“Retirement is one hell of a change”: Autistic people’s experiences of retiring

Limited research has examined autistic people’s experiences of aging. While the significance of retirement in the context of aging has been highlighted by autistic people themselves, there is a dearth of research in this regard, with only one study focusing on the retirement experiences of one autistic man. In this study, we spoke to 12 older autistic people who had retired in the last 10 years, or were planning to retire in the next five years, to generate some of the first insights regarding autistic people’s retirement experiences. Experiences were diverse. Challenges in retirement planning and adjustment were reported by some, while others viewed retirement as a positive respite from challenging work environments. The availability of more leisure time was appreciated by some, while others encountered ongoing responsibilities and obstacles hindering desired activities. A common theme was the inadequate support available for autistic people during retirement. Concerns about the aging process, including concerns about health decline and the possibility of entering residential care, were also common. Future research should examine the suitability of residential care for older autistic adults, consider alternative autistic-led group living arrangements, and explore avenues for improved support during and after the retirement transition.