Managing a residential home in Kent is not just about providing practical support for service users to help with day-to-day tasks. It is also about helping them live happy and fulfilling lives. This means finding ways for them to engage with their surroundings. Some activities may be particularly well-suited for autistic adults.
Many adults with autism will enjoy the same kinds of activities as other people. In other cases, sensory or communication issues may limit their ability to participate. Well-chosen activities, however, may be able to improve language and social skills as well as provide stimulation and enjoyment.
Activities that a residential home in Kent can provide for autistic adults:
Musical activities
Music is a language without words, making it an excellent form of communication for non-verbal autistic adults. It can also be a social activity that encourages group participation and listening to each other. Most people enjoy at least some form of music, so it is a chance for everyone to become engaged regardless of their personal situation. Other arts, such as painting or knitting, can also be valuable sources of engagement.
Outdoor activities
Fresh air and open space can be powerful mood lifters whether you are autistic or not. Going for a walk is a chance for physical exercise that can also broaden horizons. Gardening is another outdoor activity that can be very stimulating, offering more opportunities to display creativity and interact with different colours and textures, but within a quiet and controlled environment.
Sensory activities
These do not just provide fun and stimulation, but can also help alleviate negative responses to stimuli as well as learning functional skills. Some residential homes use sensory rooms to allow service users to interact with a variety of sights, sounds, textures and smells. It can calm those who feel overstimulated whilst providing engagement for those who might otherwise feel detached from the world.
Reading together
Books and magazines can be enjoyed alone as a solitary activity, but reading aloud can also create shared experiences. Stories can be topics of discussion that can inspire further activities (such as creating art based on the tale) as well as being used to demonstrate possible social interactions and develop language skills. Books with pictures may be particularly engaging.
Role Play
Role play is another way to help autistic adults improve their social and communication skills whilst also having fun. Participants are given the opportunity to act out real-world scenarios so they can feel better prepared for interactions outside of the home. It may require a lot of engagement and concentration for them to get it right, but they are still safe in a controlled environment.
These are just some of the activities that could be available to autistic adults living in a residential home in Kent. The best ones provide opportunities to learn and grow as well as have fun, ensuring autistic adults can engage with their surroundings and express their creativity whilst improving social and language skills.
