Helping older adults is day-to-day business at the Joslyn Center. And retiring executive director Jack Newby knows how this help can lead to positive changes, whether that’s someone no longer needing a walker after attending exercise classes, or simply meeting up with friends in the morning.
The next change the Joslyn Center wants to make: addressing the needs of autistic adults and seniors.
“The biggest concern is that while there are so many special classes for autistic students and younger people, what happens when people, for lack of a better term, age out of those programs?” Newby said.
While there isn’t a reliable tracking system, a widely cited statistic used by organizations like Autism Speaks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one in 45 adults in the United States has autism. That’s more than 2% of the population.
The Joslyn Center is believed to be the first senior center in the nation to receive a certification as a Certified Autism Center. The certification comes from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, an independent training organization that works to help institutions better serve people who have cognitive disabilities.
The Joslyn Center, a nonprofit located in Palm Desert, serves anywhere from 250 to 400 individuals over the age of 55 each day. Newby said the idea to get certified started with an employee who has two autistic children and saw a lack of support for older adults. The idea caught on with Newby and the board of directors, and the training was completed earlier this year.
“Most people know someone or have a relative who is autistic, and so it really is something that many people are aware of and sensitive to,” Newby said.
He said the goal in getting certified is to make sure staff members understand what autism is and how to talk about it; they’re trained on behavioral issues that can arise and how to handle those. There are now noise-canceling headphones on hand for people who need less stimulation, and the center is working on developing a quiet room.
The center is now getting the word out about its services to members of the community who might be interested. That includes getting referrals from the Inland Regional Center, and being a continued resource for individuals who are getting services from the Riverside County Office on Aging.
One unique facet of the referrals: There is currently no autism-only programming, as the goal is to get autistic adults engaged in the activities at the center.
“That’s why we wanted to make sure that everyone was trained, and understood what could happen, what to look for, and the best way that we can address their needs and issues—like we do with all of our members,” Newby said.
“The lack of activity and engagement for older adults, it’s serious and can lead to serious medical consequences, akin to smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day.”
Joslyn Center executive director jack newby
While our society has become more aware of the prevalence of autism, much of the support focuses on younger people. Even scientific research tends to focus on autistic children or broader populations—not the specific needs an older adult might have. Fortunately, that’s slowly changing. The CDC says it’s supporting multiple projects looking at how to support people with Autism Spectrum Disorder as they age.
A June 2022 research piece by Autism in Adulthood found 212 articles on the topic of older autistic adults—a 392% rise from 10 years earlier. Still, the segment represented less than 1% of all research on autism. The authors concluded that more research is needed about the issue of social isolation and living arrangements for older autistic people; also needed are studies that look at older autistic adults with intellectual disability.
Newby agrees. Loneliness, he said, is one of the most pressing issues facing older communities. Simply getting out of the house and socializing can go a long way.
“The lack of activity and engagement for older adults, it’s serious and can lead to serious medical consequences, akin to smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day,” he said.
The Joslyn Center and other forward-thinking organizations will need to go through more of these types of specialized trainings as the population ages. There are ongoing partnerships with the Braille Institute on how to serve people with low vision, Newby said, and they’re working on developing an exercise class for people with Parkinson’s disease.
“We’re also looking at other disabilities and being inclusive of anyone who needs the services that are provided by Joslyn,” he said. “We want to incorporate and meet their needs. That’s what we’re here for.”
Learn more about the Joslyn Center at joslyncenter.org.
