Respite Care & Caregivers Episodes

Most families don’t go straight from home to residential care and they shouldn’t. In Part 2 of this conversation, Mike Carr sits down with Nathan Bryant, Executive Director of High Point Village, to break down one of the most important (and often misunderstood) steps in autism planning: the transition from home to independent living. The key insight? Respite is not just support for families, it’s the foundation for long-term success. Nathan shares how structured respite experiences help indiv...

Finding a great caregiver for a child with profound autism is incredibly difficult, but keeping them may be the real challenge. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares a practical, experience-driven framework to help families build sustainable, long-term support teams. Drawing from decades of real-life caregiving, Mike explains why caregiver turnover happens and how parents can change the environment around the role to improve retention, reduce burnout and create meaningful, lasting rel...

How do you actually find reliable caregivers for profound autism? For many families, this is the single hardest part of the journey. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr, father of a 35-year-old profoundly autistic son shares over three decades of real-world experience navigating one of the most difficult challenges in autism caregiving: Building a dependable, skilled support team. From aggressive behaviors to nonverbal communication and medical complexities, Mike explains why transition...

Not all autism programs are built the same and choosing the wrong one can have lasting consequences. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr continues his conversation with autism consultant Johnna Oppermann to explore what truly defines a high-quality autism program. From intake and transition planning to staff culture and retention, this episode breaks down the critical factors that influence whether individuals with profound autism succeed or struggle in a program. You’ll learn why fast ...

What happens when an autistic child ages out of school but still needs significant support? In Part 2 of this conversation, Mike Carr continues his discussion with Sharon Holloway and Allie Langan about respite care, adult autism services, community inclusion, and preparing autistic adults for greater independence. The conversation explores how meaningful respite programs can support both autistic adults and the families who care for them. Mike shares lessons from his experience with Michael ...

What happens when an autistic child ages out of school? For families supporting autistic teens and adults, especially individuals with profound autism or significant support needs, the transition beyond school can create major challenges around life skills, respite care, adult services, behavior support, community participation, and independence. In Part 1 of this Autism Labs conversation, Mike Carr is joined by Sharon, an autism parent and community advocate, and Allie, a Board Certified Beh...

For families supporting an adult with profound autism, respite care can mean much more than a temporary break. The right program needs to understand communication differences, behavioral support needs, medical considerations, routines, safety and the individual's strengths. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares what his family has learned through J13 Community in Austin, Texas and why traditional respite models may not meet the needs of adults with profound autism or multiple intellec...

What happens when parents can no longer care for their profoundly autistic adult child? For families supporting autistic adults with significant support needs, planning for residential care can be one of the most difficult parts of the transition to adulthood. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares his family's firsthand experience searching for long-term residential options for his 35-year-old son, who has severe autism, is nonverbal and has multiple complex support needs. Mike exa...

What role can variety play in the life of a person with profound autism? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares personal experiences from raising his adult son, Michael, and explores how trying different activities can sometimes uncover unexpected interests, social connections, and sources of joy. For many autistic people, predictable routines can provide important structure. At the same time, families may discover new opportunities for recreation and connection by carefully introdu...

Finding the right caregiver for someone with autism, especially profound autism is one of the most important and challenging decisions families face. In this episode, Mike Carr shares what he’s learned after decades of hiring, training, and working alongside hundreds of caregivers. From in-home support to structured programs, Mike breaks down the qualities that truly matter when building a care team you can trust. This episode goes beyond resumes and certifications, focusing on the human traits ...

In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares decades of lived experience raising a profoundly autistic adult son and building real-world support systems for families who are often underserved. This conversation goes beyond theory and focuses on what actually helps families thrive when autism support needs are high and lifelong. Mike discusses how community-based programs, structured environments, and proactive behavioral planning can dramatically improve quality of life for both individuals ...