Supporting Successful Medical Care - Caregiver-Guided Strategies for Patients with Disabilities

Why It Matters

Adopting these strategies can expand equitable access to routine and specialty medical care for patients with disabilities, reduce procedural distress, and improve health outcomes by making encounters more predictable and manageable. Practical caregiver and clinician tools help close longstanding gaps in care for an underserved population.

Summary

Mass General’s Blum Center hosted a session led by psychologist Dr. Jill Peneda and nurse and parent advocate Michelle Picard on caregiver-guided strategies to improve medical care for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. The presenters combined clinical evidence on desensitization and communication techniques with lived experience, emphasizing social stories, stepwise preparation, and practical tools to reduce anxiety and increase tolerance for procedures. They highlighted common barriers to care and offered actionable steps for caregivers and clinicians to prepare patients for outpatient and inpatient encounters. Resources and examples drawn from family caregiving and clinical practice were shared to help implement these approaches.

Original Description

In this session from May 18, 2026, Jill Pineda, PhD, shares practical tips and strategies to improve healthcare access for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. This session focuses on reducing anxiety and enhancing care through the use of social stories, visual supports, and individualized accommodations. A caregiver also shares lived experiences navigating the healthcare system and offers insights into how visual supports can promote more successful and positive medical visits.

This program is part of the Disability Education Series, a collaboration between the Maxwell & Eleanor Blum Patient and Family Learning Center and the Council on Disability Awareness at Mass General.