Aging Well: Physical Health
Aging well is more than the absence of illness. It's a whole picture — physical, cognitive, social, and emotional — and it can be planned for at any age. This page focuses on the physical piece, written for autistic adults 50 and over.
The health picture.
Research supportedStudies of autistic adults over 50 consistently show elevated rates of chronic physical conditions (cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and musculoskeletal), higher rates of co-occurring mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, and lower rates of social participation than same-age non-autistic peers. These are facts to plan around, not to alarm — knowing the pattern is what lets you and your providers screen earlier, treat sooner, and build supports that actually fit.
- • Ask providers about baseline screenings appropriate for your age and history.
- • Keep a short written health summary — conditions, medications, sensory needs.
- • Track patterns (sleep, pain, energy) in whatever way fits your brain.
Sources include Croen et al. (2015), Autism, 19(7), 814–823; Rydzewska et al. (2019), BMJ Open, 9(7), e026330; Hand et al. (2020), Autism, 24(3), 755–764.
Movement matters.
Research supportedAging autistic adults tend to fall below recommended physical activity levels, and the barriers are real: sensory overload at gyms, unpredictable group classes, executive function costs of getting out the door, chronic pain, and providers who assume "just walk more" is a plan. The evidence is also clear that when support is autism-informed, both activity levels and quality of life improve. Movement doesn't have to look like anyone else's movement.
See McQuaid et al. (2022), Autism in Adulthood, and reviews of physical activity in autistic adults such as Sorensen & Zarrett (2014), Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1, 344–353.
Advocating in healthcare.
Expert guidanceMany autistic adults describe medical visits as one of the hardest sensory and social environments of the week. Interoception — the sense of internal body signals — is often different for autistic people, which means "rate your pain 1–10" or "how do you feel?" can be genuinely hard to answer accurately. That is a difference in signal, not a lack of insight. Preparation and written notes help.
- • Write your top 3 concerns in one or two sentences each.
- • Note when symptoms started, how often, and what makes them better or worse.
- • List sensory needs (lighting, touch, waiting-room noise) you'd like accommodated.
- • Bring someone or ask to record the visit if it helps you remember.
- • "It changes what I can do — I can't sit through a meal / can't sleep on that side."
- • "It's constant background / sharp when I move / worse in the evening."
- • "I don't always feel pain the way people describe it. Here's what I do notice: …"
- • "I may not react in the moment. Please still take this seriously."
"I'm autistic. I process information best when it's written down or given one step at a time. My interoception can be atypical, so I may under-report pain or notice it late. If you can tell me what you're about to do before you touch me, and give me a moment to answer questions, this visit will go much better for both of us."