What is society's responsibility for the care of individuals with Autism as they become adult and elderly?

Question

Autism is a growing condition which will impact all of us in many ways when the children of today become the dependent adults of tomorrow.

Answer 1

If you know anything about Autism, you certainly know that more than 80% of the individuals with Austism have very mild forms of it and it shows as a learning disability, not a function disability, like that of Down's Syndrome per say. Also, diagnosis of Autism is rising due to the fact we can now spot it. Austism is not NEW, but it was often hidden in the form of "problem children" that grow into "problem adults", which show up in our prison system most of all. Now that we can spot Autism, we can help train children more carefully into productive adults instead of dismissing them as "problem children" as the baby boomers had done.

Answer 2

I mostly agree with Kali. Most people classified as "autistic" are high functioning & are not dependent as adults. I'm not sure if 80% is accurate. I read in one survey that 45% have low IQs and one speaker said 60% are verbal.

Anyway, I think in a compasionate society, it is our responsibility to take care of those who can't take care of themselves and help those who truly need it. (How much of that help should come from the government & how much from private charity is a question for the politics section.) Many won't need any help. Some will need a half-way house. And a few will need to be institutionalized. (A 250 pound man throwing a temper tantrum is a terrifying thing.)

But I think it is fair to point out that the "1 out of 150" stat sounds scarier than it is, not that it isn't scary enough on its own. And the "epidemic increase" is also a gross exageration. The rate of DIAGNOSIS may have risen 60 fold, but that doesn't mean the actual INCIDENCE RATE has risen that much. Most people with Aspergers these days are diagnosed but 30 years ago, none would have been diagnosed. (I suspect at least one of my uncles would have been diagnosed with Asperger's if he was growing up these days)

Still, one expert from the M.I.N.D. Institute said she felt the incidence rate has doubled in the past 25 years. That is significant enough. Why the need to exagerate? (I know! To scare people into supporting more funding)

Answer 3

They will need to go into group homes or assisted living homes. Some might even be able to go out to live on their own. Each autistic person is different and individual. Just like everything else, time will tell... My nephew is autistic but he is lucky to have a dad who keeps him at home. He has a job and works and is able to be left alone with very little supervision. But like I said, everyone is different !!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

A society's worth is determined by how they treat their least privileged citizens, not it's most privileged. To echo Smart Kat, if they cannot take care of themselves and have some respectable quality of life, then it is our duty to help them. Disabled persons do not ask to be disabled so it's not like we're supporting a bunch of people who choose not to contribute. They just need assistance sometimes, and we owe it to them so that they maintain their full person-hood.