Dear Readers,
We see you, staying home, trying to keep things clean and safe, often with people who may not understand the "earthquake" changes this virus is causing. Isn't it strange - we always live with invisible or hidden differences, and now the whole world is facing an invisible virus?
Whether you are a routine implementation expert, or a "What rules? everyone sleep in and do your thing" kind of person, or somewhere in between, we see you and respect the choices you are making for you and your family. We know that other health issues, unemployment, or extra care needs of other relatives already existed, and...now all of this has compounded previous stress.
Autistic people are at higher risk for the virus due to behavioral challenges which can make the wearing of masks, handwashing, and "no face touching" rules hard to follow or triggering. Many have co-morbid conditions affecting their bodies immune response. At the same time, the fear of having critical medical care limited or denied due to disability is a constant fear. If you are sleepless, anxious, depressed and/or constantly worried, we see you and are working at the advocacy level to address those concerns.
If you are finding positives to this situation with less scheduling stress, fewer transitions, less pressure to bathe, dress, wait for transportation, and deal with the expectations of programs and the outside world - that's totally cool. Some people report feeling better inside their homes even though nobody wants others to pay a price for this new way of living.
We are all learning a lot from isolation, staying home, and focusing on survival. Some lessons are incredibly hard, and others are positive. We really care about all of you and miss seeing our families, friends, and colleagues in person, so please write to us, call, Facebook message or email - we are here to help with or learn from all the changes you are experiencing. So tell us about them! Teach us about what is most important to you - that helps us in our daily lives, and it helps us aid others in your situation who may not be able to reach out.
Take good care and all of us in the virtual office look forward to hearing from you!
Lu