We worked with Dementia UK and King's College London to co-create public information guides on autism and dementia.

The guides offer clear, practical guidance tailored to the needs of autistic people with dementia and those who support them. We are also developing a guide for health and care professionals to know more about autism and dementia, to provide more inclusive care and better support.

When someone is autistic and has dementia, they may face unique challenges that affect their care, their quality of life and their autonomy. Autistic people have unique profiles of social, communication and sensory needs, which may interact with dementia in complex ways.

We know that family members may be unprepared about what to expect when an autistic person’s everyday life and wellbeing are affected by dementia-related challenges.

Autistic people, their families, health & and social care professionals have told us that there is limited information to support an autistic person who develops dementia.

• We ran a series of workshops with autistic people, family members and professionals to gather their experiences caring for autistic people with dementia, and understand the challenges they faced.
• We reviewed the literature and services to understand what information is already available and combined this with community experience.
• Autistic people and their families were involved in every stage of the project. They used their expertise from experience to shape the guides' information detail, language, and design.

The guides provide practical information for autistic people with dementia, their families and carers, and a range of professionals who may work with them in health and care settings.

By developing high-quality evidence-based information, we can improve knowledge and understanding to provide better support and care for autistic people with dementia.