An autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is often confirmed at a later age. How can we create a safe environment for people with ASD and their loved ones to discuss what this diagnosis means to them and what you need from each other?
How do we design a usable and pragmatic tool that increases the social perspective of elderly people with autism and that meets the specific and personal needs of this target group?
The diagnosis of ASD often comes as an eye opener to elderly people with autism. Situations and dynamics that people have encountered throughout their social life suddenly become explainable. Most elderly people with ASD do not necessarily want more social contacts, but they do want to improve the relationships they already have.
The biggest pain for elderly people with ASD often lies not in telling them about the diagnosis, but in accepting it by loved ones. We designed the "Wensen en Grenzen" (in English: wishes and boundaries) game. It helps both elderly people with ASD and their loved ones to better understand each other in an accessible and playful way.
The "Wensen en Grenzen" game is intended to be played with healthcare workers and/or immediate loved ones. It offers a safe environment where you discover, learn to understand and respect each other's experiences. It facilitates conversations about difficult topics. The game consists of 100 question cards. These questions are divided into 5 themes: strengths, personal, looking back, connection and future. In addition, there are 3 interaction cards that help you delve deeper into certain topics. The time-out card offers the security to indicate that it is going to be too much. The game ends with a “My Wish for You...” card, so you can end the conversation with each other in a positive and loving way. The game is more than a conversation tool. It is a tool that teaches you to have a safe conversation about boundaries and wishes in a structured way. In this way, it is designed so that you ultimately no longer need the game.
