Discovering Capabilities for Community Living and Participation for Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Goal: This Hispanic minority serving institution project will explore and discover the life situation capability priorities for improved community living of older autistic adults (55 > years) with, enabling their intrinsic capacities for community action performances. The superimposition of age-related and ASD-related deterioration could theoretically result in greater impairments to inclusive community living than expected with age-related decline alone, but that would depend on capabilities and opportunities in life situations and over time. Yet, there is virtually no research evidence on the capabilities enablement of intrinsic capacities for the older adults with ASD community living and social inclusion outcomes.
Objective: We propose to engage in participatory action research to identity and characterize the life situation capability priorities of older autistic adults as rehabilitation tools for transforming their intrinsic capacities for self-managing their community living. Project staff will work collaboratively with autistic community partners including national aging and disability associations, autism spectrum networks, and centers for independent living to explore and amplify capabilities and priorities of the ageing autistic community.
Outcomes: Intermediate outcomes of the study include 1) identification of life situation capability types and priorities as tools for improving the of inclusive community living of older autistic adults by their intrinsic capacities and community action predisposition, and 2) data to inform relationship distress policies, strategies, and efficacy studies.
Products: Products from this project will be 1) evidence based capability supports that would lead to improved community living outcomes for older autistic adults; and 2) a prospective capability support intervention framework for use with older autistic adults for self-determination and socially inclusive living.
