Assessment and Prospects

[Sylar]

I got a medical assessment questionnaire in the mail yesterday, I'm expecting another face to face evaluation after I've completed and returned it. This is only the second time I've had to do this, the first was after I was diagnosed 4(?) years ago now. I'm not looking forward to arranging the over 1 hour long journey there and then the same thing back, nor am I looking forward to the possibility that they could come to a different conclusion this time even though my status hasn't changed.

Anyway, I was looking around the report the psychiatrist wrote for my when she diagnosed me so that I could create a copy and send it with the questionnaire when I found a collection of autistic services that a social worker gave to me in a home visit. These include organisations like Respect For All Counselling, The National Autistic Society, Pure Innovations. They offer services such as sports activities, cooking courses, arts and craft classes/therapy, petting farms, performance arts, a light stimulation room and a hospital stall to give you retail experience. I was wondering if anyone here has used these services or something similar, if so how were they? Would you recommend them?

 

[toothless]

i can only give my experience of the national autistic society.
i was supported by them monday to friday full time on a 2:1 basis for years while living back home at my parents house and then supported by them while living in an awful care home for learning [intellectually] disabled adults,the staff were amazing, they get very significant training on autism and LD and they werent all pricks like all the other companies ive been supported by,there was only one guy i didnt like;an aspie who didnt understand me or my challenging behavior because we are on very different ends of the spectrum.
i was also attending their day centre for LFA,which gave individuals a lot of things to do unlike other day centres i had been to,and it had an awesome sensory room that you had to book.

so thats my experience,but the part of the NAS you might access could be entirely different,the staff may be very different,they may not get the same level of training?.

 

[Sylar]

toothless the pages I have say all staff are highly trained and experienced when it comes to the autistic spectrum, and they can arrange travel and boast of the light stimulation room. I don't doubt they'd be great. I'm more concerned about the activities these services offer, I don't know if they'd be for me or not. Are you free to try different things and drop out as you please or do you have to stay for a full session, do they push for socialising or can you sit back and take it at your own pace? That sort of thing.

The only thing I've taken part in for this kind of thing was a Mind anxiety group meeting and it wasn't my thing at all.

 

[xudo]

I haven't used any of the services offered in my city yet, as I'm in the process of registering with them at the moment. When I went with my husband when he registered though, they explained the things that they do, like social groups etc, and seemed to be saying that you were free to back out at any time if you felt uncomfortable or overwhelmed. Obviously, I have no idea if everywhere that provides such things would operate in the same way, but I would expect that if they are well trained in working with people on the spectrum, they would fully understand the problems that can come along with it.