Supported living and share stories for adults with LD – Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden

The Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden is an association that’s creates programs for better conditions for children, young people and adults with learning difficulties coming from the autism spectrum diseases. The Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden works actively to influence politicians, authorities and other organizations.

The aim is to promote good living conditions for autistic people of all ages. The final objective is to get closer as much as possible to the well being state of mind, that is the foundation of a better learning process.

In order to increase knowledge of autism, the Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden produces books, films and information material. The instruments are Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) for autism spectrum disorders.

The Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden has identified 25 different interventions and treatment methods that are used for learning difficulties coming from the autism spectrum. Training which involves a combination of several methods is normal in Sweden, but its effectiveness has not been studied.

The best practice identified here is Share stories for adults with LD FOR supported living.

A person with a disability who requires long-term publicly funded, organized assistance, allies with an agency whose role is to arrange or provide whatever assistance is necessary for the person to live in a decent and secure home of the person’s own.

Sharing the life stories is a very good therapy and a wonderful opportunity for the participants to express themselves, helping to highlight the day-to-day experiences of those in the community with a learning disability. This therapy creates trust and develop the future desire in learning.

The specific objectives of this best practice are the following :

1. To provide a high standard of care and support to every service user
2. To provide a safe, welcoming, nurturing, environment where service users are able to develop and grow at their own pace to maximize their potential emotionally, physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
3. To offer consistent, unconditional care, enabling each service user to live in an environment that encourages positive relationships, mutual respect, trust, and consideration for others.
4. To accept and understand each individual service user, at all times maintaining their dignity and self-respect.
5. To ensure service users experience success and praise, enabling the stimulation of emotional growth and the development of trusting relationships.
6. To assist service users in the development of their sense of identity and self-image, and preserve their cultural and religious heritage.
7. To empower service users to make choices through the expression of wishes, feelings and preferences, developing their right to self-determination.
8. To adopt a person-centered approach, ensuring the best possible support for each service user, providing a service specific to the needs of the individual, giving them a sense of permanence, security, and genuine unhurried commitment.
9. To be sensitive to service users’ needs and expectations by encouraging their full participation and integration into the community, aiding them to develop daily living skills and activities of daily living to promote independence and choice.
10. To create trust and develop the future desire in learning, by sharing stories
11. To enable service users to have access to a wide variety of individual and group activities, both in their home and in the local community, maximizing their occupational, vocational and leisure potential.
12. To accept challenging and disruptive behaviors and, as far as possible, channel these into positive avenues, and to remain committed to non-aversive methods of managing and reducing such behaviors.
13. To recognize the specific communication needs of each individual and work towards enhancing their communication abilities and develop self-expression.

The final objective is to get closer as much as possible to the well being state of mind, that is the foundation of a better learning process and future integration in the society (find a job, create a family).

The adults with learning difficulties, through the fulfillment of their basic needs present and develop more skill or competence and much better understanding when they speak, read, write, spell to others.

Sharing stories for Supportive living represents a movement within the (intellectual and) developmental disabilities field to provide support services in regular housing to adults with disabilities. Direct support services can be provided by paid staff, including live-in roommates or boarders, paid neighbors, a person hired as an attendant, a support worker or personal assistant, as well as more traditional agency and (modified) shift(live-in) staffing. Professionals, friends, families, and other “informal supports” can also assist people to live in their homes. Supported living may be joined to a movement toward decent, affordable and accessible housing.”

The Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden that teaches adults with LD difficulties created special structure to support people with various type of disabilities ( especially L.D coming from autism spectrum ).

The Association is working in various ways to improve the living conditions for the participants, as:

• Spreading information about autism to improve the knowledge and understanding among the general public, families and professionals
• Working for adapted training, residential conditions and occupation
• Giving opportunities for persons with disabilities, their families and staff to meet and to exchange knowledge and experiences
• Participating in the international co-operation
• Following and giving suggestions to research within this field

Level of qualification?

The autism spectrum disability should be demonstrated.

Length of course that good practice is part of; If different type of setting brief description of what it is; Are there any prerequisites for entry to the course?

This type of good practice is continuously.

The Association is actively working towards influencing politicians, authorities and organizations concerning questions about persons with autism through personal lobbying, participating in investigations and by making formal comments on official reports. Sometimes we work together with other associations.

Books, films, information material

To improve the knowledge about autism, Asperger syndrome and other autistic-like conditions the association is producing and selling books, films and other information material.

Sharing stories is a part of the good practice promoted by the association to the associated partners.

Each individual, but also team have a specific programmed which they follow during the whole day.

The specific prerequisites are the presence of the disability and the need for a special care.

The services can be continuative fort people in need, but also organized like housing/supported living services.

Books, films, information material

To improve the knowledge about autism, Asperger syndrome and other autistic-like conditions the association is producing and selling books, films and other information material.

National Conference

Annually the association is arranging a two-day national conference about an actual subject, directed to both members and non-members (parents, professionals and persons with disabilities).

For this best practice the type of learner that is supported is a lifelong learning, because it starts from early ages till adult period, and never stops.

Yes, the association is receiving at least annualy the feed-back from the associated partners that use and apply the best practice.

The main resources used were:

• Human resource – researchers;
• Material resource
• Financial resource – that is common to the Human resource – being the training of the qualified personnel in order to implement the specific methods

The aim of The Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden are:

• Spreading information about and increase understanding of autism spectrum diseases and applied methodologies, such as sharing life stories  
• Implementing good practice methodologies for L.D people
• Striving to achieve tailored education, accommodation, employment and leisure activities
• Creating contacts between people with autism, their relatives and professionals working in the field
• Monitoring and providing ideas for research within the area
• Participating in international work within the area

Supported living and share stories for adults with LD on the AUTISM and ASPERGER, in  Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden is a Good Practice because there are evidence and good results of the process, such as:

• Integration of adults with LD difficulties into society;
• Developing a functional communication;
• Striving to achieve tailored education, accommodation, employment and leisure activities
• Creating contacts between people with autism, their relatives and professionals working in the field
• Monitoring and providing ideas for research within the area
• Participating in international work within the area

Supported living and sharing stories are methods of helping adults with learning disabilities to have the opportunity to live as independently as possible.

Supportive living represents a based best practice treatment within the (intellectual and) developmental disabilities field to provide support services in regular housing to adults with disabilities.

1. Integration of adults with LD difficulties into society;
2. Achievement of the well being state of mind, that is the foundation of a better learning process and future integration in the society ( find a job, create a family ).
3. Developing a functional communication;
4. Striving to achieve tailored education, accommodation, employment and leisure activities
5. Creating contacts between people with autism, their relatives and professionals working in the field
6. Monitoring and providing ideas for research within the area
7. Participating in international work within the area

Supported living and share stories for adults with LD in Autism and Asperger Association in Sweden is a good practice that can also be used as a successful tool of teaching to the adults with attention deficit disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, speaking disorder and other forms of functional variations. The LD adult will gain confidence and the most very important – skills- in order for him to have a life and become aware of normal things like a normal person does.

None