A Valley father spoke with ABC15 on the challenges many families with adult children living with autism face throughout their lives.
"Just relax! Relax! Yeah, relax," said Vincent Patton, Jr.’s dad.
This is how a typical afternoon in the Patton household looks most days when Patton, Jr. arrives home from his day program.
"Vince! Calm down. Calm down. Vince.”
In fact, this is what the 30-year-old’s mom and dad say they experience at just about any time on any given day.
Vincent Patton, Jr. was diagnosed with autism around the age of three.
Jr.'s father says he wants the Valley to understand the struggle of caring for an adult with autism.
"As far as 17 and under goes, they have good programs for them here. But, when they turn 18, it's all up to the parents and the parents are already beat up from dealing with this. We just want some help,” added Patton.
ABC15 spoke with Nia Uhlenhake at Arizona Autism United, who says they recently shifted from autism awareness to autism acceptance.
"Acceptance, to me, means not putting that person in a corner for a lack of better terms," said Uhlenhake.
AZAU, Uhlenhake says, helps families like the Pattons navigate systems of care for autism in the state.
"The response we have gotten from the community is that it is 100% necessary,” added Uhlenhake.
Uhlenhake's agency helps connect families with home community-based services, speech and occupational therapy, counseling, and some specialized healthcare, among other things.
Patton says he is not familiar with AZAU but plans to reach out soon.
"You take care of your kids. But, this right here, is a totally different avenue. This is something you must be involved in 24 hours a day,” added Patton.
ABC15 reached out to Arizona's Division of Developmental Disabilities and learned, according to DDD, the state agency uses person-centered planning to meet each individual where they are and helps them lead a self-directed, healthy, and meaningful life.
DDD provided the following links to communities to support individuals with autism:
DDD has also published a Caregiver’s Resource Guideas part of the State’s Abuse and Neglect Prevention Task Force that includes links and contact information for various organizations that can support family caregivers.
