As persons with autism and their caregivers grow older, questions about care, belonging, and support become increasingly important.
What happens when parents are no longer around? Who will continue to walk alongside them? These are difficult questions, and we may not have all the answers.
Autism lasts a lifetime. Beyond services, policies, and programmes lies a deeper question: What kind of community do we want to be? Perhaps the first step is not finding all the answers, but choosing not to look away.
You may have followed Benny’s story in your booklet, but his journey does not end at its heavy cover. Benjy represents the experiences of many children, teenagers, and adults with autism growing up, growing older, and hoping to live meaningfully, be accepted, and belong.
As you leave this walk, consider this: Autism lasts a lifetime. Will your understanding, acceptance and support last a lifetime too?
The chapter suggests the first step for our community is:
Autism is something a person grows out of in adulthood.
