Transitions

Aiming for
independence
Families know that one day their child will be
expected to live an independent life and the hope is
they will flourish. Fiona McNeill goes in search of
support that can make the transition a lot easier
Every young person with autism skills training and workshops in art processes, even if they’re highly
has a unique set of skills and and craft, cookery and money- educated,” she explains.
things that they find difficult. This management. It also works with “Understanding jargon and non-
means, of course, that when it local businesses to increase autism literal language in job adverts can
comes to gaining independence awareness. SAS aims to tailor what be difficult, for example, as can
and moving on to adult life they it offers to each person’s needs, facing a panel of unfamiliar people
face unique challenges, too. while all its services are intended who value handshakes and eye-
Fortunately, there are many to boost participants’ self- contact, while asking ambiguous
organisations keen to help people confidence, as well as their skills. and open-ended questions.”
make this transition in the way that Finding a job can be especially SAS assists people in preparing
is right for them, offering emotional tricky for someone with autism, for these hurdles, she says, by
and practical support or even says Laura Raynor, employment helping them to apply for jobs and
ingenious technology to make life manager with the organisation. practise interview situations.
easier and safer. “Many of our members struggle to However, Raynor points out, the
navigate standard recruitment leisure-based activities at SAS are
Specialist Autism just as important for gaining
Services confidence and independence.
Specialist Autism Services in West Finding a job “Through engaging with leisure
Yorkshire is a non-profit can be and creative activities alongside
organisation that supports adults peers in a workshop environment,”
with autism and Asperger’s especially tricky for she says, “our members develop
syndrome. It offers counselling, someone with autism” essential social skills, which
support into employment, social reduces their social isolation.”

MedPage/Easylink UK
Mike Dines has worked as a chef
and a photographer, but became
interested in gadgets when he
went to visit his grandfather in a
care home. “I was introduced to a
deaf lady there and I couldn’t stop
looking at her alarm clock,” he
recalls. “It had cables and wires all
over the place. I started wondering
if I could invent something more
stylish and useful.”
The result was the ‘Shake
Awake’ clock. It prompted Dines to
set up a company producing and
selling aids for people with
impaired hearing.
Some 35 years later, the
business now offers a wide range
Colourful: raw materials for a Specialist Autism Services leisure workshop of products for people with all

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MARCUS
FOUND HIS
INDEPENDENCE
BINDERS FULL OF
PICTOGRAMS ARE
HISTORY!
Marcus is nine years old and was diag-
nosed with autism at the age of four.
From the day he was born, his mom,
Rikke, knew that there was something
special about Marcus. 
Marcus has problems with change,
uncertainty, and nervousness. This
means that Marcus needs to take
small steps and practice really hard to
overcome his challenges. Marcus is
the one that sets the boundaries in the
family and they follow his needs.
Marcus had a hard time using
pictograms so I started looking for an
alternative and found Tiimo app, which
our family really loves using. Within
only a week of using the app, Marcus
became way more independent when
going through his daily routine, like
brushing his teeth, putting on his
clothes and so on. I was overjoyed!
We use Tiimo to give Marcus internal
peace, more energy and security. The
app helps him have an overview so he
can follow what is going on and what
is about to happen. Meanwhile, Tiimo
helps him get through tasks that aren’t
really fun by telling him when it starts,
when he’s halfway there and when it
is done. In addition, he can always see
how much time is left of any given
activity, and feel the vibration when
“
Within only a week of
using the app, Marcus
became way more inde-
pendent when going
through his daily
routine, like brushing
his teeth, putting on
his clothes and so on.
I was overjoyed!
there is a shift in activities.
The predictability makes Marcus feel
secure, which gives him more energy
to cope with any unforeseen sensory
impressions.
We love Tiimo. It has become an
important daily assistant which has
increased Marcus’s independence and
gives him more energy. It has also
made our everyday lives at home
smoother. I really don’t understand why
this app wasn’t created before! Big
binders full of pictograms are history!
THE ASSISTIVE
APP
Timo app is your reliable friend that’s
smart, discreet, and accessible every-
where. Tiimo combines structure, time
management, icons, and encouraging
reminders.
Tiimo is a web-platform and an app
for Android and iOS on smartwatch,
smartphone and tablet. Tiimo pro-
motes independence and improves
quality of life while reducing stress
and conflict. Sign up now and get two
months’ free trial using the promo
code autismeye when signing up on
our website: www.tiimoapp.com
massive meltdown,”
Dines explains. “She
recorded a short video
on the MemRabel,
showing him how to
work the remote. This
switched on at 7.50
every morning so the
boy was able to access
his programme – no
more screaming!
“You could say that
was my ‘Lightbulb
Moment’,” he continues.
“I realised that many of
our gadgets were also useful for
On-screen kinds of disabilities and dementia, people with autism. For example, a
reminder: the as well as those with learning high percentage of people with
MemRabel 2i difficulties and autism. ASD also have epilepsy. It means
can help plan He has invented many of the our under-mattress sensor, which
a person’s devices himself. alerts carers when someone has
daily routine by Dines started catering for an epileptic seizure, can help
receiving video people with ASD by accident. them, too.”
messages A customer who had purchased Dines and his team welcome
from family or ‘MemRabel 2i’ (a system that uses enquiries from members of the
professional customised video, sound and public. “Some of our products
carers images to remind people with come to life because someone has
dementia to perform daily tasks) been in touch with a problem that
gave feedback that she was using needs solving,” he says. “It’s
it for her autistic son. marvellous when customers come
“Her son liked to watch a up and thank us at trade fairs or
particular TV programme every exhibitions. It’s a great feeling,
morning at 8am. However, he
could never remember how to use
knowing you’ve helped someone.”
AngelSense
the remote control, resulting in a
AngelSense is a tracking system
that allows parents and schools to
monitor a child’s movements at
school or in the outside world to
protect them from wandering and
potential mistreatment. It was
developed in the USA and Israel
by Nery-Ben Azar and business
partner Doron Somer, who is the
parent of an adult son with autism.
The system consists of a phone-
sized device that is worn on a belt
or carried in a pocket. It can also
be slotted into a customised vest.
Wherever it is worn, it can be
‘locked’ in place with a specially-
designed clip so there is no
danger of losing it.
Never lost: the The AngelSense app that runs
AngelSense on the device uses GPS
system enables technology to pinpoint exactly
parents and where the young person is and
carers to alerts families and schools every
monitor the time a child arrives at an unfamiliar
location of the location or leaves somewhere they
person wearing are supposed to be. The device
its GPS also allows parents to listen in to
tracking device noises in the young person’s
www.autismeye.com
Transitions
surroundings or speak to the child
remotely without their son or
daughter having to ‘pick up’. An
alarm can be activated, enabling
people to find the child in case they
wander off or hide in a public place.
These features have saved
children’s lives many times, says
Yael Tamor, the company’s head of
marketing. “AngelSense has
helped parents pinpoint their
missing child’s location by hearing
their surrounding noises, telling
their child to stop as they got
closer to a road or another
dangerous obstacle,” she says.
“They were also able to
recognise that their child was
being mistreated at school or
bullied on the school bus and put
an end to the situation.
“We get hundreds of stories like
these,” she continues, “and if these
A high
percentage of
people with ASD also
have epilepsy. Our
under-mattress sensor,
which alerts carers
when someone has a
seizure, can help”
families hadn’t been using
AngelSense the situation could
have ended very differently.”
The company is running a
limited-time offer for UK customers.
The GPS device, plus sleeve and
three fasteners, a magnetic key, a
charging cable and travel case are
£66 instead of £175. There is a
monthly service fee, starting at £25.
Tiimo
Tiimo is a web platform and an app
that provides visual timetables and
prompts for people with autism,
ADHD or learning difficulties who
need structure and visual support
in everyday life. It can be used on
tablets, smartphones, smartwatches,
desktops or internet browsers
using iOS or Android technology.
It has been designed to be easy
to use and discreet and gives
people an overview of the day
Au t i s m | e y e I s s u e 3 4 2 0 1 9 23
 Transitions

ahead, using pictures, emojis,

colours or icons that can be Teenagers,
customised. For instance, an image
of pasta and green salad could be adults or other
added to show what’s for dinner. individuals who
The app provides a visual
want to organise
countdown, showing people how
much time is left for a particular themselves can do so” Introduction & Application
to the SCERTS Model;
activity, and emits small vibrations
when a new activity is due to start Wearable: Tiimo can synchronise with a smartwatch,

2 DAY
soon. Thomas Nymark Horsted, adults. “They can set their own which will emit small vibrations as activity reminders
Tiimo’s chief executive, says the reminders on web or directly in the

app offers “pleasing visuals, the
facility to personalise, potential to
improve daily routines, as well as a
design that can be used by both
parent and child”.
He adds: “We are the only ones
offering a solution for smartwatch,
where Tiimo has a particularly
strong effect, because it is
wearable and goes with you
anywhere. The watch will emit
small vibrations on your wrist, and
is less intrusive than a smartphone.”
He says the app is suitable for
children from about age five up to
ECIALIST CARE MEDPAGE
MEDPAGESPECIALIST
SOLUTIONS
SPECIALISTCARE CARESOLUTIONS
35 years of creative
Celebrating
Celebrating
innovation
35
35years
yearsofofcreative
creativeinnovation
EPILEPSY
EPILEPSYCARE
CARE
AUTISM CARE
app if they are the account holder
or have access to the account.
That way, teenagers, adults or
other individuals who want to
organize themselves can do so.”
Tiimo was developed in
Denmark by Melissa Würtz Azari
and Helene Lassen Nørlem, who
were looking for a way to help
children with ADHD cope in
mainstream schools. It formed the
basis of their Masters degrees and
they worked with more than 50
families and experts to make sure it
was as user-friendly as possible.
SOLUTIONS
innovation
AUTISM
AUTISMCARE
CARE
TRAINING COURSE
The app launched in Denmark
last year to acclaim and is now
available in the UK. Tiimo is offering
a two-month free trial if buyers
quote the code autismeye, after
June 2 DAY 27-28. 2019 £265.00
which it costs £8.99 a month.
January 2 DAY 23-24. 2020 £274.00
CONTACTS
l AngelSense: www.angelsense.com
l Easylink: www.easylinkuk.co.uk
l MedPage: www.medpage-ltd.com
Using the SCERTS curriculum
l Specialist Autism Services: & practice principles to design
www.specialistautismservices.org
l Tiimo: www.tiimoapp.com programming for children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Course Led by
Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP Director.
This training is appropriate for:
educators, therapists,
administrators, paraprofessionals,
& families
AM/PM refreshments, light lunch.

SEIZURE
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MEMORYDETECTION
DETECTION
& LEARNING
MEMORY
MEMORY&&LEARNING
LEARNING
AIDS AIDSAIDS

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