Arts and crafts
Art and craft activities offer opportunities for expression and sensory feedback.
"Since people with autism spectrum disorder are visual thinkers, art is a natural way to communicate how they feel and how they view the world."
-Disabled Living
-Disabled Living
Music and dance
Experimenting with rhythm and using simple percussion instruments offers new sensory experiences as well as helping with sensory awareness.
Quiet time
This may include soft lighting in a low-stimulus space with calming resources such as fidget toys, comfortable seating and headphones. This is particularly helpful if the person you are caring for experiences sensory overload.
Cooking or baking
Trying simple recipes and the process of following step-by-step instructions is a great learning opportunity. Tasting new types of food and exploring texture also gives a great sensory experience.
Exercise and movement
Keeping active is beneficial for mood, energy and overall health. Home-based movement might include gentle yoga or stretching, following online dance videos or walking in the garden.
Interest-based hobbies
Many autistic adults have a passion for specific interests. Home time is perfect for engaging in personal interests.
Nature and green space walks:
Local parks, riversides or nature trails. The rhythm of walking, fresh air and the sounds of nature all support wellbeing. Consider going out at quieter times of the day or taking headphones or a comfort item to avoid sensory overload.
Libraries or cafes:
Visiting public places can be less daunting at quieter times. If you have a favourite cafe you would like to visit with your loved one, ask the staff if they could tell you when they are less busy, or if you could reserve an area in the quietest section.
Volunteering:
Many adults feel a meaningful connection through volunteering. This may include helping out at animal shelters, community gardens or charity shops amongst others.
Day centres:
Day centres offer a full range of activities, organised trips and social events for autistic adults.
The Role of Day Centres
Day centres play a distinctive and valuable role for autistic adults and their carers. They provide:
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Structured activities and routine in a safe environment: For many adults, having regular visits to a place where staff understand their needs is incredibly important
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Social opportunities: Day centres bring together a group of peers, often across a range of interests and abilities. This provides the chance for connection, shared activities, conversations and friendship building.
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Variety of activities: From arts and crafts, games, movement and gardening to trips out and community integration, day centres can build a weekly schedule that mixes familiar in-centre activities with outings.
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Supported independence: Over time, day centres encourage clients to build new skills such as self-care and cooking, in a supported way. This will also help increase confidence for home-based and community activities.
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Respite for families and carers: For many adults who are caring for a loved one, respite is something that may not happen very often but is desperately needed. All carers need time to rest, and having a place that they know they can rely on to offer them that much-needed respite care is invaluable.
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Flexibility and individuality: Day centres should take the time to get to know each person individually, along with their interests, likes and dislikes and preferred communication style. This will aid them in providing the best experience for every single client.
Create a weekly plan:
Include a variety of home activities and a community outing to ensure there is a balance of quiet and busier things to do.
Use visual supports:
Schedules, calendars or photo diaries of past outings to help with transitions and reduce anxiety.
Sensory check-in:
Before an outing or activity, consider what might be overwhelming and what resources you might need to make the situation easier. Planning for this in advance can make it a lot easier to deal with if overwhelm does occur.
Interest-driven approach:
Leverage the person’s strengths and passions to choose activities. They are far more likely to thrive when they feel engaged, competent and enthusiastic about what they are doing.
Celebrate success:
No matter how big or small the achievement, celebrate something that has gone well to help build confidence.
Reflect and adapt:
Even with the best planning, it is important to remember that things don’t always go well. After each activity, talk about what was successful and what could be different for next time to help make things easier when you plan it again.