24 hour care, activities in their day, jobs, etc. I hope this happens sooner than later as I’m not getting younger. It’s also wearing on me not being able to go anywhere without finding a sitter, or taking her to a family member.

Basically, it comes down to the fact that we have very limited resources for these kids who are now adults. We front-loaded their lives with all those things in the beginning, and then we kind of give up once they get past 18. There has to be more for them, right? We do this for our elderly and make community homes for them, it should be easy to do for our adults with disabilities (mental or physical). Right?? You’d think so.

I guess I’ll take that on too, but I can’t be the ONLY one who has this issue.