Homeless people on the autistic spectrum

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I watched this movie today about a homeless young man and I wondered if any one knew how many homeless people were on the autistic spectrum. I wonder how many of us die alone, out in the streets. What happens to older people (50-62 that aren't on Social Security) that are on the autistic spectrum and can't find work and loose their residence.. Do they just die out there?

Has anyone here ever had to deal with being homeless or close to it? Are there any studies on this?

Thanks.

Felinity

P.S. -- I've often worried about being homeless or having to live in really dangerous, druggie areas.. I HAVE lived in some pretty bad areas before, myself, when I was younger... and hope to not have to again.. for right now, I rent a room in a fairly safe area... but I am getting older...

Last edited by Felinity on 18 Jan 2009, 10:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.

there used to be a homeless member on here,cant remember his name though.

My husband was homeless when I met him. He would fit AS criteria.

I have undoubtedly been homeless, and lived on the street. I know a local homeless woman who is gifted at crossword puzzles and has anxiety. She also wears sunglasses and is sensitive to light. I think she is on the Spectrum, but do not know.

One of my online friends told me back in the old days, they died because they starved to death. They couldn't hold down a job so they were out in the streets.

I don't know if that's true but didn't they have families that supported them? I guess not.

I'll let you know in April...

If they're age 50-62, their parents are probably be age 70 to what, 90? (if still alive)
and having a difficult time affording to take care of themselves.

Their siblings would have maturing families of their own with kids or grand kids to take care of and support through school.

Our culture isn't set up for people to have pet children forever.
Either arrangements are made or everybody has to grow up some day or die.

Yeah no one likes to take care of their kids forever. You expect them to grow up and take care of themselves and be able to have a job, not keep spending money on them to keep them healthy and have a roof over their heads. But when you have a child with a disability and it impairs them, the parents are screwed so they might still kick them out in the streets but thanks to social security, they aren't burdens on them because they can pay their parents rent and buy what they need, even have food stamps so they can buy their own food so the parents aren't feeding their child.


My parents never charged me for food when I lived with them. They only charged me rent and that was it but I bought my own gas, and things I needed. Only thing they provided was food in the house and I used their water and electricity. They said it was all included in the rent.

I used to think it was that way for all adult kids but no I found out some parents don't even allow their adult kids to eat their food, they have to buy their own. So they basically treat their own kids like their room mates than their family. I am sure some charge their adult kids for utilities.

I am not sure on statistics but you could start a grass roots movement in your community. You could raise awareness by visiting homeless shelters and inquiring if any residents might have an ASD and try to find ways to help them not be homeless and make sure they have access to services in the community.

i was homeless at different periods - undiagnosed at the time. i actually find it refreshin gto hear of others who have had similar experiences to my own. i met some really amazing people when homeless - lots of autism, weird skills and completely uncared for by society at large, (although it is a heap better in australia than you in the States have it.) at least we had access to free health care and a really good welfare system.
i reckon all people need a bit of an educational stint with homelessness. better than a college degree.......if we could only have got the the bushes out there for a stint. amercia under his rule mightn't have botched so much up for the rest of us around the world.

given the current economic debacle it might also be a good idea to get the wallstreeters ou there too.......

My mom has done some work with homeless. She is a well educated (masters degree) nurse and has a lot of concern for people less fortunate especially homeless and the elderly.

She tells me that in her experience the majority of homeless people have some sort of mental disability/disorder/disease, etc. etc. This is often the root of their problems and the reason they are on the streets in the first place.

I live in a big city and have visited quite a few and in my experience many of the homeless people are obviously schizophrenic. I have witnessed more than one homeless person arguing with themselves out loud. It would not surprise me in the least if there is a large population of homeless individuals on the spectrum. Personally I am thankful that I have lots of family to turn to if I were to ever reach that point. I can think of 5 residences off the top of my head that I'm positive would let me stay with them if I were evicted or something. It's unfortunate that so many individuals don't have that, or refused such help.

Hank Pym?

He might have gotten blocked from WP. He was having trouble logging into his account, and then I lost track of him.

Socrates at the New Republic blog was homeless when he started his blog last summer. Don't know if he still is or not. The old posts are gone but he mentions it a bit in one of his recent posts.
http://www.the-newrepublic.blogspot.com/

Also, I think Amanda Baggs was homeless at one point. I expect it's pretty common, and am very glad it's never happened to me (yet - knock on wood). It still could, though. Affordable housing is so hard to find even when you are on the dole. There's a huge mismatch between what people need and what they're given in the way of support.

You would thing that housing would be the number one priority of any humane government so I guess that means, well you know what.

The very idea of asking for any kind of help or assistance makes me quite literally sick to my stomach. That is why I lived in my car for 6 months after moving to California (the job I was transfering to disappeared mid-move). I totally believe I will die homeless.
As for statistics, there aren't any. More to the point, there will never be any. Homelessness is like acne on the face of any community: The righteous will do anything to cover it up or make it disappear, but never show the real skin underneath.

I was homeless as a child.