Voor wie of wat beteken ik nog iets? Zingeving bij ouderen met autisme

Meaning in life is a process of giving meaning and assigning value to life; an important but relatively underexposed theme in mental health care. It is unclear how giving meaning is experienced by older adults who have been diagnosed with autism in later life (60+). From clinical experience, there is the impression that they experience issues concerning meaning in life, but scientific research is lacking. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight in how meaning in life is experienced by older adults who have been diagnosed with autism. The design used was a phenomenological research design in which data was collected among ten participants by in-depth interviews. The results were discussed in a focus group of five older adults with a late autism diagnosis, and three older adults with autism provided written feedback on this article. Respondents associated the concept of meaning in life with existential issues. Work and relationships were mentioned as the most important sources of meaning, in that order. Autism and aging were both considered as complicating for experiencing meaning in life. Respondents were looking for ways of still being useful and remaining socially involved. This study provides indications that meaning in life is a clinically relevant theme for older adults with a late autism diagnosis. Healthcare providers should integrate meaning in life into the care of older adults with autism by making it a topic for discussion and discuss sources of – and questions about – meaning in life.