Hi, I just thought I would update you on my 3 care-ees.

My 32 yearold daughter has Asperger's Syndrome, my 25 yearold son has Asperger's Syndrome, also psoriatic arthritis, and my 23 yearold son has autism and learning difficulties.

I still feel some responsibility for my daughter, even though she is living in supported living accommodation, as she is frequently ringing me up to share her news, good and bad. When she has issues with the staff where she lives she tends to ring me up because she wants someone to talk to outside of the situation she is in. They would prefer that she talk to them and not bother me, but she finds that difficult, particularly after having an argument with them. They are working on a daily schedule with her and trying to help her with money management, neither of which she thinks she needs help with. She doesn't go out anywhere during the day, so this is something they are also trying to work into her schedule. They made arrangements for her to go to an art class, but she has not yet made it to this - she has problems with making it to anything. The staff say that working with my daughter feels like taking one step forward and several steps back.

My 25 yearold doesn't go to work either and at the moment is not going out much at all on a regular basis. A befriender takes him out for a couple of hours on a Tuesday and during term time he has attended college classes. This particular son has anger problems which the befriender hopes to help him with. We are also hoping to get him to a couple more college classes next year. He is on the waiting list for supported housing, but no funding is available for this at present. Meantime the befriender wants to work with him on independent living skills. As regards his psoriatic arthritis my son receives anti-TNF therapy once every 2 months and this has made a huge difference to his arthritis. His psoriasis, however, seems to have got worse and has actually spread. His gp has referred him back to the skin specialist - she discharged him a few years ago - and prescribed him with Elocon cream in the meantime, but he is not sure how to use the cream.

My 23 yearold son works part time in the butcher's shop next door to us. He doesn't serve in the shop but works in the preparation room at the back. He has problems from time to time with being kept late at work because some of the people there think he shouldn't go home until he has all his work done, and with other employees complaining that he is too slow or that he is not doing anything. Fortunately his employment support worker goes in from time to time to speak to the boss about my son's hours and to remind the boss how best to work with him. The latest I heard was that the boss is happy with my son's work. My son attends a special olympics basket ball club which he enjoys and also the local historical society with me. Both of these activities are off for the summer. He has his own schedule which he sticks to as rigidly as he can and which includes walking around outside listening to his Ipod.

Hoping everyone here can cope with whatever today throws at them.

Gillian

Thanks for the update Gillian.

Thank you for sharing so much of your family life with us.

x x

Thanks for sharing that Gilli. You've got your work cut out haven't you? Best wishes to you all.

Thank you for sharing Gilli.

Thanks for your update, nice to see your post.