Aging and Autism Christine Jenkins

EPISODE 89
Aging and Autism:
A Discussion with Christine Jenkins,
Autistic Advocate

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Show Notes

It is widely recognized, but unfortunately, that most attention is paid to understanding and supporting autistic individuals in their childhood years, but much less so in middle-aged and older individuals. The result is a critical need for understanding of the experience of autism in older and late-diagnosed individuals, both from a research and support need perspective. These issues are discussed with Christine Jenkins, an autistic advocate and professional with expertise and personal experience in this much needed area of focus.

ARTICLES AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST

SELF-ADVOCACY LESSONS FROM AN AUTISTIC BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR. Christine Jenkins, 2023
Book: Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism.
Using an Advocacy Practicum to Establish a Framework for Virtual Community Consultations in the Ottawa Adult Autism Community. Margaret Janse van Rensburg, Christine Jenkins, et. al. 2022
Self-harm and Suicidality Experiences of Middle-Age and Older Adults With vs. Without High Autistic Traits. Gavin R. Stewart, et. al. 2023
Self-Harm Events and Suicide Deaths Among Autistic Individuals in Ontario, Canada. Meng-Chuan Lai, et. al. 2023
Autism in England: assessing underdiagnosis in a population-based cohort study of prospectively collected primary care data. Elizabeth O’Nions, et. al. 2023
Book: Understanding Autistic Relationships Across the Lifespan: Family, Friends, Lovers and Others. Chapter 8

Featuring

Christine Jenkins

CHRISTINE JENKINS

Christine Jenkins has been an autistic advocate for many years, most recently around issues related to late-in-life diagnosis, gender bias, and autistic aging. She is a co-author of the anthology Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism (2018) and has presented in Canada and internationally. Christine has been a peer reviewer for the journal Autism in Adulthood and edits other books and articles. As she states, “My aim is to help include autistic voices at every stage in true co-production of research.” Christine has her own business, Christine Jenkins AUsome Consulting.

👉 Know more about Christine’s work and connect with her here! 👈

…and Continue the Discussion

Do you have a book or podcast club? If so, you may use this discussion guide to facilitate a conversation about this episode.

1. Why does Christine believe that the topic of aging in autism needs far more attention than it has been given? Do you agree?

2. For self-diagnosed autistic adults who have had a long history of misdiagnoses, or have never had a diagnosis of being neurodivergent, what does Christine believe are the most important issues that must be addressed? In your experience do you know individuals, or are you an individual who needs special support given misdiagnosis or late diagnosis?

3. What is Christine’s experience and opinion about efforts to develop communities of support for autistic or neurodivergent individuals who are beyond the midlife years?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Music

Matt Savage, courtesy of Savage Records

Matt Savage is an autistic jazz musician, composer, and bandleader. Matt has collaborated with jazz greats like Chick Corea, the Ellington All Stars, Chaka Khan, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Jason Moran, Arturo O’Farrill, John Pizzarelli, Joshua Redman, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi. Donny McCaslin, and more. He has recorded more than a dozen records and graciously contributes the music for Uniquely Human.

Production and Sound Design

ELEVATEDSTUDIO

Uniquely Human: The Podcast is produced, engineered, and edited by Elevated Studio in Denver, Colorado. Owned and operated by co-host Dave Finch, Elevated Studio produces digital media assets and content strategies for the electronics, entertainment, and lifestyle industries.