Older adults with ASD: The consequences of aging

Session Chairs: Hilde Geurts Trainee Co-Leader: Amanda Roestorf The first cohorts of people with ASD diagnosed in childhood are approaching old age (55+). Unfortunately, we hardly know what the future in late adulthood brings. Are there specific needs with respect to the care of these older individuals? Will there be accelerated cognitive decline? How can we differentiate between ASD related cognitive problems and emerging dementia? We do not have the answers yet. The objective of this SIG is to exchange the sparse knowledge on, respectively, care for older individuals; cognitive aging; and assessment of ASD in older individuals. Around each of these three topics smaller groups will meet for a short time to identify priorities and challenges to overcome when studying this specific group. Each group will present to the whole group for discussion and as a starting point for future collaborations.