Independent living for adults with ASDs.

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Just felt like doing another poll. But this time, the topic of interest for this poll will be independent living. I am asking this because although I technically still live at home, as I have mentioned in posts made in the past, I am taking care of my elderly father who has a heart condition and am not dependent on him for anything at all.

General definition of living 100% independently = not living with your parents & not dependent on anyone for either financial support or support in daily living.

I have some extra questions for you though:
[1] Are you living with your parents/other people?
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out?
[3] Are you living 100% independently?
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent?
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently?
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[A] Financial support
[B] Daily living support
[C] Both of the above
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? No.
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? At age 25.
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No, I need constant counselling/mentoring, and I see my parents almost every weekend.
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? Not sure if it applies, but say 33.
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? I guess no.
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? n/a
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently? n/a
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on? See above. Although I receive some financial support, I don't really need it, and I don't get daily living support either. Maybe I should, as I experience chronic difficulties with certain house-chores (cleaning).
[ A ] Financial support
[ B ] Daily living support
[ C ] Both of the above
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself. Sometimes one of my friends helps me with cleaning my apartment.
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.[/quote]

[1] - No

[2] - Between 23 and 26 (Gradually moved to independent living in small steps)

[3] - Yes

[4] - 26

I cannot answer the rest of the questions as they do not apply to me. I do not receive any support (although I could be considered a little messy and could probably get more of a house cleaning routine going). I handle all my finances however and even own my own condominium (and have served on the association as an officer).

(Too much to read through for the other questions. I just like one question.)

I live completely independently although I find employment troublesome and therefore have financial/housing support. I don't know how I'd go without that (I really am not sure one way or the other).
Other than that, I tend to be chronically independent, haven't had a partner for years, and don't want one unless it's someone that I don't have to make a lot of pretension with, which does not appear to be most people.
I don't think to ask for help with other stuff at all (sometimes a deficit since people have company when they do that), although I sometimes help other people with their stuff.

I work only part time because that's all I can handle and generally have to keep my life real simple in order to function. I moved back in with my parents a few times while trying to gain independence and I have finally achieved it for three years now. I live a happy, comfortable, secure life. I have no outside support and never asked for it. I am %100 independent. I am also saving money and living debt free.

Having everything secure and routine is the only way I can be happy in this world built for people who love to make their lives complicated.

I have some extra questions for you though:
[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? (Shared kitchen and living room with strangers, I pay for a room)
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? Yes, age 23
[3] Are you living 100% independently? Yes
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent?
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently?
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[A] Financial support
[B] Daily living support
[C] Both of the above
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.

[quote="chssmstrjk"]

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people?

Parents.

[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out?

This is an odd question. I actually moved away from family when I turned 18, and I went through a few roommates before I ended up living with my grandmother, then another roommate, and then the disastrous abusive relationship for five years. After that, I moved back in with my grandmother. Currently, I live with my mother.

[3] Are you living 100% independently?

No.

[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent?

No.

[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[A] Financial support
[B] Daily living support
[C] Both of the above

I receive financial support from the state. Receive assistance with some things from family members.

[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.

I think by this scale I might be medium. Without support, things just tend to fall apart entirely.

I live with wolves in the woods. You've asked enough personal details for no reason. What are you doing with all this private information?

I live on my own; however, I do need support. I cannot currently maintain employment (most of my money right now is in the form of student loans and bursaries). I also need some help with daily life.

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? No
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? 28
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? No
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently?
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently?
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[C] Both of the above
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.

Possibly somewhere between Low and Medium. I would say Low, but I think my parents would disagree with that and say medium. They are probably more correct since they are the ones offering most of the support I need.

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? Yes
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? No
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on? Financial and daily living support
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need? Medium

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? Living with Parents
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? No
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? N/A
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? No
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? N/A
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently? N/A
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on? C
[A] Financial support
[B] Daily living support
[C] Both of the above
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need? Medium (I need help transitioning from one activity to another. Need reminders to eat meals, prepare meals, do chores, etc.)
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
Medium = Can do some things for myself, but still need help with some things.
High/Maximal = Can do very few things for myself/Completely dependent on others for support.

I never forced anyone to answer the personal questions that I have asked. People on here always have the option of ignoring those questions if they don't feel comfortable with answering them or if those questions are too personal for them to answer. But people have chosen to answer those questions because they feel comfortable enough with them to answer. I have read up studies on the distribution of certain factors related to ASD studies and am curious on seeing what the distribution of those factors in people with ASDs is like here on WrongPlanet. If I was asking too many personal questions in the last week or so, I apologize for that.



Don't worry. The private information is just for summary statistics purposes. I have no intention of revealing the personal data to anyone.

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? No
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? 21
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? No
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[A] Financial support

[1] Are you living with your parents/other people? No.
[2] If you are currently living away from your parents, then at what age did you move out? I was 17.
[3] Are you living 100% independently? No.
[4] If the answer to #3 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? n/a
[5] If the answer to #3 is no, then were you ever living 100% independent? Technically, yes, but I did such a bad job of it that I ended up in the hospital. So I guess I was living independently, but I didn't have the skills to do it.
[6] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age did you start to live 100% independently? 17.
[7] If the answer to #5 is yes, then at what age were you no longer living 100% independently? I never had the skills to do it in the first place. I finally started getting some formal assistance around age 22, but before then things were often done for me by roommates and such.
[8] If the answer to #3 is no, then what kind of support are you on?
[C] Both financial and daily living.
[9] If the answer to #8 is either B or C, then what level of daily living support do you need?
Minimal/Low = Can do many things/everything for myself
I get limited support, a few times a week. I can take care of my own basic ADLs but need some help for more advanced things. For example, I have to be reminded to pay bills, check the mail, keep up with medical appointments, etc. I have some problems with executive dysfunction, but most of them are things I can handle myself with technological assistance or more time allowed to do difficult things. Complex projects usually take some help, or else much more time.

I finally moved out of my parents house and in with 5 housemates at the age of 21 (no college btw) that lasted about a year at which point I stayed with my parents for about 6 months while I bought a house. I was doing pretty well until I was laid off 6 months later. Struggled for about a year and burned through all of my savings. At that point my little brother moved in to the bedroom of my small 600 sq ft house - I need the rent money to pay my mortgage. He has been living with me for a year now and I am miserable with him here. The stress has reached about as much as I can handle but I haven't been able to get back on track, don't know what else to do.

[1] no
[2] I was 17. I had no choice in the matter.
[3] yes
[4] 17