Older Autistic Kit (OAK) – Older Autistic People, ICT and Services
This project involves a co-design/co-production approach with older autistic people at the centre of it to investigating their experiences and support needs for participation, community development, empowerment and autonomy.
A survey of autistic people received 78 responses from older (50 and above) autistic people. This was analysed to understand more about their living, working and other experiences, their expertise and willingness to use/learn technology and their support needs. This led to the identification of a guide to autistic friendly spaces and services and support for executive functioning as the main areas of interest for support.
Follow-up research involving focus groups and interviews was carried out to develop detailed specifications. This led to the development of detailed specifications for a website for autistic friendly spaces and services and a forum for older autistic people to support community. We also made the decision to apply for further funding to develop a support system for executive functioning and work is proceeding on this.
Outcomes
We decided on the name Calm Spaces for the forum and website in line with the preferences and sensory requirements of many (older) autistic people. The forum and website are now fully functional. The website allows older autistic people to register and provide reviews of spaces and services, including online ones aimed at older autistic people. However, it is available to everyone to view without registration. The forum is intended to support development of a community of older autistic people and is only open to older autistic people. The website and forum have a single login.
The link to access the website and forum is https://calmspaces.org
Framework for ICT and older people
| User factors | Technology factors |
| Accessibility requirements | Features to support accessibility |
| Usability requirements | Features to support usability |
| Software/device preferences | Software/device combination |
| Barriers to autonomy | Support for autonomy |
| Desire to increase social engagement | Features that support social engagement |
| Interest in other applications | Features that support and enable different applications |
| Confidence/willingness to learn | Ease and intuitiveness of use/learning |
| Privacy and security concerns | Features that support Privacy and security features |
| Need for human support (and lack of support network) | Provision of support by the developer and links to user communities |
The user and technology factors may seem very similar. However, both sets of factors are required to investigate the match between user requirements and what a particular technology provides.
Hersh, M., Mery, P., & Dawson, M. (2025). Older autistic people and ICT: experiences, attitudes and support needs. Behaviour & Information Technology, 1-19.
Mery, P., & Dawson, M. (2024). Older Autistic People, Access and Experiences of Services, and the Factors That Affect This. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(11), 1535.
Hersh, M., Mery, P., & Dawson, M. (2024). Older Autistic People, Technology and Quality of Life: A Co-Production Approach
Recommendations
- Recognise older people, including older autistic people and other minority groups, as a significant and growing group of ICT users and involve them in ICT design, development and modification.
- Provide easy to find and use customisation options for turning feedback/notifications on and off, and changing colour and text size.
- Provide default large print calm options.
Service user and older autistic people: training and attitudes
- Provide training developed and taught by (older) autistic people on their experiences and needs to all personnel.
- Avoid stereotypes of (older) autistic people and listen to them.
Service user and older autistic people: physical access
- Provide good quality online services in addition to in-person ones where feasible.
- Provide assistance to get to appointments in large buildings, such as hospitals.
Service user and older autistic people: communication
- Provide options to book appointments using email and online forms.
- Minimise the personal interaction required to obtain access to services and avoid chatty or gatekeeping reception desks.
- Provide an option for information and questions to be made available in writing in advance of appointments.
- Provide options to communicate in writing during appointments.
- Allow additional time for (older) autistic people to provide information or respond to questions.
Service user and older autistic people: sensory issues
- Provide separate calm waiting areas and calm spaces to escape to where talking is not permitted.
- Check in advance whether service users want music, radio, etc., off or on during appointments.
- Arrange a different appointment location in the event of repairs or other noisy work nearby or, if this is not possible, check whether the service user prefers the appointment to be rescheduled.
Acknowledgements
We would like to gratefully thank all our research participants, our advisory board and our funders UKRI and EPSRC IAA and Zinc for their support.