Jun 09
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Autism Asperger 47s Syndrome
A head start on life
A head start on life
Adults with autism receive assistance, life skills
CAITLIN KENNY WRITES a list of goals on a whiteboard for his client, Jonathan Ross, he connects his meals in a recent computer at his apartment in New Haven. Kenny helps Ross, who has Asperger syndrome, with its power and social skills through a pilot program conducted by the state Department of Development Services. (CLOE POISSON / January 9, 2008)
By MEGAN Courant | KATHLEEN Editor
January 20, 2008
Jonathan Ross is top computer recorded a list of its long-term goals: lose 200 pounds. Find a job. Become more socially active.
Beside it is another note that says: "I think in me, "written five times.
"So, did you say?" Caitlin asked Kenny, his coach to work, referring the "belief" note.
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"Yes," says Ross. He was repeating aloud once morning and later in the day.
If you encounter Jonathan Ross, you might not know there was something different from him. It is perfectly affable, has interesting observations and lives in an apartment organized.
But for years, Ross, who is 47, has had trouble making friends, following goals of his life and independent living. Finally, a few years ago, a doctor told him he has Asperger syndrome, a disorder that is considered a mild form of autism.
Asked how is it that Asperger's is concerned, Ross spoke of his feelings: "There is a link that should be done, and I have no connection" to build relationships with people.
"If there are seven things in life that you need to do things, I have six of them, and this seventh thing I did not, "said Ross." It's kind learning experience you have that I did not.
"I feel as if I could get my hands around this one thing: Maybe I could get something different life. "
Now, Ross is hopeful that his life could change for the better. Couple it A few years ago, the legislature approved a pilot project of 1 million dollars to help adults of normal intelligence with diagnoses on what called the spectrum of autism. These range from people who are experiencing serious difficulties in the treatment and understanding of social and emotional Communications – those diagnosed with classic autism – to much milder forms of the disorder, like Asperger syndrome.
With approximately 1,150 children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, is the inability of the fastest growing development in the U.S. The States, according to the Autism Society of America. The pilot project is the first to provide comprehensive services for adults with normal intelligence on the spectrum of autism. Launched in the New Haven area in July 2006, the program serves 28 people, state officials and hope to receive more money to develop in the Hartford area this year.
"Our mission is to lead an independent life," said Kathy Reddington, who is coordinator of autism for the state Department of Development Services. James Loomis, a psychologist who is an expert on disorders of autism and runs a social skills group for the pilot, said that in some cases, adults with this disorder have "negotiated life and they kind of face and do what they do. We try to get a job that is more satisfying, more fulfilling lives. "
Often it is not so much the work that social interactions around it that can cause problems, "said Loomis.
People on the spectrum can take comments too literally and often do not understand sarcasm or misinterpret facial expressions or gestures.
For example, Loomis said, a customer believed a pattern of frequent use of the phrase, "Give me a break, meant he had broken something.
Peter F. Gerhardt, president of the Organization for Autism Research in Arlington, Va., said that Connecticut is among the leaders recognizing the benefits' economic and human resources "to provide such services to adults with autism spectrum disorders.
"People with autism tend to be fairly widely under-served after graduation from high school, "said Gerhardt." Asperger People tend to be more or less ignored by the post-21 because when they do a 30-minute interview, they may present as a bit weird, but they do not come across as having a disability case. "
However, he said, these people should services on an intermittent " but steadily. "With help, he said, they may move to require public resources to help them.
Although he has worked for 20 years, Ross had trouble finding steady work since he was laid off three years ago during which time his physical health declined.
He gained weight and her diabetes has worsened. His days were often spent alone in front of his computer or driving around New Haven.
Since joining the pilot program in November, he has a full date book events and appointments. Kenny enables him with many skills: development of a healthy diet, cooking, exercise, out in cultural activities and asking for knowledge.
Through this program, he also has been linked to a job developer, a nutritionist and attends a group session once a week on social skills.
Ross said his first priority right now, and some something he hopes will help him get a job, is to lose weight.
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"What do you have for breakfast lunch today? "Kenny asked her when she arrives. Ross said he had an egg and cheese at McDonald's.
"It good – from both. Are you hungry? "Asked Kenny, who worked with Ross five days a week. Ross said he did not.
And on a whiteboard set up prominently in the living room of Ross, Kenny clears guidelines last week and replaces them with new suggestions from the nutritionist: to jello sugar free gelatin and pudding, going to the gym five times a week and continue to buy yogurt and fruit for snacks and light lunches at home three or four times a week.
"I lost 10 pounds already," said Ross, who began the program in November. of the Ross family was very happy with the pilot program. His brother, Michael Ross, said: "He has not had this kind of service at any time life.
"This has just started filling a vacuum … Not that he did not have a life, but it is a program that is, he and many others hope for a more fulfilling life. "
Jonathan Ross said that the most important thing that learned through the pilot: "I'm not the only one who has that kind of feeling that I'm not really alone."
Participants the pilot are very variable and include Twentysomething who were diagnosed with autism as toddlers and services have, since then and people like Ross who are in their 40s and 50s, but only recently discovered they are on the autism spectrum.
For younger clients, the program provides services to fill the void that occurs when the age of the education system. Lois Rosenwald, Co-Director of Connecticut Autism Spectrum Resource Center, helped develop the pilot program. "We put a lot of energy in the birth to 3 and a little thanks to adolescence, but by the time they graduate, they fall at the end of the earth. "
"Why put resources, energy and money in them and do nothing when we know that if our young adults are supported in the next step, they will do OK, "she said.
Shannon McEvoy is one of those young adults with Asperger syndrome who had service throughout the school and now at the age of 24 years is to try understand what it can do.
With the help of pilot staff working with the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, McEvoy has now a position volunteer, aid to recreation programs in a local nursing home. She loves her work and hopes that it could possibly be paid for work in the field.
"People like me," said McEvoy. "They like to see a smiling face, it makes them feel better. "
McEvoy has a mentor through the program that meets with two or three times a week to get more practical skills as budgeting or how to do laundry, and also to ensure she has fun. They went to museums, mysticism and the movies. It has also a job developer and attends the same social group of skills that Ross.
McEvoy said the program has skills Social helped her a lot. "If something makes me mad, he taught me different ways to manage it." McEvoy said.
For Yvonne Murray Beacon Falls pilot project has transformed his life. With their help, she found a home education program through which it can obtain a high school diploma and has also found a job at home that is perfectly suited to her: She is the replay puzzles.
Grace This program now has a coach education "which is helping with schoolwork, a job developer who has helped her find a job, a life coach, the skills that he learned to cook, and she participated in group social skills. His next goal is obtain his driver's license.
She said the project helped her to "explore other options and meet different people … My inner world was open and I'm not as afraid to face the challenges that may occur. "
Contact Kathleen Megan at kathy.megan @ courant.com.
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