Over 75% of adults with developmental disabilities live at home with family. There is a growing population of aging caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities, in part due to increased lifespan and extensive waiting lists for residential services (The Arc Autism Now).  

In honor of World Autism Day on 4/2/21, today's podcast episode focuses on older adults who are caring for adult children with autism or other Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (IDDs).

In this interview, Lois Shingler, an attorney and co-founder of Peter and Paul’s Place shares her experience of being 70 years old while caring for Paul, her 45 year old son with Autism. She also provides several tips for other aging parents caring for their adult children with IDDs. Here's a peek inside the episode: 

• [10:45] Lois describes her experience of entering older adulthood while caring for Paul, her 45 year old son with Autism
• [17:53] Learn what you need to plan for if you're an older adult caring for an adult with special needs, from transportation, to housing, to finances, to who will assist your loved one. 
• [28:00] A man on his deathbed who feared for his son who was living with Schizophrenia. 
• [31:50] The emotional angst of planning for who will care for your son with special needs when you are no longer able to. 
• [42:31] Lois shares her secret to maintaining her mental health through it all. 

Click here to visit the show notes page to learn more.
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