iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Went for a walk yesterday. Found a lost toy dog that had clearly been outdoors for some time. I brought it back with me, washed and mended it, and hope to help it find its way home soon!

Bedraggled lichen stained grey toy poodle with its nose and one ear torn off lying on grass.

Grey toy poodle with pink ribbon on its one ear. Washed and clean. Missing nose sewn up. Sitting on a golden carnival glass dish in a garden.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

On the cusp of a huge post-retirement adventure. Uncertainty and risk are part of this. Immersing myself in nature to prepare. #ageing #Autistic #joy

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

This research event looks awesome. Seeing other people #dance is joyful. Watching the trailer made me feel like I was #dancing too. #Autism #Autistic #stimming #flourishing Online, Thurs 26 March, 7pm UK time.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Thank you! As a part-time library assistant as well as the illustrator of this book this really gladdens my heart! Making this vital information as widely available as possible includes getting it added to library collections.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I’m so sorry. That’s such a tough situation to be in.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

I think about this sort of thing often. One of the poems I console myself with is Norman Nicholson’s pot geranium. If my world becomes much smaller in older old age I hope that I am able to sense the pattern, prod, and pulse of life in a crock of soil kathleenjonesauthor.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-...

kathleenjonesauthor.blogspot.com

The Tuesday Poem: Norman Nicholson - The Pot Geranium

A blog about writing, publishing, travelling and environmental issues. Includes poetry and prose.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Thanks for this. Wonder if someone at @jessicakingsley.bsky.social can advise on availability of this book in the EU - the delivery date for UK orders I’ve placed is this Friday 23 Jan.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Publication day for #Autistic #Menopause: A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and those Supporting Them' by Dr Rachel Moseley and Prof Julie Turner-Cobb, illustrated by me. Knowledge is empowering! uk.jkp.com/products/aut... #autism #neurodivergence #perimenopause #postmenopause

Purple book cover with green and gold leaves. Text reads: Autistic Menopause: A Guide to the Menopausal Transition for Autistic People and those Supporting Them. Dr Rachel Moseley and Prof Julie Gamble-Turner. Illustrated by Rose Matthews

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Happy New Year! I hope to be more mobile again by this time next year. When I was up in the hills I was aware of time passing and I’m glad I made the most of the opportunities I had. I’ve got a huge cache of pure joy stored away!

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Lovely to know that you enjoyed those walks with me. It is hard not being able to escape to remote places as easily as I once did but my mind is filled with happy memories, and I still have lots of videos on my phone. Do hope things have got easier for you, as I hope they will for me.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Last year’s outings were more precious than ever as arthritis continued to reduce my mobility. Accessible paths made it possible to experience magical moments like this! #accessibility #disability #nature

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Same for me, being up on the hills, or on the beach is the same!

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

#Arthritis is making walking challenging so I’m grateful for accessible routes like this riverside path. My love of nature encourages me to keep mobile and helps with the pain. #disability #nature

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Referred to a specialist by my GP yesterday, an appointment has come through in less than 2 weeks time. When the NHS works well it is brilliant. So many #Autistic people face barriers that prevent them from accessing diagnosis and treatment. My experience shows simple changes can transform outcomes.

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

It’s disappointing not to be in Dublin this week but the medical treatment I’ve been having over the last few days and yesterday’s urgent referral to a specialist is more than adequate compensation. I’ll find another way to share my presentation on positive experiences of #Autistic #ageing. 4/end

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

There’s no more battling with early morning phone calls. Communication barriers don’t impede clear explanation. Consultations go more smoothly with advance information. My practice trains new GPs so this is a wonderful opportunity to alert them to #healthcare issues affecting #Autistic people. 3/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

I’m thriving because I’ve finally getting accessible medical care. Conditions that were missed, misdiagnosed, or mistreated for years are being attended to, transforming my quality of life. I submit online requests to my new primary care practice. These are triaged by a GP and I get a text reply. 2/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

#Thread Flourishing in unexpected ways. I should have been at #AEC2025 in Dublin yesterday delivering a multimedia presentation on ageing as an #Autistic person. Instead I was being diagnosed with my 5th Autoimmune condition. I’ve had medical appointments 4 days this week, but I’m thriving! 1/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

Access to appropriate services can be life-changing, sometimes life-saving. As an older, disabled #Autistic person who is increasingly reliant on #health and #SocialCare it’s encouraging to see contextual factors that hinder/support #neuro-affirming practice being explored. #Autism

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Reposted by Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈

Irene Tuffrey-Wijne @tuffrey-wijne.com · 01/09/2025

Be one of the first to order. Launching today! (UK only - other countries can still freely download and print at home) Order link is in this short video. Please share! youtu.be/VrntRIJCdXY?... @andreabruun.bsky.social @mariecurieuk.bsky.social

youtu.be

FREE end of life care planning toolkit sent to your door

YouTube video by Victoria & Stuart Project

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Reposted by Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈

Ben Potts @ben-potts.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

We made it into the Independent! “NHS ‘needs to do more to support autistic people” www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... #AutRes #AutismResearch #ADHDResearch #ADHD #Autism

A screenshot of the “Independent” website. If you would like the article in text form let me know and I’ll copy and paste it. I don’t know if advert-laden website are very screen reader friendly. Anyway, the URL is https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nhs-adhd-hospitals-government-research-b2805190.html#

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

I thought of an #OccupationalTherapist I worked when I was a social worker. In one crisis situation, as well as focusing on the person’s immediate physical needs, she planted bulbs in their garden. After lying dormant over winter, strong green shoots broke through. We’re alive. We survived. 10/end

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

I felt compassionate concern and care. It was the polar opposite of my recent #DWP #PIP assessment. In a situation that had begun to feel hopeless I started to see faint glimmers of light. No pressure. No judgement. Just a belief that I’d get through this if I had access to the right supports. 9/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

There’s more. Accurate recording. Prompt implementation of planned actions. Checking back to see if aids and adaptations had improved things. Importantly, I didn’t have to explain #Autism. The #OT understood my sensory issues, executive function challenges, social isolation, and spiky profile. 8/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Structure with flexibility. Active listening. Close observation of the minutiae of how I move, how I feel, who I am. Picking up on things, like non-binary identity. Bridging the gap between physical and mental health. Considering family and social factors. Creative problem solving. Use of self. 7/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Admitting what you are struggling with can be difficult when you’ve always been fiercely independent. Exposing personal aspects of your life to a stranger’s gaze requires trust. I’ve tried to unpick why my OT assessment went so well. It was partly predictability. Making arrangements. Explaining. 6/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

I worked very closely with #OccupationalTherapists as a mental health social worker, so I knew their approach was practical, holistic, and person-centred. The way we function in our day to day lives is never purely physical. It’s also emotional, psychological, spiritual, and uniquely individual. 5/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

If there’s a silver lining it’s that I’ve finally learned to ask for help, and not to give up when help isn’t forthcoming but to keep on asking. That was how I came to have an #OccupationalTherapy assessment recently. #OT was a career of choice when I graduated but I went in different directions. 4/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Some of us don’t do well on standard NHS treatment of Levothyroxine monotherapy. But getting Liothyronine involves a battle it’s hard to find energy for. Hypothyroidism can cause cognitive challenges and emotional dysregulation. #PseudoDementia. It’s a lonely journey through unknown territory. 3/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

One of the effects of low thyroid function is depression. While it helps to know why I feel this way having all the joy sucked out of life wrecks my motivation. Chronic illness is exhausting for other people too. There’s no quick fix. Titration of replacement hormones takes months, even years. 2/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

#Thread In praise of #OccupationalTherapy #OT. I’ve been experiencing exhaustion like never before. It’s because of autoimmune thyroid disease, along with painful arthritis, exacerbated by the exhaustion of being #Autistic in an unaccommodating world, and effortful listening due to hearing loss. 1/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

We were surrounded by ripe wild raspberries, more abundant than they’ve ever been. Every season has its delights and this was a delicious surprise. Walking is painful and difficult at the moment, so it really felt like the natural world was encouraging and supporting me. #SensoryJoy #Autistic 4/end

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

From that moment on the walk felt auspicious. A little further along I spotted a bright flash of blue. A tiny Jay’s feather was resting on the grass. I found one once before, but I gave it away. Feather collections are a family thing and I knew my grandchild would love it as much as I did. 4/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

When I was out walking today the same type of butterfly landed right in front of me. It rested for a moment on the parched warm path. I know it is fanciful to imagine it was the same one, but it definitely could have been! Magical things tend to happen when nature has free rein. 3/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

After a little gentle shepherding, out it flew through the lobby. I stood and watched it catch the breeze and soar skywards towards the trees. Some other good things happened too, but liberating this butterfly was a special moment. I know what it feels like to be trapped with no escape route. 2/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

🧵 At work yesterday morning the most urgent and important task became helping a large #butterfly to exit the building safely. It took me a while to work out what to do. I closed all the blinds, turned off all the lights, and opened the doors so there was only one source of brightness and breeze. 1/

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Reposted by Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈

Autistic Realms (Helen Edgar) @autisticrealms.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

Great opportunity for anyone local to me in Birmingham UK from @autisticparentsuk.bsky.social A new project designed to meet the unique needs of Autistic people who are also carers living in Birmingham - aimed to empower Autistic carers. www.autisticparentsuk.org/supporting-b...

autisticparentsuk.org

Supporting Birmingham Autistic Carers | Autistic Parents UK

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Reposted by Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈

Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore @sjblakemore.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

I was explaining to my Ukrainian colleague the phrase ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch’. She told me the equivalent in Ukrainian is ‘The only free cheese is in the mousetrap’ - which is so much better

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

It’s refreshing for old age to be considered as an #Autistic life stage, and sadly still quite rare. I did a presentation on this a while back called ‘Last but not least’ you’ll find it in this Padlet portfolio of my work: padlet.com/rosematthews... #AutisticElders #ageing #Autism 4/

Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Part of the problem is the medical model that sees the Autistic person as an individual, not part of a ecological system, and the myth that Autistic people don’t have relationships. I’m reminded of a book I was interviewed for a while ago exploring Autistic relationships across the lifespan. 3/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Limited post diagnostic family support that is available is usually designed for children and young people, their parents, and siblings. But the challenges of understanding and adjusting to Autism discovery as a family are just as great for older #Autistic people and may not even be recognised. 2/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Those of us who get a late in life Autism #diagnosis often have parents, siblings, children, or grandchildren who are also #Autistic but undiagnosed. Our own assessment can start a chain reaction of recognition. Intergenerational, family-centred aspects of #Autism often get overlooked. 1/

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

In the late 1990s members of an academic interview panel were alarmed when I used some very tame visual images in my presentation. How I wish they could see me now! padlet.com/rosematthews... #AutisticResearcher #CreativeResearch #Artivism

padlet.com

Multimedia Portfolio

Collection of work

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

I was interviewed by Tanja Bächler recently for her YouTube channel. The first part is about my life before and after #Autism diagnosis aged 58. At 27 mins the discussion shifts to research I’ve been doing on #Autistic people’s experiences of #menopause #AutisticMenopause youtu.be/DpTsoZsHomw?...

youtu.be

Autism + Menopause EXPLAINED for Us, Late Diagnosed Autistic

YouTube video by Woman on the Spectrum

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

I’ve waited up until the early hours watching my blood test results come in. A couple of them are abnormal which explains why I’m feeling off. Titrating Levothyroxine is tortuously slow aged 65+ so I’m glad it looks like I’m ready for the next increase in dose! #hypothyroidism #Hashimotos

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I love rummaging about in old folders because I never know what I’ll find! Here is a narrated PowerPoint presentation on #AutisticMenopause I recorded after a #menopause festival, based on an installation of curious objects I curated. #CreativeResearch #AutoEthnography tinyurl.com/CuratedMenop...

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Rose Matthews (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈 @rosematthews.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Going with the flow has taken me in some exciting new directions recently. I can’t predict what the next months and years will bring, but I’m finding fulfilment in combining different skills and interests and contributing to research in diverse ways. youtu.be/4Lh2nuxxbGQ 11/

youtu.be

Going with the flow: a reflection on the transformational power of co-produced autism research

YouTube video by Rose

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