Via Disability Scoop:
As adults with autism mature and move into middle age, they are finding it difficult to live independently, hold down jobs and sustain relationships, researchers say. A new study is providing a glimpse into the daily lives of adults with autism as they hit their 30s and 40s, a time period that’s traditionally received little attention from researchers looking at the developmental disorder. “Parents of kids with autism are usually really energized to help their child reach maximum potential,” which can prompt more research said Megan Farley, senior psychologist at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the lead author of the study, which was published recently in the journal Autism Research. “But there is a growing focus on this older population and you’ll see a lot more coming on this topic.” Farley’s research looked at a group of 169 adults ages 22 to 51 with autism, who had participated in a study in the 1980s of Utah children with autism. Either they or their parents or caregivers provided the information. More than 75 percent of study participants had intellectual disability in addition to autism. When it came to employment, 12 percent of those in the study had full-time jobs without support. A similar number had part-time jobs without special supports. Jobs held by participants ranged from janitorial work to restaurant service to trucking. However, 33 percent of those in the study attended day programs and 20 percent were unemployed.
Source/more: Disability Scoop