A plumber coming to the house with his metal toolbox can turn an entire morning upside down. He walks through the front door, wears unfamiliar shoes down the hall, and moves your favourite cup away from the sink. An autistic person who finds comfort in familiar sounds, spaces and schedules (there is a helpful breakdown at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health) may have many things disrupted during a brief maintenance visit. Caregivers can prepare in advance to make the day go more smoothly and keep the rest of the house running as usual.
Preparing for Unexpected Noises and Strangers
Maintenance work involves noises that are hard to predict. A drill may start up unexpectedly, the plumbing may bang inside the bathroom wall, or two electricians may shout to each other from either end of the corridor. Ear defenders, preferred music or a separate room can all help, particularly if provided ahead of time when the first toolbox is clicked open.
A picture schedule can show when workers will arrive, what they intend to fix, and when they expect to finish. Pictures or drawings of a door bell, spanner, lunch plate and a completed tick can show the order of events visually. If a delay occurs, a caregiver only needs to swap over one card instead of repeatedly having to explain why the workmen are taking longer than planned whilst testing a rattling ceiling fan.
Keeping Familiar Spaces and Items Safe
The workers may need to shut the bathroom door, pull the washing machine forward, or put a protective dust cover over part of the kitchen floor. You’re First Home Care can arrange a safe space that contains familiar items like a weighted blanket, tablet charger, well-worn blue cushion or box of favourite snacks ahead of time.
Small steps can avoid causing distress:
- Put a favourite toothbrush somewhere safe before the work starts beneath the sink.
- Put a sign saying ‘quiet room’ on the bedroom door.
- Leave a favourite chair in the same position next to the window.
- Take photos of the shelves beforehand to make sure tools, books or storage containers are returned to their correct places afterwards.
Some things may seem small to the worker, but mean a lot to the autistic person. A sticker that is half peeled off a cupboard door, or three pencils left neatly beside the keyboard may need to be kept exactly where they are. Caregivers can point these things out to the workers and ask them to put any equipment somewhere else, like on a table covered with an old tea towel.
Dealing with Disruptions to Water, Electricity and Daily Activities
Workmen may need to cut off the water supply in the middle of the usual handwashing time, or switch off the electricity in the middle of cooking a meal in the microwave. Having a spare lamp that has been charged, a water bottle full, a lunch ready to eat and a communication device ready, and there is more on my latest blog post, can ensure that daily routines can continue even when switches and taps are unavailable.
Instructions must be given clearly. Instead of saying ‘it could be finished at 11.00, maybe 12.00, possibly 2.00,’ say ‘the bathroom isn’t available until this timer goes off.’ Use a red card and place it on the door handle. Then use a green card and place it on the door handle after the floor has dried, and the bucket, loose screws and masking tape have been taken away.
Breaks might need some alterations. If the usual sofa is against the wall being drilled, recreate the same atmosphere elsewhere with the same blanket, drink coaster and headphones. It can be easier to take a break in the same place and do the same thing.
Prior to the visit, caregivers may leave a short letter that outlines how to tell the contractor about movements or gestures, how to not grab or touch them abruptly, and what to do if the person uses a pause word.
Also, designating one specific worker to communicate with the autistic person helps eliminate many people asking them questions simultaneously.
Getting Back to Normal After the Workmen Leave
Caregivers can walk around the rooms and put the furniture back where it was using the photos that were taken beforehand. A chair may need to sit right on the edge of a carpet and the bathroom mat needs to be laid with its name written towards the bath. A visual schedule can finish with a picture of the sun going down and then move on to a favourite activity, like making a cup of tea, sorting cards or watching a program.
Once the workmen leave, the house may still be a bit different, as there may be a faint smell of paint, a patch of white carpet behind the fridge, or a hinge on a cupboard that no longer squeaks. Taking time to look at these changes and get used to them again can help the family adjust to the new routine.