Falling off the Shelf?

By Catherine Steele

"What happened to you after age 19?"

"We felt like we fell off the shelf!"

This dialogue occurred at a meeting held with adults with disabilities to discuss the challenges of the transition into adulthood. Researchers had sent a health survey to adults with disabilities, aged 19 to 35 years, living throughout Ontario. They had found that, compared to youth with disabilities, the adults smoked more, exercised less, were less happy with their lives, felt lonely more often, had less confidence, and felt more helpless. But, why?

At the meeting, the adults gave some key reasons. For example, they said that, after the age of 19 years: health care at pediatric treatment centres ends, and new health-care professionals need to be found; schooling stops, and with it the principal place for social contacts vanishes; employment opportunities are meagre; and independent living gives added challenges in which family support, assistance and guidance may disappear.

No wonder they felt like they had fallen off the shelf!

Is there anything being done to help with the transition into adulthood? Yes -- some pediatric health-care professionals prepare a list of professionals who treat adults with disabilities. Some communities offer career counselling for young adults with disabilities. Others have initiated mentorship programs, in which a young adult is paired with a youth to provide support, encouragement and firsthand knowledge. Communities also may offer programs, services or camps that promote independent living by providing information on how to perform daily activities (how to get attendant services, do a washing, cook a healthy meal).

Great, but we need more. Maybe there are other things that can be done. Maybe the bridges between pediatric and adult service organizations could be expanded!

(If you have any suggestions on improving the transition into adulthood, please call Catherine Steele at Bloorview MacMillan Centre in Toronto (416) 424-3855 (or 1-800-363-2440), ext. 3642, or e-mail: csteele@bloorviewmacmillan.on.ca.)